Business Setup
UAE E-Commerce Licensing Explained: Free Zone vs Mainland Rules
Key highlights Dubai free zone companies can now access the mainland through a Branch License (AED 10,000, 12 months) or
July 24, 2026
Key highlights Dubai free zone companies can now access the mainland through a Branch License (AED 10,000, 12 months) or
Key Highlights KHDA training institute permits a cost between AED 15,000 and AED 25,000 depending on your number of training
Key Highlights Liquidation is a formal government process that ends your company’s legal existence, while letting a license lapse just
Key Highlights RAK Bank rejections are almost always driven by CBUAE compliance checks, not arbitrary bank decisions. Company accounts face
Key Highlights Warehousing in Dubai requires a specific license, not a general trading license, and JAFZA, Dubai South, and IFZA
Key highlights A licensed liquidator, not the owner, must submit the closure application once a mainland company has actually traded.
Key Highlights A free zone gold trading license in Dubai starts at AED 11,900 for a one-year term, while mainland
Key Highlights UAE banks apply enhanced due diligence to Russian-owned IT companies based on risk, not nationality, under CBUAE’s beneficial
Key Highlights IFZA is the low-cost default for Chinese software founders, with one-year licenses from AED 11,900 and a free
Key Highlights The UAE added roughly 250,000 new companies in 2025, and Dubai’s free zones alone attracted 23,000 new commercial
Key Highlights UK crypto founders get 0% personal income tax in Dubai, but VARA now runs quarterly compliance reviews instead
Key Highlights You can incorporate and 100% own a Dubai IT company from Malaysia fully online, with a free zone