UAE Regulations for Marketing Foreign Investment Funds

• Professional Investor Funds: Foreign funds, like those from the BVI, can be marketed to professional investors in the UAE on a private placement basis. This requires a person licensed by the UAE's Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and SCA approval​​.

• Registration with the SCA: To market to professional investors, the fund's legal representative must register the fund with the SCA for private promotion. This includes application submission, working with local promoters licensed by the SCA, and adherence to streamlined review timelines and fees set by the SCA​​.

• Exemptions: Exemptions from SCA registration and local promoter requirements include the ADGM and DIFC Fund Passporting Regime, reverse solicitation, marketing to exempt professional investors (like government entities), and listed funds​​.

• Restrictions on Retail Investor Funds: Marketing to retail investors in the UAE in a public offering is prohibited for foreign funds. However, the use of feeder funds in ADGM, DIFC, or the UAE for targeting retail investors is expected to be allowed, subject to compliance with respective regulations.