18 October 2026
Trade across the three free zones of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ), Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity, reached a record AED 246 billion in the first half of 2026, up 17% on the same period of 2025, Dubai Media Office announced on 18 October 2026. Imports rose 14% to AED 134.8 billion, re-exports grew 22% to about AED 108.8 billion and direct exports reached about AED 2.4 billion. It is the sixth consecutive year in which DIEZ has set a first-half trade record, and its share of Dubai’s non-oil trade rose to about 16% from 15.4% a year earlier. China remained the largest trading partner with AED 69.8 billion.
Key figures at a glance
| Indicator | H1 2026 | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Total trade | AED 246 billion | +17% year on year |
| Imports | AED 134.8 billion | +14% |
| Re-exports | about AED 108.8 billion | +22% |
| Direct exports | about AED 2.4 billion | change not disclosed |
| Trade volume | about 270,000 tonnes | about 298,000 tonnes in H1 2025 |
| Share of Dubai non-oil trade | about 16% | 15.4% in H1 2025 |
What was announced
The results were published by Dubai Media Office on Sunday, 18 October 2026, when Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, commended DIEZ for another record first half. The figure covers all three economic zones managed by the authority: DAFZ next to Dubai International Airport, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity, the free zone dedicated to digital commerce.
Sheikh Hamdan said: “Competition in global trade is no longer determined by trade volumes alone. Increasingly, it depends on the ability of economic hubs to ensure the continuity of trade flows, maintain resilient supply chains, and respond swiftly to change.” He linked the results to the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and praised the team of the authority led by its Chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed said the first-half performance “demonstrates the ability of the economic ecosystem to sustain growth and adapt to rapid changes in global trade flows”. Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, said the focus in the coming phase “will be on sustaining economic momentum and building on the strategic results achieved by the Authority”.
Imports, re-exports and direct exports
Imports remain the largest part of DIEZ trade: AED 134.8 billion, or a little over half of the total. Re-exports grew faster, by 22% to about AED 108.8 billion. Direct exports, meaning goods produced in the zones and shipped abroad, were about AED 2.4 billion. Together the three flows add up to the AED 246 billion total.
The growth came from value rather than physical volume. Trade volumes in the first half were about 270,000 tonnes, compared with about 298,000 tonnes in the first half of 2025. The release says the result was achieved despite challenges affecting trade flows and supply chains, and that integrated logistics across the three zones helped businesses keep goods moving and adapt to changes in shipping routes.
What is traded through the zones
Two product groups account for about 96% of DIEZ trade:
- Machinery, equipment and electrical equipment: about 66% of total trade.
- Precious stones, precious metals, jewellery and ornaments: about 30% of total trade, up 18% on the first half of 2025.
All other goods together make up the remaining 4% or so. The release does not give separate figures for each of the three zones.
Main trading partners
| Partner | Trade in H1 2026 | Share of DIEZ trade |
|---|---|---|
| China | AED 69.8 billion | 28.4% |
| Saudi Arabia | AED 26.5 billion | 10.8% |
| India | AED 17.6 billion | 7.2% |
| Vietnam | AED 13.2 billion | 5.4% |
The four largest partners together account for about 52% of DIEZ trade. China kept first place, as it did for the full year 2025, when DIEZ reported total trade of about AED 491 billion, up 46% on 2024, and a 16% share of Dubai’s non-oil trade.
The wider picture for DIEZ in 2026
The trade figures follow other first-half data from the authority. In August DIEZ reported 96% occupancy across its three zones in the first half of 2026, a 13% rise in the number of companies and a 24% rise in the workforce; we covered those results in our article on 96% occupancy across Dubai free zones in H1 2026. In October Dubai CommerCity announced a Phase Two expansion worth more than AED 1.8 billion, with more than 91,000 sqm of new space to be delivered between Q1 2027 and Q4 2028.
What the figures mean for trading companies
The announcement is a statistical release. It does not change licensing, customs, visa or tax rules in DAFZ, Dubai Silicon Oasis or Dubai CommerCity, and it does not introduce new fees or procedures. What it does show is where the trade in these zones is concentrated: electronics and equipment, precious metals and jewellery, and flows with China, Saudi Arabia, India and Vietnam.
For a company that plans to trade physical goods through a Dubai free zone, several practical points apply regardless of the record:
- The licence must list the exact trading activities, for example trading in electronics or in jewellery, or general trading.
- Companies that import and re-export goods register with Dubai Customs and obtain a customs client code.
- Goods that leave a free zone for the UAE local market are treated as imports into the local market and are cleared through customs with duty.
- Dealers in precious metals and stones are designated non-financial businesses under the UAE AML law: they register on goAML and must apply due diligence to cash transactions of AED 55,000 or more. Our guide to the UAE AML law for DNFBPs sets out the obligations.
- A free zone company pays 0% corporate tax only on qualifying income and only if it meets the conditions of a Qualifying Free Zone Person, so the trading structure should be checked against those conditions before the first shipment.
Whether a free zone or a mainland licence fits a trading business depends on where the customers are: re-export and international distribution, or sales inside the UAE. The comparison is covered in our guide mainland vs free zone company in the UAE.
Checklist: before you start trading through a Dubai free zone
- Define the product groups and match them to licence activities.
- Decide whether your customers are abroad (re-export) or in the UAE local market, and choose a free zone or mainland licence accordingly.
- Plan the Dubai Customs client code and the first customs declarations.
- If you trade in gold, precious stones or jewellery, set up goAML registration and AML procedures before the first transaction.
- Check the corporate tax position of the free zone company before signing supplier and customer contracts.
- Open a corporate bank account that supports trade payments in the currencies of your suppliers.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital helps trading companies choose between DAFZ, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai CommerCity, other free zones and the mainland, define licence activities and prepare registration documents. Our company setup in the UAE service covers licensing and registration from the first consultation, and our corporate bank account opening service takes the company through to an active account for supplier and customer payments.
Conclusion
DIEZ free zones recorded AED 246 billion of trade in the first half of 2026, up 17% and a record for the sixth year in a row. Imports reached AED 134.8 billion, re-exports about AED 108.8 billion and direct exports about AED 2.4 billion, while physical volume fell to about 270,000 tonnes. Electronics and equipment, together with precious metals and jewellery, account for about 96% of trade, and China, Saudi Arabia, India and Vietnam are the largest partners. The release does not change any rules for companies in the zones.
Source: Emirates 24/7 (Dubai Media Office release), Khaleej Times.
FAQ
How much trade did DIEZ free zones record in the first half of 2026?
AED 246 billion, up 17% on the first half of 2025, according to Dubai Media Office on 18 October 2026. Imports were AED 134.8 billion, re-exports about AED 108.8 billion and direct exports about AED 2.4 billion. It is the sixth consecutive record first half for DIEZ.
Which free zones are part of DIEZ?
The Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority manages three free zones: Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ) next to Dubai International Airport, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity, the free zone dedicated to digital commerce. In the first half of 2026 they accounted for about 16% of Dubai’s non-oil trade.
Who are the largest trading partners of DIEZ free zones?
China with AED 69.8 billion (28.4% of trade), Saudi Arabia with AED 26.5 billion (10.8%), India with AED 17.6 billion (7.2%) and Vietnam with AED 13.2 billion (5.4%) in the first half of 2026. Together they account for about 52% of DIEZ trade.
What goods dominate trade through DIEZ free zones?
Machinery, equipment and electrical equipment account for about 66% of DIEZ trade, and precious stones, precious metals, jewellery and ornaments for about 30%. Trade in the second group grew 18% in the first half of 2026. Together the two groups make up about 96% of the total.
