UAE trust cost depends mainly on the structure, not a fixed tariff: the centre you choose, the form, the assets, the drafting and the trustee's yearly work. We publish the set-up fee for a standard trust or foundation in the UAE on this page; annual administration, event-based work and third-party charges are quoted after we review your case.
The set-up fee for a UAE (DIFC, ADGM) trust is shown under the key facts. The other groups of cost depend on the structure and are quoted after we review your case.
Set-up
Structure design and onboarding checks
Trust deed drafting by the law firm
Trustee acceptance and account opening
Ongoing
Annual trustee fee
Accounting, minutes and records
Reporting to authorities
Third party
Bank and custodian charges
Tax and legal advice in other countries
Registry or stamp duty where it applies
Key facts
Governing law
The 2018 Trust Law governs trusts that choose DIFC law[1]
Perpetuity period
A DIFC trust may continue indefinitely; no perpetuity rule applies[1]
Registration
The Registrar's Register of DIFC foundations is open to inspection (Art. 35)[2]
Numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the end of this page.
Set-up fee
Standard trust
USD 21,000
Trust set-up in the UAE (DIFC, ADGM): the fee is fixed for the standard scope listed below.
Includes
Client onboarding, KYC and due diligence
Structure design
Trust deed or foundation charter drafted through a partner law firm
Acceptance of trusteeship by One Pacific Trust or a partner trustee, confirmed in your quote.
Filing of any registration the law requires
Excludes
Government fees, initial and annual (passed through at cost)
Stamp duty
Holding or underlying companies
Bank account opening
Tax advice in other countries
Annual trustee, administration and event fees (quoted separately)
VAT or GST where applicable
Standard foundation
USD 25,000
Foundation set-up in the UAE (DIFC, ADGM): the fee is fixed for the standard scope listed below.
Includes
Client onboarding, KYC and due diligence
Structure design
Trust deed or foundation charter drafted through a partner law firm
Acceptance of trusteeship by One Pacific Trust or a partner trustee, confirmed in your quote.
Filing of any registration the law requires
Excludes
Government fees, initial and annual (passed through at cost)
Stamp duty
Holding or underlying companies
Bank account opening
Tax advice in other countries
Annual trustee, administration and event fees (quoted separately)
VAT or GST where applicable
Set-up fees shown are One Pacific Trust fees in US dollars for the standard scope described, before government, registry, bank and other third-party charges, which are passed through at cost or billed to you directly.
Annual administration, event-based work and anything outside the standard scope are quoted after we review your case.
A published fee is not an offer and is not tax or legal advice; the terms that apply are those set out in writing when you engage us.
Set-up costs: what they cover
Illustration, not a real client.
At set-up, you pay for work and for third parties. The work is ours and the local partner’s. The third parties are the law firm, the bank and, for a DIFC foundation, the Registrar.
Most of the set-up price sits in four items:
client acceptance, identity checks and structure design;
drafting of the deed or charter, and your letter of wishes;
the trustee’s acceptance of office and its first records;
any registration step and any holding company.
Structure design comes first because it decides the others. A trust and a foundation have different steps, and so do DIFC and ADGM.
The set-up guide shows the order in which these items happen.
Ongoing trustee and administration costs
After set-up, the trustee’s yearly work is the largest recurring item. It covers accounts, trustee meetings with minutes, records and identity refreshes.
Reporting for tax information exchange also falls under the yearly work. The tax and reporting page explains what the trustee files.
A DIFC trust may continue indefinitely; no perpetuity rule applies (source: Trust Law). The yearly work runs until the trustee winds the trust up, not to a fixed end date.
A holding company inside the structure brings its own yearly items, such as its accounts and filings, which its own advisers handle.
A foundation adds council meetings and, where one is appointed, a registered agent’s fee.
If you expect frequent distributions or new beneficiaries, say so at the start, and the estimate reflects that work.
Third-party costs
Several costs are not ours. We name them early so that you can compare like with like.
Law firm. It drafts the deed or charter and by-laws, and its fee follows the drafting work.
Registry. A DIFC foundation is entered in the Registrar’s Register (source: Foundations Law, Art. 35); any registry charge is shown in your estimate.
Registered agent. A DIFC foundation may, but need not, have one (source: Foundations Law, Art. 24). If you appoint one, its fee is separate.
