← Company Formations
Gibraltar vs United Arab Emirates: which jurisdiction wins?
Gibraltar vs United Arab Emirates — both credible, very different trade-offs. Below: side-by-side on the variables that actually move the decision.
| Gibraltar | United Arab Emirates | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax headline | 12.5% corporate tax | 9% corporate tax above AED 375k (free zones 0% on qualifying) |
| Formation days | 7 | 10 |
| First-year cost | $4,000 | $6,500 |
| Treaties | Limited | 140+ |
| Substance | Substance for accrued-in-and-derived-from claim | Free zone QFZP requires adequate substance |
| Banking | Gibraltar International Bank, EMIs | Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, plus Wio and crypto-friendly EMIs |
Talk to a partner before you incorporate.
Wrong jurisdiction, wrong substance, or wrong bank shortlist is a 12-month problem. A 30-minute briefing fixes 80% of it.
Request a briefing