United Arab Emirates vs Cyprus: which jurisdiction wins?

United Arab Emirates vs Cyprus — both credible, very different trade-offs. Below: side-by-side on the variables that actually move the decision.

	United Arab Emirates	Cyprus
Tax headline	9% corporate tax above AED 375k (free zones 0% on qualifying)	12.5% corporate, NID brings effective lower
Formation days	10	7
First-year cost	$6,500	$3,500
Treaties	140+	65+
Substance	Free zone QFZP requires adequate substance	Substance for treaty access
Banking	Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, plus Wio and crypto-friendly EMIs	Bank of Cyprus, Hellenic, plus EMIs

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