Israel
Israel is the most advanced country in Southwest Asia and Middle East in economic and industrial development. The country is a stable democracy. It has the second-largest number of startup companies in the world (after the United States) and the largest number of NASDAQ-listed companies outside North America. New Israeli Shekel is as one of 17 freely convertible currencies. Leading exports include fruits, vegetables, pharmaceuticals, software, chemicals, military technology, and diamonds; in 2006, Israeli exports reached $42.86 billion.
Israeli banking and financial industry is very developed and sophisticated. There are 20 banks and 15 asset management companies in Israel. Currently Israel has 8200 HNWIs and 87 UHNWIs. Intel and Microsoft built their first overseas research and development centers in Israel, and other high-tech multi-national corporations, such as IBM, Cisco Systems, and Motorola, have opened facilities in the country. This creates a huge number of middle class investors looking for new investments for their portfolio.