Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does this activity cover?
It covers wholesale trade in metal ores, primary metal, semi-finished metal products and precious metals.
2. Can I trade scrap metal under this code?
No. Metal scrap sits under class 4669 and needs its own activity.
3. Can I trade gold under this parent code?
Gold has its own code, 4662.04, which carries pre-approval and AML duties. Check that code before trading.
4. Can I smelt or roll the metal?
No. Processing metal is manufacturing under a separate code.
5. Do I need third-party approval?
No. This activity does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone.
Topic Summary
UAE Is a Global Metal Trade Hub
The UAE produced about 2.7 million tonnes of primary aluminium in 2024, while Gulf smelters collectively output roughly 6.3 million tonnes. Gold exports alone reached USD 53.4 billion across 2024 and 2025, making the region a major force in global metal flows.
Four Product Stages Covered Under One Code
The wholesale metals license covers bulk trade in metal ores, primary metals like ingots and billets, semi-finished products such as sheet and coil, and precious metals including gold and platinum group metals. This single parent code gives traders flexibility across the full supply chain.
Dubai's Infrastructure Makes Metal Trade Practical
Ports, bonded storage facilities, and open trade rules simplify holding and moving large volumes of metal. These logistics advantages are a primary reason international metal traders choose to base their operations in Dubai.
Know What Falls Outside This License
Metal scrap trading sits under a separate class code, and smelting or physically working the metal is classified as manufacturing. Selling directly to the public also requires a retail activity license rather than this wholesale code.
No Third-Party Approval Required at Meydan
Obtaining a wholesale metals license through Meydan Free Zone does not require third-party government approval. The activity is also not subject to anti-money laundering compliance requirements, simplifying the setup process.
Margins Run on Tonnage, Not Retail Markup
Wholesale metal trade operates on high volumes and thin margins, with price timing and freight costs being the key drivers of profitability. Traders buy in bulk from smelters or miners and sell on to fabricators, rolling mills, and other traders.
How to Open a Wholesale of Metals and Metal Ores in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Wholesale of Metals and Metal Ores | Licensed under Wholesale of Metals and Metal Ores
This activity is the parent code for wholesale trade in metals and metal ores. It covers ore, primary metal, semi-finished products and precious metals. Traders buy in bulk and sell on to smelters, fabricators and other traders. The trade runs on tonnage and thin margins rather than the markup a retailer would take.
The UAE sits at the centre of a very large flow. The country produced about 2.7 million tonnes of primary aluminium during 2024.1 Gulf smelters together turned out roughly 6.3 million tonnes in the same year.2 Precious metals move in parallel, with UAE gold exports reaching USD 53.4 billion across 2024 and 2025.3
Reach is the other half of the story. Gulf states built these industries on cheap power and now export the output widely.1 Ports, bonded storage and open trade rules make holding and moving metal straightforward here. That infrastructure is a large part of what draws traders to base themselves in Dubai.
The scale of metal trade moving through the UAE
Whether you trade ore, primary metal, semi-finished products or precious metals, this is the parent code you start from. The figures below show the scale involved.
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Sources: World Population Review (2026), International Aluminium Journal (October 2025), Gulf News (2025)
Who is this activity for?
What this activity covers
This code covers wholesale trade in metals and metal ores of all kinds. The class guidelines group four distinct product stages under one heading.
- Bulk trade in ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores
- Bulk trade in metals in primary forms such as ingots and billets
- Bulk trade in semi-finished metal products
- Bulk trade in gold and other precious metals
- Import, storage and re-export of metal through UAE ports
Product scope
What falls outside this activity
This activity does not cover metal scrap, which the class guidelines place under class 4669. Smelting, rolling or otherwise working the metal is manufacturing and sits under its own code. Selling direct to the public is retail trade and needs a retail activity instead.
In short, you can buy and sell metal in bulk, but not scrap, and you cannot smelt or work it yourself.
Compliance
THIRD-PARTY APPROVAL
This activity does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone.
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE
This business activity is not subject to AML compliance requirements.
Citations
1. World Population Review, Aluminium Production by Country, 2026.
2. International Aluminium Journal, Aluminium Smelters in the Gulf Region, October 2025.
3. Gulf News, Who Buys UAE Gold? Where Dh196 Billion of Exports Went, 2025.
