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Dubai business statistics

Dubai's GDP was AED 232 billion in Q1 2026. Dubai issued 58,337 licences in the first half of 2026 and the Dubai Chamber had 292,486 active members at the end of 2025. AED 43.78 billion of 2025 insurance premium was allocated to Dubai.

Updated 3 min read

How big is Dubai’s economy?

Dubai’s GDP reached AED 232 billion in Q1 2026, 2.4% above Q1 2025, in a release dated 8 July 2026.1 Financial and insurance activities added AED 32.4 billion, 14% of GDP, up 6.5%. Human health and social work grew fastest, at 17.5% to AED 3.6 billion. Construction grew 8.2% to about AED 18.7 billion. The eight sectors the release names account for about 68.5% of GDP.

Fig. 1.Wholesale and retail trade added AED 50.9 billion to Dubai GDP in Q1 2026

Gross value added by sector named in the release, Q1 2026, AED billion.

Wholesale and retail trade50.9 AED billionWholesale and retail trade: 50.9 AED billionFinancial and insurance activities32.4 AED billionFinancial and insurance activities: 32.4 AED billionReal estate activities26 AED billionReal estate activities: 26 AED billionConstruction18.7 AED billionConstruction: 18.7 AED billionInformation and communication12.1 AED billionInformation and communication: 12.1 AED billionAdministrative and support service activities10.5 AED billionAdministrative and support service activities: 10.5 AED billionElectricity, gas, water and waste management4.6 AED billionElectricity, gas, water and waste management: 4.6 AED billionHuman health and social work activities3.6 AED billionHuman health and social work activities: 3.6 AED billionWholesale and retail trade50.9 AED billionWholesale and retail trade: 50.9 AED billionFinancial and insurance act...32.4 AED billionFinancial and insurance activities: 32.4 AED billionReal estate activities26 AED billionReal estate activities: 26 AED billionConstruction18.7 AED billionConstruction: 18.7 AED billionInformation and communicati...12.1 AED billionInformation and communication: 12.1 AED billionAdministrative and support...10.5 AED billionAdministrative and support service activities: 10.5 AED billionElectricity, gas, water and...4.6 AED billionElectricity, gas, water and waste management: 4.6 AED billionHuman health and social wor...3.6 AED billionHuman health and social work activities: 3.6 AED billionWholesale and retail trade50.9 AED billionWholesale and retail trade: 50.9 AED billionFinancial and insurance activities32.4 AED billionFinancial and insurance activities: 32.4 AED billionReal estate activities26 AED billionReal estate activities: 26 AED billionConstruction18.7 AED billionConstruction: 18.7 AED billionInformation and communication12.1 AED billionInformation and communication: 12.1 AED billionAdministrative and support service activities10.5 AED billionAdministrative and support service activities: 10.5 AED billionElectricity, gas, water and waste management4.6 AED billionElectricity, gas, water and waste management: 4.6 AED billionHuman health and social work activities3.6 AED billionHuman health and social work activities: 3.6 AED billion

8 categories. Highest: Wholesale and retail trade, 50.9 AED billion. Lowest: Human health and social work activities, 3.6 AED billion.

Source

Source: Digital Dubai, Dubai's GDP reaches AED232 billion in Q1 2026, recording 2.4% growth. Accessed 4 Nov 2026.

How many licences did Dubai issue in the first half of 2026?

Dubai issued 58,337 licences, mainland and free zones together. It renewed 173,652; the article ties mainland and free zones to the issued licences only. Issuance and renewal transactions exceeded 230,000. Licences issued from 2023 to 2025 were 84% higher than from 2020 to 2022.2 All of this comes from a Gulf News interview with the chief executive of the Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation, last updated 3 September 2026.

How many companies are Dubai Chamber members?

The Dubai Chamber counted 292,486 active members at the end of 2025, up 13.2% from 258,318 in 2024. A further 71,830 companies joined in 2025. Members’ exports and re-exports were AED 356.5 billion, up 15.1% from AED 309.6 billion.3 The release is dated 14 January 2026.

How many companies are in Dubai’s free zones?

