71% of UAE family offices are interested in investing in digital assets

Yesterday, the global private bank Standard Chartered announced the results of its new report on family offices, which showed that 71% of UAE family offices see the need to invest in digital assets such as cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens or traditional tokenized assets, compared to 69% at the global level.

The report also indicated that 75% of UAE family offices trust using artificial intelligence tools to support their investment decisions, while emphasizing the importance of keeping the human element in key decisions.

These results reflect the UAE’s position as one of the most advanced centers of wealth in adopting digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as family offices in the country demonstrate an approach that combines openness to innovation and discipline in managing their offices to ensure sustainability and effectiveness. The report, titled “The Great Repositioning,” includes more than 300 high-net-worth families and advisors in major global wealth centers such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China, the Emirates, India, Africa, and London, and provides a comprehensive vision of how family offices are redefining the concepts of wealth management, protecting it, and building legacy across generations.

Global Head of South Asia Clients and Head of Private Banking for EMEA at Standard Chartered, Vinay Gandhi, said: “Family offices in the UAE are moving towards adopting technology with a balanced vision that combines ambition and discipline. It does not consider digital assets and artificial intelligence as tools for speculation, but rather as basic pillars for building a more interconnected, efficient and sustainable wealth system.”

He added, “The combination of good governance and future vision strengthens the UAE’s position as one of the most prominent private wealth management centers in the world.”

This trend is based on strong governance foundations, as 96% of participants in the UAE indicated that they regularly review the governance frameworks in their family offices and work to develop them, compared to 94% globally. The same number also confirmed that they have formal dispute resolution mechanisms, compared to 92% globally. These frameworks allow family offices to manage the complexities of wealth with confidence and ensure that innovation is based on principles of transparency and accountability.

The role of the new generation in promoting this approach is also highlighted, as more than 67% of Emirati family offices reported the active participation of heirs in wealth and investment decisions, which reflects a clear shift in leadership styles within these offices.

The new generation is leading discussions on digital diversification, sustainability and social impact, in a move that is reshaping the features of wealth management in a rapidly changing global economy.