Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dubai Metaverse Strategy?
The Dubai Metaverse Strategy was launched in July 2022 by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. It targets a USD 4 billion contribution to Dubai’s GDP by 2030, support for more than 40,000 virtual jobs, and positions Dubai as one of the top 10 metaverse economies globally.
Do I need a licence to operate a virtual asset business in Dubai?
Yes. Under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2022, any Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) operating in or targeting Dubai must obtain a licence from the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). This covers exchanges, custodians, brokers, advisers, and token issuers. Free zones (excluding DIFC) and the Dubai mainland are all in scope.
What kinds of metaverse businesses can I start in Dubai?
Opportunity areas include virtual assets and NFTs, immersive retail and virtual try-on experiences, virtual events and conferences, advertising and sponsorship in virtual spaces, gaming and interactive entertainment, and hardware development for AR/VR/XR devices.
What technologies underpin the metaverse?
The Dubai Metaverse Strategy focuses on extended reality (XR), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and digital twins. These work alongside blockchain, smart contracts, and Web3 infrastructure to enable persistent virtual worlds and digital asset ownership.
Is the metaverse opportunity in Dubai still active in 2026?
Yes. The regulatory framework is live and evolving, VARA published Version 2.0 of its activity-based rulebooks in May 2025 and continues to issue enforcement and policy updates. Job roles are emerging across AR/VR/XR and digital twins, and over 1,000 blockchain and metaverse companies have already been attracted to the emirate.
How can Meydan Free Zone help me start a metaverse business?
Meydan Free Zone supports digital, tech, and ICT business activities with 100% foreign ownership, a fully digital setup process, and no requirement for a physical office. For businesses operating as Virtual Asset Service Providers, VARA licensing applies on top of your free-zone trade licence, and our advisors can help you map the right route.
Topic Summary
1. Enhanced Customer Engagement
The Metaverse offers businesses an immersive and interactive platform to connect with customers. Through virtual environments, companies can create personalised experiences that deepen brand loyalty and increase consumer engagement beyond traditional digital methods.
2. Innovative Marketing Opportunities
Brands can leverage the Metaverse to develop novel marketing campaigns, including virtual product launches, immersive advertisements, and experiential events. These initiatives can captivate a global audience in ways not feasible through conventional media channels.
3. Remote Collaboration and Productivity
The Metaverse facilitates more effective remote working by providing virtual offices and meeting spaces that simulate real-world interaction. This encourages collaboration, creativity, and productivity among geographically dispersed teams, enhancing operational efficiency.
4. New Revenue Streams and Business Models
Businesses can explore fresh revenue avenues within the Metaverse, such as virtual real estate, digital goods, and services. The integration of blockchain technology also enables secure transactions and the creation of unique assets, fostering innovative commercial models.
5. Access to Global Talent and Markets
By operating in a virtual space unconstrained by physical location, companies can tap into a diverse global talent pool and reach international markets with ease. This inclusivity supports business expansion and competitiveness in the global economy.
How the Metaverse Can Benefit Business
The Metaverse broke into many people's consciousness recently when Mark Zuckerberg changed the name of the business behind Facebook and Instagram to Meta and talked widely about the potential of the Metaverse for revolutionising almost every aspect of life.
It is not just Silicon Valley that is getting excited about the Metaverse and its potential. In Dubai, the government has embraced its potential and revealed ambitious plans to develop it in the coming years.
The world is at the beginning of a major change, and if the Metaverse becomes as ubiquitous as social media, it will present almost endless business opportunities.
Dubai’s commitment to this space is now codified in law and regulation. The Dubai Metaverse Strategy, launched in July 2022 by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, targets a USD 4 billion annual contribution to Dubai’s GDP by 2030, support for more than 40,000 virtual jobs, and a place among the top 10 metaverse economies globally¹.
Underpinning that, Dubai Law No. 4 of 2022 established the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), which published Version 2.0 of its activity-based rulebooks in May 2025 and issued enforcement notices against 36 firms for unlicensed virtual asset activity between August 2024 and August 2025². For founders, this is not an experiment. It is a regulated economy with formal targets, an active regulator, and a clear runway through 2030.
