Dubai Economy Records 132% Increase in DED Trader Licenses

The DED Trader license, launched by the Business Registration & Licensing (BRL) sector of Dubai Economy (DED) to license start-ups at their place of residence in Dubai, has seen response with 9,949 licenses issued since its launch in 2017 till end of 2020.

The report issued by the BRL sector showed that “Marketing Services Via Social Media” topped the list of activities of licenses, followed by “Perfumes & Cosmetics Trading”; “Portal”; “Sweets & Candies Preparing”; “Cafeteria”; “Marketing Management”; “Social Media Applications Development & Management”; “Readymade Garments Trading” and “Ladies’ Garments Trading”. Of these, 57% have been issued to women (5,704).

E-commerce has been accelerated in the Middle East and around the world since the outbreak of the epidemic. The unprecedented shift in consumer behavior to the digital space is driving much of this trend. The total number of DED Trader licenses issued during 2020 reached 5,799, an increase of 132% compared to 2019, when 2,500 licenses were issued. This license enables start-ups to conduct business activities online and across social networking accounts, which is mainly aimed at entrepreneurs with limited assets as it differs most from a trading license in that it does not require a physical office or shop.

The increase in DED Trader license issued by Dubai Economy demonstrates its continued support for the e-commerce sector and highlights the competitiveness of the local economy.