RIYADH: The UAE saw 250,000 new companies in 2025, bringing the total number of businesses operating in the Emirates to 1.4 million, said Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri, the country’s minister of economy and tourism.
Speaking during a media briefing, Al-Marri said that the number of small businesses in the Emirates has grown by 63 percent over the past five years.
The minister added that the UAE has attracted around 760,000 companies since the introduction of full foreign ownership for commercial businesses in September 2021.
Until the end of 2025, the number of firms operating in the country increased by 118.7 percent compared to the end of the first half of 2021.
Discussing new amendments to the Commercial Companies Law, Al-Marri said that they provide a comprehensive and clear legal framework that supports the growth of the companies and their long-term sustainability.
