By the end of September 2025, the total number of active commercial licenses in the United Arab Emirates neared the one‑million mark, according to data from the National Economic Registry under the Ministry of Economy.

This milestone underscores the continuing diversification and growth of the UAE’s private sector beyond oil and gas.

Top Newly Licensed Sectors (Jan – Sept 2025)

In the first nine months of 2025, several sectors led in terms of newly issued licenses:

• Building contracting projects (all types): 2,722 new licenses

• E‑commerce (via websites): 2,678 new licenses

• E‑commerce (via social media platforms): 2,335 new licenses

• General trade: 1,628 new licenses

• Import activity: 1,273 new licenses

• Cold & hot beverage services: 1,091 new licenses

• Real estate leasing and management: 1,055 new licenses

• Interior building cleaning services: 1,038 new licenses

• Transport of general goods by heavy trucks: 879 new licenses

• Transport of general goods by light trucks: 857 new licenses

These figures reflect strong interest particularly in construction, digital commerce, logistics, and service sectors.

Broader Context & Implications

• Earlier in 2025, the UAE had already crossed the million‑license threshold by midyear, marking sustained momentum in business formation and active commerce across the Emirates.

• Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah remain key engines of this growth, capturing significant shares of the country’s active businesses.

• The increasing number of e‑commerce licenses—both via websites and social media—signals strong digital transformation in the business landscape, especially accelerated by consumer behavior shifts.

• The robust emergence of contracting and trading licenses indicates continuing investment in infrastructure, real estate, and cross‑border logistics.

Takeaways

• The UAE’s economy continues to see strong grassroots growth of private enterprises across sectors, supported by policies facilitating entrepreneurship.

• The proliferation of digital commerce licenses suggests that many new businesses are starting online, often leveraging social media and web platforms for reach.

• Sectors such as construction, import trade, and logistics appear to be resilient drivers of new business activity.