The Invest in Dubai list showed 21 entries labelled free zones on 4 November 2026.4 DMCC’s home page states 26,000+ companies.5 Jafza’s home page states 11,000+ businesses.6 Neither figure carries a date. The free zones hub covers each zone.

Can the licence, chamber and free zone counts be added together?

No. Licences, chamber members and free zone companies count different things, and the overlap between them is not stated. Their periods also differ, so each figure above carries its own.

How much insurance premium is allocated to Dubai?

Table 24A gives Dubai AED 43,781,821 thousand of gross written premium, 63.9% of the AED 68,530,440 thousand written within the UAE.7

Property and liability was AED 15,717,877 thousand and health AED 21,668,029 thousand. Dubai also shows 9,262,264 policies, individual and group, and AED 26,540,611 thousand of gross paid claims.

Fig. 2.Health was AED 21.67 billion of the AED 43.78 billion allocated to Dubai in 2025

Gross written premium allocated to Dubai by class, 2025, AED billion.

Health21.67 AED billionHealth: 21.67 AED billionPersons and fund accumulation6.4 AED billionPersons and fund accumulation: 6.4 AED billionMotor and transportation6.17 AED billionMotor and transportation: 6.17 AED billionOther4.23 AED billionOther: 4.23 AED billionFire3.04 AED billionFire: 3.04 AED billionEngineering, construction and energy1.21 AED billionEngineering, construction and energy: 1.21 AED billionMarine and aviation1.07 AED billionMarine and aviation: 1.07 AED billionHealth21.67 AED billionHealth: 21.67 AED billionPersons and fund accumulati...6.4 AED billionPersons and fund accumulation: 6.4 AED billionMotor and transportation6.17 AED billionMotor and transportation: 6.17 AED billionOther4.23 AED billionOther: 4.23 AED billionFire3.04 AED billionFire: 3.04 AED billionEngineering, construction a...1.21 AED billionEngineering, construction and energy: 1.21 AED billionMarine and aviation1.07 AED billionMarine and aviation: 1.07 AED billionHealth21.67 AED billionHealth: 21.67 AED billionPersons and fund accumulation6.4 AED billionPersons and fund accumulation: 6.4 AED billionMotor and transportation6.17 AED billionMotor and transportation: 6.17 AED billionOther4.23 AED billionOther: 4.23 AED billionFire3.04 AED billionFire: 3.04 AED billionEngineering, construction and energy1.21 AED billionEngineering, construction and energy: 1.21 AED billionMarine and aviation1.07 AED billionMarine and aviation: 1.07 AED billion

7 categories. Highest: Health, 21.67 AED billion. Lowest: Marine and aviation, 1.07 AED billion.

Source

Source: Central Bank of the UAE, Annual Statistical Report for the Insurance Sector of the U.A.E. 2025. Accessed 4 Nov 2026.

The emirate page sets Dubai beside the other emirates. The Dubai page covers cover for Dubai businesses.

The small print
  • The GDP series has been revised since the start of 2026, so earlier published Dubai GDP figures do not join the Q1 2026 value.1
  • The licence figures rest on a press report citing DBLC. The primary DBLC release is not cited here. The article does not split the 58,337 between mainland and free zones.2
  • No total of active Dubai licences is given in any of these sources.
  • DMCC’s companies are described in places as registered and in others as member companies. Jafza’s page metadata shows a modified date of 17 June 2026, with no date beside the figure.6
  • The report does not state how premium is allocated to an emirate, and it has no mainland or free zone split. The figures do not show how many Dubai companies hold any cover.7
  • Real estate and construction values, and the wholesale and information shares, are stated as approximate in the release. Sectors the release does not name are absent, so the sector rows do not sum to AED 232 billion.
  • The premium rows leave out a reinsurance line of AED 1,259 thousand, so they fall short of the Dubai total by that amount, to rounding.

Data and sources

Dubai indicators with period and population

14 rows, 5 columns. Each row counts a different thing. Rows are not additive or comparable.

