20 July 2026
The UAE has just recorded the strongest half-year for non-oil trade in its history. Announcing the results on 19 July 2026, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the country's non-oil foreign trade reached AED 1.937 trillion in the first half of 2026, up 13.1% on the same period a year earlier and closing in on the symbolic AED 2 trillion mark in just six months. Non-oil exports hit an all-time record of AED 452.8 billion. For any company that buys, sells or moves goods through the Emirates, the message is clear: the UAE's trade engine is running faster than ever, and the door for new entrants is wide open.
The headline numbers
The AED 1.937 trillion figure covers January to June 2026 and is 13.1% higher than H1 2025, 39.6% above H1 2024 and 54.5% above the same period in 2023, a steady three-year climb rather than a one-off spike. Within that total, the standout is national non-oil exports, which reached a historic AED 452.8 billion, a 23.9% jump. Exports now make up 23.4% of total non-oil trade, up from 21.3% a year earlier, meaning the UAE is increasingly a place that produces and ships value out, not just a re-export hub.
Gold remained the single largest commodity, with trade worth AED 706.2 billion, up 48.8% year on year, followed by telecoms equipment at AED 189.7 billion, with gold jewellery, cars and diamonds close behind. The top ten commodities together accounted for 67% of all non-oil trade, a concentration that shows both the depth of established sectors and the room for diversification into new ones.
Who the UAE is trading with
The country's biggest individual partners in the half-year were China at AED 180.7 billion, Switzerland at AED 138.4 billion and India at AED 107.5 billion. Just as important is the network of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) the UAE has been signing: 37 agreements concluded and 18 already in force. Combined non-oil trade with CEPA partners reached AED 304.3 billion, split between AED 193.5 billion of imports and AED 66.1 billion of non-oil exports, giving UAE-based businesses preferential, lower-tariff access to a fast-growing list of markets.
That CEPA network is the quiet advantage behind the headline. A company that bases itself in the UAE is not just serving a wealthy domestic market of nine million people, it plugs into trade deals with India, Turkey, Indonesia and others, often at reduced or zero customs duty. For an exporter or a trading house, that can change the entire economics of a product line.
Why the record matters for business
A trillion-dirham trade figure is a national headline, but the practical value is in what it signals for a company deciding where to set up. Here is how the data reads on the ground.
- Import-export licensing is a live opportunity. Record trade volumes mean established demand for traders, distributors and logistics operators, not a bet on a market that might arrive later.
- Free zones cut the friction. A trading company in a free zone can benefit from 0% customs duty on re-exports, full foreign ownership and streamlined customs registration, which is why so much of this trade flows through them.
- CEPA access rewards a UAE base. Preferential tariffs into partner markets accrue to companies licensed in the UAE, turning the country into a launchpad rather than just a destination.
- Banking and trade finance are the enablers. Letters of credit, trade accounts and multi-currency banking are essential to move goods at this scale and need to be arranged early.
- Corporate tax planning applies. With 9% corporate tax now in force, qualifying free zone income and transfer-pricing rules shape how a trading structure should be built from day one.
For businesses weighing the UAE, the read-across is that this trade boom sits on top of a wider opening to foreign ownership and investment, the same trend reshaping company setup in the UAE. If your plan involves moving physical goods, our detailed guide on import-export company setup and Dubai customs walks through the licence types, customs codes and logistics steps in full.
How Atlant Capital can help
We help traders, manufacturers and distributors enter the UAE market cleanly and take advantage of its trade agreements. That starts with choosing the right structure, a mainland licence for direct local-market sales or a free zone licence for re-export and international trade, and extends to the connected steps: company formation and licensing, customs registration and import codes, corporate bank account opening and trade finance, VAT and corporate-tax positioning, and the residency visas for owners and staff. Where CEPA benefits apply to your product, we help you structure to capture them from the first shipment.
Bottom line
AED 1.937 trillion in non-oil trade, a record AED 452.8 billion of exports and a widening web of trade agreements tell one consistent story: the UAE has cemented its position as a global trading hub, and it is growing that role every quarter. For any company that deals in goods, the opportunity is concrete, but capturing it rewards the right licence, customs setup and banking put in place before the first container moves, not after.
Based on figures announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on 19 July 2026, covering UAE non-oil foreign trade for H1 2026 (January to June). Tariff treatment under CEPA agreements varies by partner country and product and is subject to the relevant authority's rules.
