Dubai continued to strengthen its position as a preferred destination for business establishment and investment, supported by an advanced system for company registration and licensing, along with growth indicators that reflect the vitality of economic activity and the continued confidence of the business community in the emirate.

Ahmed Al Falasi, CEO of the Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, confirmed that Dubai’s business registration and licensing ecosystem continued to record strong growth indicators, with 231,989 transactions completed for the issuance and renewal of commercial licenses during the first half of 2026.

This comes at a time when the number of commercial licenses issued increased by 84% between 2023 and 2025 compared with the period from 2020 to 2022, reflecting Dubai’s continued attractiveness for business establishment and investment.

He explained that the number of new commercial licenses issued in the mainland and free zones reached 58,337 during the first half, while the number of renewed licenses stood at 173,652.

This reflects the continued establishment of new companies, alongside the confidence of existing businesses in Dubai’s business environment and their continued expansion, noting that these indicators confirm the vitality of the market and the sustainability of economic activity in the emirate.

The strong performance also coincides with growing interest in future-focused sectors and new economic activities, supported by Dubai’s flexible legislation, advanced digital infrastructure, and an ecosystem that enables companies to grow.

He added that this growth coincides with increasing demand for future sectors, particularly financial technology and artificial intelligence, supported by a flexible business environment, encouraging legislation, and an advanced digital ecosystem, strengthening Dubai’s competitiveness and supporting the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

Integrated Business Registration and Licensing Ecosystem

He noted that the role of the Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation is no longer limited to issuing commercial licenses. It now leads the development of an integrated business registration and licensing ecosystem that includes driving the digital transformation of the investor journey, developing legislation and policies, and strengthening integration between government entities and the private sector, helping save investors time and effort while improving the efficiency of doing business.

This development reflects Dubai’s continued focus on simplifying the investor journey and strengthening coordination among different entities, enabling companies to complete their requirements more efficiently and quickly.

“Invest in Dubai” Platform

He confirmed that the “Invest in Dubai” platform represents one of the most significant transformations in the business ecosystem, after becoming the unified digital channel for establishing companies and conducting economic activities.

The platform enables investors to complete different stages of their journey through a single platform, from issuing licenses and obtaining approvals to accessing government and private-sector services, while it continues to be developed through the addition of new services and improvements to the user experience.

The platform supports Dubai’s efforts to provide an integrated digital experience for business owners, reducing the number of required steps and making it easier to access services related to company establishment and operations.

Dubai Unified License

Regarding the “Dubai Unified License,” he explained that it has helped unify the commercial identity of all companies operating in the emirate, regardless of the licensing authority. Previously, each authority used a separate identification number, while the unified system has improved data quality, reduced duplication, and enabled government entities and the private sector to rely on a single, trusted source of information.

The unification of commercial data represents an important step toward improving the efficiency of services provided to companies and connecting government and private-sector entities through a more integrated ecosystem, helping accelerate procedures related to doing business.

He revealed that one of the most significant results of the unified license has been reducing the time required to open corporate bank accounts from around 90 days to approximately three days, thanks to digital integration with banks and the availability of a unified database.

The system has also simplified company data verification procedures and reduced the need to resubmit documents to different entities, creating a faster and smoother experience for investors.

Dubai Investor Registry

Al Falasi also reviewed the “Dubai Investor Registry” project, explaining that it represents a unified registry for individual and corporate investors based on the principle of recording information only once.

The data is then updated centrally and automatically reflected across all relevant entities, helping simplify procedures when opening branches, acquiring shares, moving between licensing zones, or investing in financial markets and the real estate sector.

The project also strengthens the protection of investor data and reduces the repeated circulation of the same information.

The initiative supports the development of a more connected digital infrastructure for investors by reducing repetitive data entry and procedures while allowing different entities to access unified and updated information.

Expanding “Invest in Dubai” Services

He confirmed that the next phase will focus on expanding the capabilities of the “Invest in Dubai” platform to become the unified digital platform for all business services across the emirate.

This will include integrating free zone services into the platform, providing investors with a unified experience across different areas of Dubai.

The move will strengthen integration between business establishment and operational services in the mainland and free zones, giving investors a single pathway to access services regardless of their licensing location.

Artificial Intelligence

He added that the corporation is also working to use artificial intelligence technologies to provide smarter and more personalized services, so that the platform is not limited to processing transactions.

Instead, it will accompany investors throughout different stages of their journey by suggesting appropriate services and providing the information they need at the right time.

This will enhance the efficiency of government services, support the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, and strengthen Dubai’s position as one of the world’s leading cities for investment and doing business.

These developments highlight Dubai’s continued efforts to advance its business ecosystem through digital solutions and modern technologies, further strengthening the emirate’s competitiveness and its ability to attract companies and investors from markets around the world.

58,337 New Licenses in the Mainland and Free Zones

The number of new commercial licenses issued during the first half of 2026 across Dubai’s mainland and free zones reached 58,337, reflecting the continued entry of new companies and business ventures into the market.

173,652 Renewed Licenses

The total number of commercial licenses renewed during the first half reached 173,652, indicating the continued activity of existing companies and their confidence in opportunities for growth and expansion in Dubai.