{
  "id": "holding-company",
  "type": "guide",
  "title": "Holding company",
  "url": "https://dubaisetupindex.com/guides/holding-company",
  "updatedOn": "2026-10-09",
  "links": {
    "html": "https://dubaisetupindex.com/guides/holding-company",
    "markdown": "https://dubaisetupindex.com/md/guides/holding-company",
    "json": "https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/guides/holding-company.json"
  },
  "data": {
    "slug": "holding-company",
    "title": "Holding company",
    "category": "Regulated activities",
    "checkedOn": "2026-10-09",
    "summary": "Choose the legal vehicle based on what it will hold and whether it will run operations or employ people.",
    "sections": [
      {
        "title": "Route and permissions",
        "paragraphs": [
          "Choose the legal vehicle based on what it will hold and whether it will run operations or employ people. ADGM’s special purpose vehicle is a passive holding vehicle and cannot conduct operational business or hire staff. Non-exempt SPVs need a Company Service Provider. DIFC’s Prescribed Company rules also restrict the vehicle to its qualifying purpose or holding use and prohibit employees.",
          "An operating holding company, a passive SPV and a foundation are different structures. Staff restrictions on an SPV do not establish a universal “no visa” rule for every holding company."
        ]
      },
      {
        "title": "What still needs confirmation",
        "paragraphs": [
          "Use these as specific structure pointers. A four-zone price or tax comparison is not ready; RAKEZ, RAK ICC and JAFZA have not been verified as equivalent products."
        ]
      }
    ],
    "sources": [
      {
        "label": "ADGM SPVs",
        "url": "https://www.adgm.com/business-areas/special-purpose-vehicles"
      },
      {
        "label": "DIFC Prescribed Company regulatory announcement, enacted July 2024",
        "url": "https://www.difc.com/whats-on/news/difc-announces-enactment-of-updated-prescribed-company-regulations"
      }
    ]
  },
  "attribution": {
    "required": true,
    "publisher": "Dubai Setup Index",
    "url": "https://dubaisetupindex.com/guides/holding-company",
    "license": "https://dubaisetupindex.com/docs/citation",
    "citation": "Dubai Setup Index. “Holding company.” Updated 2026-10-09. https://dubaisetupindex.com/guides/holding-company",
    "citationMarkdown": "[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/guides/holding-company). “Holding company.” Updated 2026-10-09.",
    "note": "Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown."
  }
}