DUBAI, UAE, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DIFC, the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, has registered its 100th hedge fund, reflecting its dominance in the sector and successful journey to becoming a top five global hub for the industry.
The number of hedge fund managers doubled from 50 at the start of 2024.81 are billion-dollar AUM managers.
During 2025, new arrivals include Baron Capital Management, BlueCrest Capital, Naya Capital Management, Nine Masts Capital, North Rock Capital, Oak Hill Advisors, Pearl Diver Capital, Select Equity Group, Strategic Investment Group, Silver Point Capital, Squarepoint Capital and Welwing Capital Group.
They join the region's largest roster of industry stalwarts, such as Balyasny, BlackRock, Blue Owl, Brevan Howard, Dymon Asia, Exodus Point, Hudson Bay, Millennium, Qube Research and Technologies (QRT), and Verition.
Managers continue to join DIFC at record pace because they can trade Asian, European and American markets, tap the region's deepest pools of talent and raise capital from ultra-high net worth individuals, family offices and sovereign wealth funds.
His Excellency Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, said: "Becoming a leading hedge funds centre reflects the maturity of the DIFC platform as well as the confidence of its participants. Our client focus and industry partnerships drive product innovation, which continues to fuel our growth. The breadth and depth of our alternative investments community strengthen our position as the only financial centre operating at scale across all sectors, which allows DIFC and our clients to influence the global financial landscape from Dubai."
An example of DIFC's innovation is the development of the DIFC Funds Centre, a first of its kind asset management co-working space, housing some of the industry's biggest names complemented by mid-sized firms, spinouts and start-ups. More than 85% of DIFC based hedge fund managers have the ability to raise and manage private and sovereign capital from the Centre.
DIFC's recent report on the future of alternative investments, highlighted that technological innovation, regulatory reforms and wider investor access are accelerating flows into alternatives, which are now becoming core components of diversified portfolios.
DIFC's wealth and asset-management sector continues to expand rapidly, now exceeding 470 firms. Managers benefit from access to the Middle East's highest concentration of private wealth, including more than 1,250 family-related business entities based in the Centre.
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DIFC becomes top five global hub for hedge fund managers - over 100 hedge funds now registered in the Centre
SHANGHAI, April 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From April 2 to 31, the Assembly Character Toys brand Blokees made its debut at the 2026 Thailand Toy Expo. Blokees unveiled its two major categories — Blokees Model Kits and Blokees Wheels, highlighting a diverse product matrix of more than 300 products across 17 globally recognized IPs, including Ultraman, Transformers, DC, Evangelion, Naruto, Minions, Jurassic World, Hatsune Miku, and Hero Infinity. Four new model kits also made their global debut, emerging as key highlights of the event.
Mario Maurer attended the opening ceremony of Blokees Thailand Toy Expo as a special guest and engaged in interactive exchanges with consumers.
In the Blokees Model Kits category, Blokees exhibited its Champion, Legend, and Fantastic Series, featuring popular IPs such as Transformers, DC, Mega Man, Saint Seiya, Evangelion, and Naruto. More than 50 products were presented to consumers. Among them, four newly launched items—including Blokees Saint Seiya-Champion Class-12-Phoenix Ikki, Blokees Saint Seiya-Champion Class-14-Andromeda Shun, Blokees DC-Champion Class 05-Batman (HUSH), and Blokees DC-Champion Class 06-Catwoman (Hush)—drew strong interest from fans.
Blokees also highlighted its HERO5 and HERO10 series, featuring well-known IPs including Transformers, Saint Seiya, and Naruto, catering to consumers of hero-themed collectible models.
The DaaLaMode series introduced a range of products inspired by popular IPs such as Hatsune Miku, appealing to female consumers. Meanwhile, the TERRAVENTURE series presented nature and creature-themed model kits based on Jurassic World, further expanding Blokees' offerings across different consumer segments.
In the Blokees Wheels category, which integrates construction, play, and customization, products are organized into the C, E, and S series. The lineup includes IP-based offerings from Transformers, Ultraman, and Batman, with upcoming collaborations featuring Fast & Furious and Ford.
In addition, Blokees highlighted its global consumer ecosystem, BFC (Blokees Family Creator). Selected works from 2025 The 3rd BFC Creation Contest Stellar Season were exhibited in Thailand for the first time, reflecting strong user creativity and engagement. 2026 The 4th BFC Creation Contest Season of Awakening has officially launched, further encouraging global participation.
Under its "Universally appealing, Stepwise pricing, Globally promoting" strategy, Blokees continues to expand across Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America. Thailand is rapidly becoming a strategic hub in its regional expansion, as the company strengthens both product innovation and community-driven growth worldwide.
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Blokees made its debut at 2026 Thailand Toy Expo, exhibiting multiple products
