Kotak Mahindra secures UAE license for offering investment services

Kotak Mahindra International on Monday (August 18) announced that it had been granted a license by the capital markets regulator of the United Arab Emirates to operate investment funds and offer portfolio management services.

With this approval, Kotak Mahindra International became the first Indian firm to receive this license from the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), marking a significant milestone in the evolution of cross-border financial services.

The company will now launch UAE-domiciled funds for retail investors, further reinforcing the UAE’s position as a regional financial and investment hub, the company announced.

“India’s economic momentum continues to attract global interest, and through this license, we are excited to offer UAE retail investors access to our India-focused investment strategies – enabling them to participate in one of the world’s dynamic and resilient markets. We will offer India-centric investment options to help investors diversify their portfolios,” said Shyam Kumar, President and Head, Kotak International.
The company plans to launch funds aligned with its successful UCITS (Luxembourg-domiciled) and India-domiciled strategies, with subscriptions expected to open for UAE investors by the final quarter of calendar year 2025.

In July, Kotak Mahindra Bank posted strong first-quarter results for FY26. The bank’s total advances rose 14% year-on-year and 4.2% quarter-on-quarter to ₹4.45 lakh crore. Period-end deposits also showed healthy growth, rising 14.6% YoY and 2.8% quarter-on-quarter to ₹5.13 lakh crore.

Shares of Kotak Mahindra Bank are trading in green at ₹2,021.3, up 2.14% or ₹42.35 on the BSE. The stock has gained 13% year to date.

Also read: The earnings of top Indian banks validate the street’s fears