Photo of QFC booth at Web Summit Qatar 2026 (Photo by Mahmoud Elmazaty / The Peninsula)
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Financial Center (QFC) has announced that more than 300 companies were registered during Web Summit Qatar 2026, while around 2,300 firms submitted applications for business licensing across a range of key sectors.
In a statement, the QFC said the applications were concentrated in areas including digital transformation, financial technology, consultancy services, project management and innovation. The center reported growth of nearly 44% compared with last year, when about 1,600 applications were received.
The QFC attributed the increase to a package of incentives offered during the summit, including exemptions from registration and annual renewal fees for the first three years, as well as tax incentives aligned with international standards.
Over the four days of the summit, the center held a number of meetings and strategic partnerships with prominent local and international institutions.
It also signed several memoranda of understanding, including an agreement with the Global Blockchain Business Council aimed at facilitating access to global best practices and regulatory perspectives in blockchain technology, digital assets and tokenization.
Additional memoranda were signed with Aspire Zone to support the development and promotion of Qatar's sports sector, with a focus on start-ups and multinational companies, and with Qatar Insurance Company to provide comprehensive insurance and risk management solutions for QFC-registered firms.
The QFC also signed agreements with Al Dar for Exchange Works to offer specialized financial services to licensed companies and their employees, and with Hamad Bin Khalifa University to support new and existing firms on the QFC business platform. The partnership aims to provide integrated services including registration, post-establishment support, access to international markets, technical and research expertise, and guidance on intellectual property rights.
