DMCC Tops 26,000 Firms As Tech, Commodities, Finance Drive Record Expansion

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) DMCC added more than 2,300 companies in 2025 to take its total membership beyond 26,000, reinforcing Dubai's position as a global hub for trade, commodities, finance and emerging technologies, according to the free zone's annual results released on Monday.

The strongest membership growth last year came from the United States, China, Germany and Switzerland, while India, the United Kingdom and Türkiye remained among the largest source markets for new company registrations.

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Technology emerged as the largest sector within DMCC, supported by partnerships with Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, Kraken and Crypto, while Bitcoin established its regional headquarters at the DMCC Crypto Centre. The centre's dedicated clusters for crypto, artificial intelligence and gaming now host more than 1,000 companies, strengthening Dubai's role as a global hub for next-generation digital industries.

Ahmed bin Sulayem, executive chairman and chief executive officer of DMCC, said the centre's expanding ecosystem reflects Dubai's rising influence in global trade flows.

“2025 reinforced Dubai's position as one of the world's most dynamic and connected centres for global trade. With the UAE's total trade reaching a new record of over $1.63 trillion, and Dubai achieving its highest-ever ranking in the Global Financial Centres Index at seventh place globally, the scale and momentum are clear,” Sulayem said.

He said DMCC's integrated platform linking commodities, finance and technology is reshaping how global trade is conducted, with the district now hosting more than 4,000 technology firms, over 3,600 energy companies and nearly 2,000 private capital and finance businesses.

DMCC also reinforced its leadership in commodities trade. The Dubai Diamond Exchange hosted 103 tenders and auctions during the year, while Dubai retained its position as the world's largest hub for rough and polished diamond trade. In precious metals, DMCC continued to support global gold trading flows through its ecosystem spanning Tradeflow, the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange and approved vaulting infrastructure.

Tradeflow recorded more than 296,000 Islamic finance transactions with an underlying value exceeding Dh1.32 trillion, marking a 47 per cent year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange handled over two million contracts in 2025, up 30 per cent, with a notional value of $46.9 billion.

In agri-commodities, the DMCC Coffee Centre handled more than 8,200 metric tonnes of coffee, while the Tea Centre processed over 15,000 metric tonnes, highlighting Dubai's growing role in global soft commodities trade.

Feryal Ahmadi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of DMCC, said the organisation's expansion into emerging sectors is strengthening integration across its business ecosystem.

“As our technology sector footprint becomes the largest within DMCC, and as we expand into new sectors such as emerging technologies, luxury goods, advanced finance and private wealth, our focus remains on integration and ensuring that commodities, capital and innovation stay actively connected,” Ahmadi said.

During the year, DMCC launched new platforms including DMCC FinX and the DMCC Wealth Hub to strengthen links between capital markets and trade activity, alongside initiatives such as the Intellectual Property Support Framework to help businesses commercialise innovation.

Infrastructure expansion also continued across Uptown Dubai and Jumeirah Lakes Towers, with construction starting on two new commercial towers in Uptown Dubai and strong demand for branded residences and mixed-use developments supporting the district's live-work ecosystem.

DMCC said it will continue deepening integration across its sector platforms to strengthen Dubai's position as a leading global centre for trade, investment and innovation.

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