Table 1.Dubai indicators with period and population
IndicatorValueData periodWhat is countedSource
Gross domestic productAED 232 billionQ1 2026Revised series. Up 2.4% on Q1 2025Digital Dubai, release of 8 July 2026
Licences issued58,337H1 2026Mainland and free zones togetherGulf News citing DBLC, 3 September 2026
Licences renewed173,652H1 2026Renewed licences. The article ties mainland and free zones to issued licencesGulf News citing DBLC, 3 September 2026
Issuance and renewal transactionsMore than 230,000H1 2026Transactions, not businessesGulf News citing DBLC, 3 September 2026
Licences issued, three-year comparison84% higher2023 to 2025 against 2020 to 2022Issued licencesGulf News citing DBLC, 3 September 2026
New Dubai Chamber members71,8302025Companies joining the chamberDubai Chambers, 14 January 2026
Active Dubai Chamber members292,486End of 2025Up from 258,318 in 2024Dubai Chambers, 14 January 2026
Member exports and re-exportsAED 356.5 billion2025Up 15.1% from AED 309.6 billionDubai Chambers, 14 January 2026
Gross written premium allocated to DubaiAED 43,781,821 thousand2025All classes. The report does not state the allocation ruleCBUAE report, Table 24A
Policies allocated to Dubai9,262,2642025Individual and group policiesCBUAE report, Table 25
Gross paid claims allocated to DubaiAED 26,540,611 thousand2025All classesCBUAE report, Table 27A
Entries labelled free zones21Undated, seen 4 November 2026Entries on the page as capturedInvest in Dubai
DMCC companies26,000+Undated, seen 4 November 2026Self-stated. Registered or member companiesDMCC home page
Jafza businesses11,000+Undated, seen 4 November 2026Self-statedJafza home page

Dubai gross value added by sector named in the release, Q1 2026

8 rows, 4 columns. Digital Dubai release of 8 July 2026. Real estate and construction values and the wholesale and information shares are stated as approximate. Sectors not named in the release are absent, so the rows do not sum to AED 232 billion.

Table 2.Dubai gross value added by sector named in the release, Q1 2026
SectorGross value added (AED billion)Share of GDP (%)Growth on Q1 2025 (%)
Wholesale and retail trade50.9222.6
Financial and insurance activities32.4146.5
Real estate activities2611.23.1
Construction18.78.18.2
Information and communication12.15.22.7
Administrative and support service activities10.54.53.6
Electricity, gas, water and waste management4.628.4
Human health and social work activities3.61.517.5

Gross written premium allocated to Dubai by class, 2025

7 rows, 5 columns. Table 24A in AED thousand. Billions and shares derived. The reinsurance line of AED 1,259 thousand is left out, so the rows fall short of the Dubai total by that amount, to rounding.

Table 3.Gross written premium allocated to Dubai by class, 2025
ClassGWP (AED billion)GWP (AED thousand)Share of Dubai GWP (%)Dubai share of class within the UAE (%)
Health21.6721,668,02949.560.5
Persons and fund accumulation6.46,395,91514.681.2
Motor and transportation6.176,168,51114.167.3
Other4.234,229,8139.769
Fire3.043,042,3356.962.8
Engineering, construction and energy1.211,209,9782.841.9
Marine and aviation1.071,065,9822.459.9

Sources

1Digital Dubai, Dubai's GDP reaches AED232 billion in Q1 2026, recording 2.4% growth, Release dated 8 July 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Dubai's GDP reaches AED232 billion in Q1 2026, recording 2.4% growth

2Gulf News, Invest in Dubai: Unified Licence, AI-powered platform and new investor register transform business setup amid licence growth, Last updated 3 September 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Invest in Dubai: Unified Licence, AI-powered platform and new investor register transform business setup amid licence growth

3Dubai Chambers, Dubai Chamber of Commerce records highest-ever annual member exports of AED356.5 billion in 2025, up 15.1%, Release dated 14 January 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Dubai Chamber of Commerce records highest-ever annual member exports of AED356.5 billion in 2025, up 15.1%

4Invest in Dubai, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Free zones in Dubai. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Free zones in Dubai

5DMCC, DMCC home page. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: DMCC home page

6Jafza, Jafza home page. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Jafza home page

7Central Bank of the UAE, Annual Statistical Report for the Insurance Sector of the U.A.E. 2025, Data year 2025, PDF created August 2026. Tables 24A, 25, 27A. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Annual Statistical Report for the Insurance Sector of the U.A.E. 2025

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10 Feb 2027
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