Wealth-holding families in the UAE are moving decisively into the realms of digital assets and artificial intelligence, underscoring the country’s position as one of the world’s most advanced hubs for tech-driven wealth management, a new study from Standard Chartered Global Private Bank reveals.
The report, conducted among more than 300 ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families and advisers across global wealth centres, shows that 71 per cent of UAE families believe they should strategically invest in digital assets — including cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens and tokenised traditional assets — versus 69 per cent globally.
Meanwhile, 75 per cent of UAE respondents say they trust AI tools to support wealth decisions, provided that human advisers remain part of the major judgment calls; this compares with 70 per cent globally. These figures come amid data that highlights the UAE’s broader digital-asset and AI adoption surge.
According to the ApeX Protocol report, some 25.3 per cent of UAE residents now hold cryptocurrencies, representing a rise of some 210 per cent in recent years and placing the UAE among the world’s fastest-growing crypto nations.
The country has been ranked fifth most crypto-friendly globally in the 2025 Henley & Partners Crypto Wealth Report, citing its zero-tax regime for crypto trading and staking. On the AI side, a recent study by KPMG found that 97 per cent of UAE respondents say they have used AI for work, study or personal purposes — well ahead of the global average of 83 per cent. What emerges is a compelling narrative of families in the UAE combining bold technology adoption with traditional governance structures.
According to Standard Chartered’s research, 96 per cent of UAE family-office respondents regularly review and optimise their governance frameworks, compared with 94 per cent globally, and the same proportion report formal conflict-resolution processes as opposed to 92 per cent globally.
The next generation is clearly playing a stronger role: more than 67 per cent of UAE family offices report active or extensive involvement of successors in investment decision-making — a clear signal that multigenerational wealth is being shaped by emerging digital-first leadership.
Philanthropy too features prominently: 88 per cent of UAE respondents say they prefer to contribute to national or international causes (versus 80 per cent globally), and 92 per cent report full family alignment on philanthropic priorities (versus 83 per cent globally). On succession planning, 92 per cent believe better cross-border structuring could save their families millions of dollars at the next inheritance transition, compared with 83 per cent globally.
Standard Chartered’s regional head for EMEA and Global Head of South Asian Community, Vinay Gandhi, said: “Family offices in the UAE are embracing technology in a way that reflects both vision and discipline. They see digital assets and AI not as speculative tools, but as integral components of a more connected, efficient and resilient wealth ecosystem.”
