During the Gitex Global 2025 event, Judge Omar Al-Mehairi, Director of the DIFC Courts, revealed that the complete transition to digital hearings achieved a 100% implementation in the courts during the first half of this year. This shift has led to an 11% increase in the number of hearings conducted in first-instance courts compared to 2021.
According to Al-Mehairi, the DIFC courts conducted 99% of their sessions via digital platforms in 2024, issuing 1,942 digital orders and 174 digital judgments, and are continuously moving forward with their digital strategy.
He added that since the beginning of 2025 and up until the third quarter, the courts have executed 1,836 judicial orders and issued 118 digital judgments. Additionally, the courts showcased live demonstrations that highlighted their new service platforms, access methods, functional features, and the advantages of their security protocols.
A new feature introduced is the digital asset will, which adds to the existing suite of will services offered by the DIFC Courts. This model allows individuals to allocate their digital assets through a non-probate wallet provided by the DIFC Courts.
This non-probate wallet gives the testator the flexibility to distribute assets among chosen beneficiaries within their wallet. It also allows individuals to maintain full control over adding or withdrawing assets throughout their lifetime, with the digital assets ultimately distributed as “specific bequests.” Recognized forms of digital assets in this wallet include Ethereum, Bitcoin, Matic, Tether, and Hedera, with plans for future upgrades to support certain standards of non-fungible tokens.