Dubai Accounts for 59% of UAE Business Licences in Q1 2025

Dubai continues to lead the UAE’s business landscape, accounting for 59% of all registered commercial licences in the country by the end of March 2025. According to the UAE Ministry of Economy’s latest data, nearly 19,000 new business licences were issued in Dubai during the first quarter of the year, out of approximately 40,000 nationwide.

The figures, published by the National Economic Register, highlight steady growth in commercial activity across the UAE. The total number of registered licences rose from 562,000 at the end of 2024 to over 581,000 by March 2025—a 3.4% increase.

Dubai maintained the largest cumulative share, with its number of registered business licences approaching 990,000 across all economic departments and commercial licence-issuing authorities. Overall, the UAE recorded a 4.2% increase in new licences during the first quarter compared to the total of 950,000 by the end of 2024, reflecting sustained momentum in the country’s entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem.