DMCC announces 16% growth in Chinese companies registration

DMCC, the leading international business district that drives the flow of global trade through Dubai, has announced growth of over 16% in Chinese businesses joining its district in the past 12 months, bringing its total to over 1,000 Chinese companies. The announcement was made during DMCC’s latest Made For Trade Live (MFTL) roadshow to China that featured events in the Yangtze River Delta cities of Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou – three of the country’s most dynamic centres for technology and advanced manufacturing.

The roadshow highlighted DMCC’s growing role as a regional launchpad for China’s innovation-focused companies, recording double-digit annual growth in Chinese companies for five consecutive years – including 19% in 2022, 21% in 2023 and 17% in 2024 – driven largely by firms in AI, blockchain, Web3 and digital infrastructure. DMCC now hosts more than 130 Chinese technology companies, within a wider community of over 3,400 tech firms, offering Chinese businesses a purpose-built platform for international expansion through Dubai.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said: “China is now the UAE’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $102 billion last year, and that figure projected to double by 2030. This growth is underpinned by deeper cooperation across trade, investment, and innovation – particularly in AI and other frontier technologies, where China has seen rapid growth in recent years.

We have seen this momentum firsthand with double-digit annual growth in Chinese companies joining DMCC for five straight years, including more than 16% in the past 12 months. Today, DMCC is home to more than 1,000 Chinese companies – over 135 of them in technology – as we continue to refine our value proposition as the district of choice for ambitious Chinese firms expanding globally from Dubai.”

Over 750 Chinese business leaders across all three cities were briefed on key sectors including artificial intelligence, blockchain and tokenised assets – areas of growing strategic alignment between both countries.

The visit comes at a time when UAE-China economic ties are broadening beyond trade into areas of strategic co-investment, innovation, and global market integration. With DMCC accounting for 15% of Dubai’s annual FDI inflows and contributing around 7% of the emirate’s GDP, the district has become a key vehicle for translating this bilateral momentum into commercial opportunity. As both countries strengthen cooperation through BRICS+ and deepen their shared focus on the digital economy, DMCC is positioned to play a central role in facilitating the next wave of China’s global expansion.

In February 2025, DMCC has announced two major strategic partnerships with the Beijing Innovation Service Hub for Digital Economy Enterprise Going Global, and Beijing Chaoyang Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The signings were made during DMCC’s first Made For Trade Live roadshow of 2025, featuring dual events in Beijing and Shenzhen, where it was also announced that total Chinese companies grew in DMCC by 17.5% year-on-year to approach 1,000 Chinese companies overall across its international business district.

Under the agreements, DMCC will collaborate with the Beijing Innovation Service Hub and Beijing Chaoyang on trade promotion, investment facilitation, and strategic business matchmaking, connecting companies with key government and private sector stakeholders in both Dubai and Beijing.

The partnerships will see both entities co-host business seminars, investment roadshows, and networking events to encourage cross-border collaboration, while promoting digital trade and blockchain technology to ensure seamless and secure transactions across borders. Companies in both jurisdictions will gain access to new investment leads, expanded market opportunities, and streamlined business setup solutions within DMCC, the Beijing Innovation Hub and Beijing Chaoyang.

Held in partnership with Yingtian Global, DMCC’s roadshows in Beijing and Shenzhen – two of China’s most important economic hubs – brought together senior business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to explore opportunities for expansion into Dubai and beyond. The events highlighted the diversity of DMCC’s value proposition and its ability to provide Chinese companies with an ideal environment to expand their international reach. Today, DMCC hosts over 950 Chinese companies, representing over 15% of the estimated 6,000 Chinese businesses present in the UAE.

The Made For Trade Live event series plays a crucial role in promoting Dubai as a leading global business destination, supporting DMCC’s continued growth. DMCC continues to attract record levels of new businesses to Dubai, in turn accounting for 15% of all foreign direct investment and reinforcing its status as a major economic driver.

WAM