As Apricot Capital DIFC moves into its second year at the Dubai International Financial Centre, the company is turning its attention to a new frontier: digital transformation. While the first year focused on building robust operational, custody and compliance foundations, 2026 is earmarked as the year to empower Professional Clients and Market Counterparties with sophisticated, real-time digital tools.

“Digital infrastructure has always been a core part of our vision,” says Ofelya Aghakaryan, Senior Executive Officer at Apricot Capital. “However, it became a visible strategic priority only once our operational and regulatory foundations were fully solidified.

“We are viewing 2026 as the year in which we will pivot from developing the back-end of the company to empowering the front-end for our clients. By making technology a primary focus this year, we are ensuring that our Professional Clients have the modern tools necessary to match the advanced nature of their investment strategies. Our front-end will be the upcoming Apricot Capital: Trade & Invest platform that comprises a mobile application and a secure web portal.”

The decision to delay the development of a client-facing app was deliberate, says Aghakaryan. “For us, credibility is built on the integrity of the infrastructure. Although we have operated with advanced internal systems since the beginning, we deliberately chose to delay the development of a client-facing interface until our operational, custody and compliance foundations had been thoroughly tested," she explains.

"In the DIFC environment, there is no margin for error when it comes to Professional Clients’ assets, so we spent our first year perfecting our internal engine. Now those core processes have been proven, we are ready to open a digital gateway for our clients, ensuring that their experience is as seamless as it is secure.”

This careful sequencing reflects a wider challenge in the sector. While retail investors are accustomed to digital autonomy in every aspect of portfolio management, professional brokerage has often lagged behind. “While retail platforms generally prioritise user interface design, many institutional providers remain tied to legacy systems that lack agility,” Aghakaryan observes. “We recognise a significant gap in the market, where Professional Clients are forced to choose between robust oversight and digital convenience. Our goal is to demonstrate that it is possible to have a seamless, autonomous digital experience without sacrificing institutional rigour, such as high-level security and detailed reporting.”

The upcoming Apricot Capital: Trade & Invest platform has been designed to address precisely those challenges. “The primary challenge we are addressing is information lag,” she explains. “As our current licence covers brokerage and custody, but not asset management, responsibility for decision-making lies with the client. Our goal is to empower this independence by providing a unified web portal and mobile app. Both are equipped with analytical tools that enable clients to evaluate their holdings in real time, offering a professional-grade solution that frees them from static spreadsheets and gives them the autonomy to monitor, analyse, and manage their investments with absolute clarity.”

At the heart of this digital transformation is a dual focus on speed and security. Clients will gain unprecedented autonomy and real-time visibility over their portfolios, but not at the expense of regulatory compliance. “For us, compliance always comes first,” Aghakaryan stresses. “The platform will only be released once it has successfully passed all internal and external controls. Although our clients will gain the autonomy and real-time visibility they expect, they will still adhere to the rigorous protections required for our Category 2 licence.”

Another key differentiator is the professional-first design. Unlike retail platforms, which prioritise simplicity over depth, the Apricot Capital: Trade & Invest infrastructure is tailored to the analytical demands of Professional Clients and market counterparties. “Such features may be irrelevant or incomprehensible to retail investors, but they are essential for informed decision-making at a professional level,” says Aghakaryan. “We will begin with an initial release of the core functionalities, gradually enhancing the platform as we go. This phased approach will allow us to evolve the technology alongside the needs of our professional users by incorporating their direct feedback to shape more advanced tools.”

By keeping the rollout phased and focused on professional users, Apricot Capital is building anticipation while maintaining the highest standards of regulatory alignment. “We are not rushing to launch features for the sake of innovation. Every new tool must meet our internal security criteria and the rigorous regulatory standards of the DFSA. This ensures that our clients gain both modern functionality and institutional-grade protection,” Aghakaryan explains.

The platform is a tangible extension of Apricot Capital’s broader ambition to become a one-stop service provider for Professional Clients and Market Counterparties. “At the end of the day, our investment in this technology is about commitment, not just convenience. We want our partners to see that we are building deep roots here in the DIFC by investing in the infrastructure they actually need for the long term. We aren’t just providing a service; we are building a modern, transparent gateway that connects our clients to global opportunities. This digital evolution is our way of saying that as the region grows and becomes more tech-driven, Apricot Capital will be right there, evolving alongside our clients to ensure they always have the best tools to succeed,” Aghakaryan says.

As 2026 unfolds, the focus will remain on disciplined growth, merging operational excellence with digital empowerment. By prioritising client autonomy, analytical depth, and secure technology, Apricot Capital is aiming to set a new benchmark in professional brokerage. For Professional Clients and Market Counterparties, the promise is clear: access to sophisticated, real-time tools without compromising the integrity of their investments or the regulatory safeguards that protect them.

- In association with Apricot Capital DIFC

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