Author: Emirates Insight

The UAE has approved the establishment of the National Investment Fund with an initial capital of AED36.7bn ($10bn), in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, held at the Dubai Airshow. The session reviewed wide-ranging economic, industrial, aviation and societal achievements for 2024 and advanced several national strategies covering identity, family cohesion, food security and environmental protection. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “I chaired today’s Cabinet meeting at the Dubai Airshow. The UAE continues to support this global platform, which brings together delegations from 115 countries…

Following its spectacular debut last year, the Middle East’s biggest Bollywood music festival is back and this year it is louder, bolder and ready to take over Dubai once again. After making history with the region’s first ever two day Bollywood dance music celebration and drawing over 3,000 partygoers, Aks Dance Festival 2025 returns with a massive new beachfront edition at Barasti Beach, promising bigger energy, bigger crowds and an unforgettable festival experience like never before. The festival launches with an electrifying Bollywood night packed with city’s top DJs, powerful performances and immersive entertainment, bringing the signature Aks atmosphere to…

In recent years, an increasing number of retailers and institutions have joined the crypto bandwagon, investing and trading in the market. If you’re a tax professional, chances are you’ve found yourself learning how cryptocurrencies work so that you can efficiently assist your clients in fulfilling their tax obligations. As it is with general finance, using the right crypto tax software will prove to be invaluable for your process. This article discusses the best crypto tax software tools that a certified public accountant (CPA) or a tax professional can use to calculate crypto taxes for their clients. It also highlights various…

A Sydney startup founder’s post about “fully adopting” a Silicon Valley-style work culture has sparked a debate about long hours in tech and whether work-life balance clashes with ambition. After arriving in San Francisco two weeks ago, Lyra co-founder and COO Anh Dao posted that he had experienced a “wake-up call” on work culture, and that Australia needs a “serious change”. “The culture here runs till late,” Dao posted on LinkedIn. “I saw people still in the office at 11.30pm, calls happening well…after 5pm, and a pace that does not slow down after hours. The energy carries well into the night.…

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) launched several initiatives and partnerships to reinforce Dubai’s position as the region’s premier destination for family wealth, next-generation leadership and succession planning during its DIFC Family Wealth Centre Summit. Established in 2023, the DIFC Family Wealth Centre is the world’s first centre of its kind, offering an integrated platform for family businesses and UHNWIs to navigate succession planning, governance, and institutional growth. It continues to attract new families to DIFC, reflected in a 54 per cent increase in family foundations established in the past year. Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, said: “Families have always been…

After unveiling the highly anticipated KT+150 List of the UAE’s most dynamic young changemakers, Khaleej Times is now launching the KT+150 Summit, a new flagship gathering dedicated to accelerating list makers’ ideas, ambitions and entrepreneurial journeys. The inaugural Summit will be brought to life in partnership with global technology group e&, as the event’s official Presenting Sponsor. The event is also supported by associate partners Shure, VeraViews and Lynk & Co, with Emirates serving as the official travel partner. Set to be a full-day programme, the Summit will bring together the diverse voices and talents spotlighted in the KT+150 list…

Emirates has been voted ‘Best Airline in the World’ for the 8th consecutive year, at the esteemed ULTRAs travel awards held in Dubai yesterday. Based on votes from Ultratravel’s global network of 1.2 million travellers, Emirates also scooped the ‘Airline with the Best Premium Economy Class’ award, as well as a prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Global Aviation’ presented to Sir Tim Clark. Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said; ‘It’s an honour to celebrate our eighth year as ‘best airline in the world’ at the ULTRAs and thank you to all the travellers who gave us their vote. At Emirates, we want every customer to…

Dubai has secured a major international endorsement for its aviation future after UK Export Finance (UKEF) issued a $3.5bn Expression of Interest to support UK participation in the $35bn expansion of Al Maktoum International – Dubai World Central (DWC). The announcement, made at Dubai Airshow 2025, marks the first international expression of interest of its kind for the mega-project. Presented during a ceremony at the Dubai South stand, the Expression of Interest was handed over by Sir Chris Bryant, UK Minister for Trade, to Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, and…

As Bitcoin crashed below $90K, El Salvador grabbed $100M in BTC. El Salvador has intensified its Bitcoin strategy despite one of the year’s steepest market pullbacks, after adding more than 1,000 BTC in a single move and pushing its reported holdings to roughly 7,500 BTC. According to the country’s Bitcoin Office, the latest acquisition is worth around $100 million and was executed as the cryptocurrency briefly plunged below $90,000. The purchase is the largest one-day increase the Central American country has announced and aligns with President Nayib Bukele’s pledge to keep expanding the national BTC reserve through steady daily…

As Nicholas Rudder built his last startup, an educational marketplace called ScholarSite, he kept running into the same problem: tax.   “Marketplaces are liable for tax on their entire GMV (gross merchandise value) not just their take rate, so every new country meant a maze of registrations, filings, deadlines, and risk,” Rudder told TechCrunch. “It became a constant distraction. Instead of building the business, I was spending time deciphering international compliance rules I never wanted to become an expert in.”   As he and co-founder Adrian Sarstedt were looking to shut down ScholarSite (later calling it Sphere), Rudder decided to keep the name but turn the product into something new.  …