Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is Dubai's wholesale trade sector?
Dubai wholesale and retail trade contributes approximately 23 percent to the emirate's GDP based on Q1 2025 statistics, per Dubai Media Office, alongside Dubai recording 7.2 percent trade growth in Q1 2025 and non-oil trade hitting record highs.
What can a general trading licence cover?
General trading covers electronics, mobile phones, computers, textiles and garments, food products, cosmetics and personal care, automotive parts, industrial supplies, machinery, construction materials, consumer goods and FMCG under a single non-specialised wholesale trade activity, per Meydan Free Zone Activity Hub.
What supports UAE trading hub status?
UAE trading hub status is supported by advanced logistics infrastructure, tax-friendly policies, over 40 free zones, modern port and airport infrastructure and Jebel Ali Port among the world's largest container ports, per Mordor Intelligence and IMARC Group.
Do I need third-party approval to open a general trading firm?
No third-party approval is required for activity 4690.87. You still need to comply with UAE commercial regulations, customs and import duties for imported goods and any product-specific approvals for regulated product categories carried under the general trading scope.
What does activity 4690.87 cover?
Activity 4690.87 covers general trading wholesale of a variety of goods without any particular specialisation, including multi-category wholesale distribution, import-export and re-export operations, non-specialised industrial and consumer goods distribution and specialty portfolio trading firms.
How to Start a General Trading Wholesalers Business in Dubai
General trading is Dubai's answer to product-portfolio breadth. Instead of separate licences for electronics, textiles, food products, industrial equipment, consumer goods, automotive parts and building materials, a single non-specialised wholesale activity covers them all under one legal structure.
That flexibility explains why general trading wholesalers anchor Dubai's import-export corridors, servicing GCC, East African, South Asian and European buyers from Jebel Ali Port infrastructure, warehousing zones and specialist logistics parks.
Dubai Media Office via Arabian Business1 reports Dubai wholesale and retail trade contributes approximately 23% to the emirate's GDP based on Q1 2025 statistics, alongside Dubai recording 7.2% trade growth in Q1 2025 and non-oil trade hitting record highs, reinforcing general trading as one of the most commercially rewarding activity categories across the emirate for established companies and new entrants leveraging UAE's strategic position between Europe, Asia and Africa.
IMARC Group2 reports the UAE Trade Finance market is anchored by trading volumes exceeding USD 500 billion in non-oil trade, with Dubai as the primary re-export gateway and Jebel Ali Port among the world's largest container ports, driving demand for multi-category wholesale operations supplying electronics, FMCG, industrial equipment, consumer goods and building materials across GCC and international buyer bases.
Mordor Intelligence3 reports UAE wholesale trade activity is anchored by Dubai's role as an international commercial hub, with wholesale distribution supported by advanced logistics infrastructure, tax-friendly policies, over 40 free zones offering specialised setup pathways and modern port and airport infrastructure enabling efficient cross-border trade flows to GCC, Africa, South Asia and European markets.
Meydan Free Zone Activity Hub4 reports UAE general trading wholesale supports diverse product categories including electronics, mobile phones, computers, textiles and garments, food products, cosmetics and personal care, automotive parts, industrial supplies, machinery, construction materials and consumer goods, with re-export volumes through Jebel Ali Port and Dubai World Central supporting UAE's role as the primary Middle East, Africa and South Asia trading hub.
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From multi-category general trading wholesalers supplying UAE hypermarkets and independent retail chains to import-export general traders leveraging Jebel Ali Port for GCC and Africa re-export corridors, non-specialised industrial and consumer goods distributors serving UAE B2B buyers and specialty portfolio trading firms handling multiple product categories under integrated import, warehouse and distribution operations, a trade license lets you tap into that demand. Meydan Free Zone issues yours in under 60 minutes via Fawri, through a fully online process.
A Non-Specialised Wholesale Layer Anchored by 23 Percent Dubai GDP Contribution
A Dubai-licensed general trading wholesaler enters a market where wholesale and retail trade contributes approximately 23 percent to Dubai's GDP in Q1 2025, alongside 7.2 percent Q1 trade growth and USD 500 billion in non-oil trade flows supporting multi-category import-export corridors across GCC, Africa, South Asia and Europe.
Sources: Dubai Media Office via Arabian Business (2025), IMARC Group (2025), Mordor Intelligence (2025), Meydan Free Zone Activity Hub (2026)
Who is this activity for?
- MULTI-CATEGORY GENERAL TRADING WHOLESALERS: You run a multi-category general trading wholesaler supplying UAE hypermarkets, independent retail chains, corporate procurement and government tender customers with electronics, FMCG, textiles, food products, consumer goods and building materials under a single non-specialised wholesale operation. You handle mixed-container sourcing, bulk distribution and multi-industry supply chains.
- IMPORT-EXPORT & RE-EXPORT TRADING FIRMS: You run an import-export general trading firm leveraging Jebel Ali Port infrastructure, warehousing zones and Dubai World Central logistics parks for GCC, East Africa, South Asia and European re-export corridors. You handle bulk container shipping, customs clearance, letter of credit financing and multi-category re-export flows to international buyer bases.
- NON-SPECIALISED INDUSTRIAL & CONSUMER DISTRIBUTORS: You run a non-specialised industrial and consumer goods distributor serving UAE B2B buyers with machinery, industrial supplies, automotive parts, chemicals, construction materials and consumer categories under integrated distribution, or a specialty portfolio trading firm handling multiple unrelated product categories under integrated import, warehouse and distribution operations.
4690.87 - General Trading Wholesalers
Under this activity, you can run a general trading wholesale business supplying a variety of goods across product categories without any particular specialisation.
Product scope covers electronics, mobile phones, computers, textiles and garments, food products, cosmetics and personal care, automotive parts, industrial supplies, machinery, construction materials, consumer goods, FMCG and specialty product categories sold in bulk to retailers, corporate procurement customers, government tenders and re-export partners across GCC, Africa, South Asia and international markets.
This activity covers non-specialised wholesale trade in a variety of goods without any particular specialisation. Product-specific wholesale activities including wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco (4630), wholesale of household goods (4649), wholesale of machinery and equipment (4659), wholesale of computers (4651) and specialised wholesale of specific product categories fall under separate classes under 4610-4669.
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In short: if you are running a multi-category general trading wholesaler, import-export general trader or non-specialised industrial and consumer goods distributor, this is your activity.
Third-party approval: No third-party approval is required.
Anti-money laundering compliance: This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
Footnotes
¹ Dubai Media Office via Arabian Business, "Dubai Wholesale and Retail Trade Growth Q1 2025", 2025.
² IMARC Group, "UAE Trade Finance Market Analysis", 2025.
³ Mordor Intelligence, "UAE Freight and Logistics Market Report", 2025.
⁴ Meydan Free Zone Activity Hub, "Meydan Free Zone Business Activities Directory", 2026.