Read on to explore the metaverse in detail, covering:
- The Metaverse, What Is It?
- Dubai’s Big Plans For The Metaverse
- Business Opportunities In The Metaverse
- How The Metaverse Can Help Business Setup
- The Future Of The Metaverse
The Metaverse What Is It?
The Metaverse may be a new concept to many people, but the ideas contained within it are well established. Basically, it is a perpetual virtual world, which means it continues to exist even when a user has logged off. It exists in virtual reality but also has augmented reality elements, where virtual objects can be seen in the real world.The term was previously associated primarily with online gaming, such as Fortnite, but now it has a much broader scope. There are ambitions to create digital versions of cities and use them to help provide healthcare and education services to people.
Dubai's Big Plans for the Metaverse
Dubai's government has embraced the Metaverse concept and announced grand plans for developing it in the next few years.
For instance, in May, the government unveiled its Dubai Metaverse Strategy, which sets out plans for the Metaverse sector to contribute $4 billion per year to the emirate's economy by 2030 and support 42,000 virtual jobs.
There are also plans to set up a virtual Dubai in the metaverse. The digital twin, named One Human Reality, will combine elements of social media, AR, VR, video games, cryptocurrencies, and other emerging technologies.
To this end, a regulator has been established, the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), which has set up a headquarters in the metaverse. VARA devises and implements rules and controls to govern how transactions of virtual assets are made, and in May 2025 published Version 2.0 of its activity-based rulebooks to strengthen oversight across every licensed virtual asset activity.
Business Opportunities in the Metaverse
Most importantly for our readers, the Metaverse has the potential to open a new world of opportunities for entrepreneurs, selling products and services virtually.
Here are the major opportunity areas where founders are already building.
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How the Metaverse Can Help Business Setup
The Metaverse could also revolutionise the business setup process. A business could be planned entirely in the metaverse, along with how office or retail spaces could look, before they are physically built and furnished in Dubai.
Product development can also be done in the Metaverse through digital twins, digital models of a product in development that can perform as it would in the real world. This provides an inexpensive way of testing, and any problems can be solved faster as real components do not have to be physically manufactured. This could significantly cut development time and costs for businesses setting up and establishing.
Businesses looking to set up in the Metaverse will also need the services of specialised business setup experts, which is a completely new opportunity. Similarly, there will be opportunities for Metaverse service providers, those who help existing companies move into the Metaverse, in much the same way as there are consultancies that help businesses with their website and social media strategies.
The Future of the Metaverse
The Metaverse currently is akin to the early stages of the internet or social media: it has the potential to become a standard part of everyday work and life within just a few years. This means that early adopters stand to make big profits and establish a leading place in the market before it becomes saturated as others rush to take part.
Dubai is in the vanguard of this revolution, meaning it will attract businesses and entrepreneurs that want to be part of the Metaverse and take advantage of the infrastructure here, providing many opportunities for the business setup sector to capitalise.
To emphasise just how serious the initiative is, the rulers of Dubai have set up a committee to help Dubai become a key city in the Metaverse and track the latest developments in the digital economy. Among its many tasks, the committee looks to implement Metaverse technologies that help people and professionals in the real world, such as surgeons and engineers, to improve their performance.
The opportunities for entrepreneurs are clear, and once again, the Dubai government has boldly declared its intent to be a pillar of support.
To find out more, visit our website, or get in touch with us via setup@meydanfz.ae or 800FZ1.
Citations
¹ Government of the UAE. Dubai Metaverse Strategy. UAE Government Portal, 2025.
² Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations Version 2.0. VARA, 2025.
³ Dubai Future Foundation. Dubai Future Foundation Launches New Report on Future of the Metaverse. Dubai Future Foundation, 2023.
⁴ Government of the UAE. Regulation of Digital Properties. UAE Government Portal, 2025.
⁵ Gulf News. Dubai’s Metaverse Push Enters Next Phase: Where the Strategy Stands. Gulf News, 2025.
