United Arab Emirates vs Luxembourg: which jurisdiction wins?

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

	United Arab Emirates	Luxembourg
Tax headline	9% corporate tax above AED 375k (free zones 0% on qualifying)	24.94% effective; SOPARFI structuring lowers materially
Formation days	10	14
First-year cost	$6,500	$12,000
Treaties	140+	85+
Substance	Free zone QFZP requires adequate substance	Substance mandatory post-ATAD
Banking	Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, plus Wio and crypto-friendly EMIs	BIL, BGL BNP Paribas, prime brokers

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