UAE Business News
Daily business news from the UAE with the angle that matters to founders and companies: what changed, who it affects and what to do next. Company setup, banking, taxes, visas, trade and real estate - sorted by date, newest first.
How to use this news feed
Every item is checked against its primary source - government and emirate media offices, regulators, ministries, exchanges and company releases - and the source is named in the article. Use the topic buttons to narrow the feed to UAE Economy, Banking & Finance, Tax & Compliance, Visas & Residency, Trade & Customs, Real Estate or Company Setup.
For step-by-step procedures - how to open a company, a bank account or obtain a residency visa - see our UAE Business Guides. The news feed tells you what is changing; the guides tell you what to do.
Dubai Beats Its 2026 Cashless Target: 90.1% of Payments Digital, AED 8 Billion Impact
Dubai reached a 90.1% cashless transactions index against a 90% target for 2026. Cashless initiatives added more than AED 8 billion to the economy.
Published October 9, 2026
UAE Economy Reaches AED 961.9 Billion in H1 2026 as Finance Grows 14.8%
UAE real GDP reached AED 961.9 billion in H1 2026, up 0.4%. Non-oil GDP grew 1.8% to a 79.2% share, finance rose 14.8%, while Q2 fell 2.1%.
Published October 9, 2026
UAE and Saudi Arabia Sign MoU on Freight Rail Link and Power Grid Integration
The UAE and Saudi Arabia signed an MoU in Riyadh on 8 October 2026 on freight rail links and power grid integration. Studies come first, no timeline yet.
Published October 9, 2026
Abu Dhabi New Economic Licences Up 5% in H1 2026 as Freelancer Licences Jump 224%
ADRA: Abu Dhabi issued 5% more new economic licences in H1 2026. Freelancer licences rose 224%, crafts and occupational 136%, renewals 5%.
Published October 8, 2026
UAE and Thailand Conclude CEPA Talks as H1 Non-Oil Trade Jumps 75.4% to USD 10.2 Billion
UAE and Thailand concluded CEPA talks on 8 October 2026. Non-oil trade hit USD 10.2 billion in H1 2026, up 75.4%. Signing and ratification come next.
Published October 8, 2026
Dubai Launches Create AI Agents Championship With Over AED 2.5 Million in Prizes
Dubai Create AI Agents Championship: four AED 550,000 grants plus AED 1 million for AI Agent of the Year. Open worldwide, entries close in December 2026.
Published October 7, 2026
UAE New-Economy Companies Jump 37% in a Year to Nearly 125,000 by Mid-2026
The UAE had nearly 125,000 new-economy companies at the end of H1 2026, up 37% in a year, Minister bin Touq said at Investopia Bridge 2026 in Abu Dhabi.
Published October 7, 2026
Abu Dhabi to Launch TAMM 5.0 in December: 4.7 Million Users, 90% of Transactions Done Within a Day
Abu Dhabi will launch TAMM 5.0 at GITEX Global in December 2026. The app has 4.7 million users and completes about 90% of transactions within a day.
Published October 7, 2026
UAE Bank Credit Rises AED 72.4 Billion in August 2026 to AED 2.87 Trillion
CBUAE data: UAE bank credit rose 2.6% in August 2026 to AED 2.87 trillion. Loans to individuals up 5.6%, deposits AED 3.53 trillion, assets AED 5.74 trillion.
Published October 6, 2026
UAE Ranks First in the World for Digital Government Satisfaction: 89% in BCG Survey
89% of UAE residents rate government digital services highly, the best result among 44 countries in the BCG Digital Government Citizen Survey 2026.
Published October 6, 2026
UAE-EAEU Trade Agreement Enters Into Force: Preferences Cover 96% of Trade
The UAE-EAEU Economic Partnership Agreement took effect on 6 October 2026, cutting duties on over 86% of tariff lines and about 96% of current trade.
Published October 6, 2026
etisalat to Raise UAE International Connectivity 25-Fold to Over 500 Tbps by 2030
etisalat will lift international connectivity capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030 for AI campuses and cloud providers. Launched on 5 October.
Published October 6, 2026
UAE Funds Led by MGX Could Invest Up to USD 10 Billion in OpenAI’s USD 30 Billion Round
UAE funds including MGX discuss up to USD 10 billion for an OpenAI round of at least USD 30 billion at about USD 1.4 trillion, Bloomberg reported on 5 October.
Published October 6, 2026
Dubai International Tops the World With 4.6 Million International Seats in October 2026
Dubai International is the busiest international airport in October 2026 with 4.57 million seats, about 450,000 ahead of Heathrow, OAG data shows.
Published October 5, 2026
UAE Enters Top 25 of Global Innovation Index 2026, Ranking 25th of 139 Economies
The UAE ranks 25th of 139 economies in the WIPO Global Innovation Index 2026, up five places, and is first in the world on four indicators.
Published October 5, 2026
UAE PMI Holds at 55.3 in September 2026 as Selling Prices Rise at Fastest Pace Since 2011
The UAE PMI held at 55.3 in September 2026, a 20-month high. Output grew fastest since February, selling prices rose most since May 2011; Dubai PMI 54.5.
Published October 5, 2026
Dubai to Host First Concordia Horizon Summit in the Middle East in May 2027
Dubai will host the first Concordia Horizon Summit in the Middle East in May 2027, together with the Department of Finance. Focus: PPPs and investment.
Published October 4, 2026
Fitch Affirms Ras Al Khaimah at A+, Raises 2026 Growth Forecast to 1.5%
Fitch affirmed Ras Al Khaimah at A+ and removed the Rating Watch Negative. 2026 growth is now seen at 1.5% instead of a 1.8% contraction, 5% in 2027.
Published October 4, 2026
AD Ports Closes Record AED 3.1 Billion Deal for Brazil’s CLI, Plans Direct Brazil to Abu Dhabi Route
AD Ports Group closed its AED 3.1 billion purchase of Brazil's CLI on 2 October 2026: terminals in Santos and Itaqui that handled 17 million tonnes in 2025.
Published October 3, 2026
Etihad Rail Adds Six Extra Abu Dhabi and Dubai Trains for the 3-4 October Weekend: Over 2,000 Seats After Strong Demand
Two days after the Dubai launch, Etihad Rail added six trains for 3-4 October with over 2,000 seats. The trip takes 64 minutes, fares from AED 39.
Published October 2, 2026
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How often is the news published?
Several items a day, on the day the source publishes them. Older items stay in the feed and can be filtered by topic.
Where do the facts come from?
Only from primary sources: UAE government and emirate media offices, regulators, ministries, exchanges and company releases. The source is named in each article.
Is a news item a recommendation?
No. News describes what changed. For your own case, start with the guides or book a consultation.