Bank. Account opening and ongoing charges depend on the bank and the assets.
Tax adviser. Your own adviser reviews your tax position at home and in the UAE.
Translator. Papers not in English or Arabic may need a certified translation.
What changes the total
The same family can pay very different amounts. These factors move the total most:
Centre and form. DIFC or ADGM, a trust or a foundation.
Assets. A listed portfolio is simpler than a family company or property.
Number of beneficiaries and countries. More people and more places mean more checks.
Control. A protector, a private trust company or a holding company adds roles and papers.
Your documents. Complete papers save time on checks.
How the quote is built
A quote has parts, and each part has an owner. This table shows the usual split.
Part
Who charges
When
Client acceptance, design and coordination
One Pacific Trust
At set-up
Trustee acceptance and yearly work
Local partner firm
At set-up and each year
Drafting of deed or charter
Law firm
At set-up
Registration and agent, where used
Registry, agent
At set-up, and yearly where it applies
Account and transfers
Bank
At set-up and each year
The split follows the centre and the form you choose; your engagement letter names each party.
How to get a quote
Tell us the centre you prefer, the form, the assets and the number of beneficiaries. We reply with a quote. It lists each part separately, so you can see which cost belongs to whom.
The estimate is not a binding offer. We confirm it once we have seen the structure and the documents.
What do I pay for when I set up a trust in the UAE?
At set-up you pay for client acceptance and design, drafting of the deed and letter of wishes, trustee acceptance and any holding company. Yearly administration and bank charges follow. For a DIFC foundation, any registry charge is a separate line. Each item is listed in the written terms.
Are there ongoing costs for a trust in the UAE?
Yes. The trustee's yearly work, such as accounts, meetings, record keeping and identity refreshes, is charged under the terms you sign. Bank charges and adviser fees add to it. Events such as a distribution, a change of trustee or a new beneficiary are charged when they happen.
How do I get a quote for a trust in the UAE?
Send us the centre you prefer, the form, the assets in view and how many beneficiaries there are. We reply with a quote that lists each part separately, and we confirm it after we have seen the structure and the documents. Nothing is binding at this stage.
Pick a question for a short answer from our FAQ. Nothing you choose here is sent anywhere. This is a scripted guide from our FAQ, not live chat and not advice.
Setting up, the law and tax
What happens, step by step, when you set up an offshore trust?
First agree the purpose and who should benefit. Your lawyer drafts the deed under the chosen law while the trustee checks identity and the source of the assets. After signing, the assets move into the trustee’s name and are recorded. The guide shows each stage in more detail.
Usually the owner transfers the shares or membership interest to the trustee under the deed, after checking the company’s own documents and any consent a lender or partner must give. The trustee then holds the interest and the company carries on. Company, tax and local law checks come first, so involve your lawyer.
Yes, in the places whose law provides for them. A trust needs a lawful purpose, a valid deed under its governing law, and taxes and reporting dealt with where the people involved live. It cannot be used to hide assets, defeat existing creditors or evade tax. A trustee will refuse a trust whose purpose or funding it cannot confirm.
It depends on where the settlor, the beneficiaries, the trustee and the assets are, and on the law that governs the trust. Many countries tax trust income or distributions in the hands of the people they treat as owners or recipients, and exchange account data under international reporting rules. We do not give tax advice, so ask your own adviser before you sign.
How long does it take to appoint a Hong Kong trustee?
Time depends mostly on how quickly documents arrive and on checks by banks and registries outside our control, so we do not promise a date. Once you apply, the client portal shows each step and what is outstanding, and a 30-minute call sets out what to prepare first.
The cost depends on the structure, the places and assets involved, how many parties the trustee must check, and how much work the trust needs each year. We publish the set-up fee for each place; annual administration and event-based work are quoted after we review your case. Banking, legal and registry charges outside our control can add to it.
A trustee can borrow only if the deed and the governing law allow it. A lender will usually ask to see the deed, the trustee’s authority and the purpose of the loan. Some deeds limit borrowing or need a protector’s consent. Ask a lawyer before approaching a lender.
What is asset management, and is it what a trustee does?
Asset management means running investments for a client, usually under a licence. A trustee does something different: it holds the assets, checks instructions against the deed, approves distributions and keeps the record. A bank or licensed manager that the deed allows for can run the investments.
Hong Kong
Singapore
BVI
Jersey
