Dubai's e-commerce business boom reflected in new licences

Dubai Economy said the increase in licences reflects the emirate’s growth as an e-commerce and commercial hub for consumers in the Middle East region.

The eTrader licence from Dubai Economy (DED Trader licence), which enables start-ups in Dubai to conduct business activities online and across social networking accounts, saw an 83% growth in the first six months of this year.

Dubai Economy’s Business Registration & Licensing (BRL) sector said 1,947 licences were issued during the first half of this year, compared to the 1,064 licences that were issued in the same period last year.

The latest figures also show that in the month of June alone, 577 licences were issued - an increase of 163% compared to June 2019 (219 licences).

Dubai Economy said the increase in licences reflects the emirate’s growth as an e-commerce and commercial hub for consumers in the Middle East region.

The DED Trader licence was launched to specifically promote e-commerce business in Dubai, which is a key pillar of the government’s aim to drive digital transformation and build awareness about e-platforms that facilitate commercial activities.

Dubai’s strong logistical structure and the high demand for Internet use in the previous months strengthened the adoption of e-commerce as a fast-growing model for doing business.