UAE ranks in top three globally for quality of life among wealthy investors, HSBC survey finds

Wealthy investors in the United Arab Emirates have placed the country among the top three markets worldwide for quality of life, according to a survey released by HSBC on Thursday. The report, based on responses from 9,993 affluent and high-net-worth individuals across ten countries, including 703 in the UAE, found that 83 per cent of UAE investors said they were satisfied with their quality of life. That figure compares with a global average of 75 per cent and puts the UAE in a tie with Mexico and India for the top three spots.

More than a quarter of UAE respondents — 26 per cent — rated their quality of life a perfect ten out of ten, the joint-highest share among all markets surveyed and well above the 15 per cent global average.

Confidence in financial goals

The survey also showed that affluent investors in the UAE are more optimistic about their financial future than their peers elsewhere. Eighty-seven per cent said they are confident of meeting their short-term financial goals, and 81 per cent expressed confidence in achieving long-term objectives. Globally, those figures were lower.

Twenty-one per cent of UAE investors are currently launching, acquiring or investing in a new business venture, compared with 17 per cent globally, the research indicated.

HSBC presented the findings at its inaugural UAE Wealth Investment Summit in Dubai. Craig Worobec, the bank’s head of wealth and premier solutions for the Middle East and UAE, said more investors are choosing to manage their international wealth from the UAE, attracted by its business-friendly wealth policy framework. “More and more investors are choosing to manage that international wealth from here in the UAE, supported by a wealth sector that continues to deepen,” Worobec said. “Our role is to give them access to global investment opportunities, with planning that adapts as their goals change.”

Legacy and next-generation support

Legacy planning is a priority for many wealthy UAE investors. Among those planning to leave a legacy, 32 per cent want it to provide their heirs with capital to start or grow a business — the highest share of any market surveyed, against a global average of 24 per cent.

Nearly all parents in the survey — 98 per cent — are already supporting the next generation during their lifetime. The most common forms of support are opening up professional networks (39 per cent), acting as a strategic adviser (33 per cent) and providing direct funding (29 per cent).

Eighty-two per cent of UAE respondents said they have a clear strategy for how their wealth will support their family across multiple generations, compared with 75 per cent globally. Twenty-six per cent said guidance on intergenerational wealth planning would help them plan with confidence, versus 22 per cent worldwide.