RAKEZ strengthens Ras Al Khaimah’s position as global investment destination

Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones (RAKEZ) has, since its launch in April 2017, reinforced its position as one of the UAE’s leading entities supporting investment and business, based on a vision of providing a flexible business environment, advanced infrastructure, and an integrated services ecosystem that meets investor needs and keeps pace with rapid global economic transformations.

Within a few years, RAKEZ evolved from a regionally focused economic zone into a dynamic economic entity playing a pivotal role in supporting the economic growth of Ras Al Khaimah, enhancing its ability to attract high-quality investments, and opening broader opportunities for local and international companies to expand and prosper.

The performance achieved by RAKEZ in 2025 reflects the maturity and development of this economic model, as it continued to expand its business community, attract new investments, and strengthen its international presence, with the total number of companies operating under its umbrella exceeding 40,000 from around the world.

During 2025, RAKEZ also continued to develop its services under a “customer first” approach, by simplifying procedures, expanding digital solutions, and providing integrated services through service centres, the residency medical fitness centre, and its digital platforms, enhancing ease of doing business and offering investors a more efficient and seamless experience.

Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, highlighted the notable growth in the business community recorded in 2025, with around 19,000 new companies joining, representing an increase of 44 per cent compared to 2024, bringing the total number of registered companies to more than 40,000.

He said that these figures do not only reflect quantitative growth, but also demonstrate the growing attractiveness of Ras Al Khaimah as a destination for business establishment, and RAKEZ’s success in delivering practical value to investors based on flexibility, speed of procedures, competitive costs, and ease of market access. He added that this performance confirms that the investment momentum witnessed by RAKEZ in recent years has not been temporary, but has become a sustainable trend supported by clear economic and operational foundations.

He added that this growth was largely driven by service-related licences, which accounted for 40 per cent of total new companies registered in 2025, followed by commercial and general trading licences at 33 per cent, while e-commerce maintained a strong presence at 17 per cent. Activities such as general trading, online products and services trading, project management consultancy, information technology, lifestyle development, marketing services, commercial brokerage, transaction clearance, and building maintenance were among the most prominent during the year.

Jallad explained that the geographical distribution of investors showed that India maintained its position as the leading source market for new investors in RAKEZ during 2025, accounting for 33 per cent of new companies, followed by Pakistan at 8 per cent, and the United Kingdom at 7 per cent. Egypt and France were also among the key nationalities contributing to the growth of the business community. He noted that this diversity reflects the breadth of RAKEZ’s investor base and its success in addressing different markets through a unified investment proposition combining infrastructure, regulatory flexibility, and integration with regional trade networks.

In addition to the record growth in the number of companies, 2025 saw the attraction of a range of high-quality investments that strengthened Ras Al Khaimah’s position as an emerging industrial and technological hub, reinforcing RAKEZ’s role as an environment capable of accommodating high value-added projects in future sectors.

In 2026, RAKEZ continued to build on the momentum achieved in the previous year by delivering a series of achievements that reflect sustained growth and the ongoing development of its business ecosystem.

The first quarter of the current year witnessed the launch of new initiatives, the strengthening of strategic partnerships, and the achievement of regional recognition reflecting the quality of institutional performance and its progress in innovation and digital transformation.

In terms of service development, RAKEZ continued to expand its practical solutions to meet the needs of the business community, announcing the expansion of self-storage facilities in Al Hamra Industrial Zone.

RAKEZ also continued to empower companies through specialised knowledge initiatives, launching the Growth Series 2026 with practical sessions focused on real challenges faced by businesses, enhancing their ability to achieve sustainable growth based on clear foundations.

WAM