Businesses and individuals from the UAE and 22 overseas jurisdictions across five continents chose the DIFC Courts to resolve disputes in the first half of 2026, reinforcing Dubai’s role as an international commercial dispute-resolution center.
The DIFC Courts received 243 opt-in cases during the six months, representing 30 per cent of the 810 cases filed across all divisions. Of these, 201 were filed in the Small Claims Tribunal, while 42 went to the Court of First Instance, Arbitration Division and Digital Economy Court.
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Parties can opt into the DIFC Courts by written agreement, even if they are not based in the DIFC and even where there is no mandatory UAE connection. Choosing the DIFC Courts also does not change the governing law of a contract, which parties remain free to select.
In the Court of First Instance, 30 opt-in claims were filed during H1, with 47 per cent involving at least one party based outside the UAE.
Those cases included parties from 13 overseas jurisdictions, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, India, Germany, Switzerland, the US and Australia. In some cases, no party was based in the UAE.
The Digital Economy Court also received one opt-in claim involving parties linked to the UK, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, El Salvador and Vietnam.
Overseas arbitration links
The international reach was also visible in the Arbitration Division, where eight of 11 opt-in cases were linked to arbitrations seated overseas.
Those proceedings were connected to arbitration hubs including Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Paris and Stockholm.
Omar Al Mheiri, Director of the DIFC Courts, said the figures showed that UAE and international users were choosing the courts as a forum for resolving cross-border commercial disputes, including cases with no UAE-based party.
He said the model supports Dubai’s position as a trusted destination for investment, trade and international business.
The DIFC Courts operate as an independent, English-language common-law jurisdiction. The courts say any two parties anywhere in the world can choose them as the forum for a commercial dispute through a contractual clause, with no UAE connection required.
Source: Khaleej Times