Dubai free zone profile
Dubai World Trade Centre Free Zone
Events, conferences and a growing tech cluster in the city's convention heart. Located in Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Centre District.
From
AED 19,000
Setup
1 to 2 weeks
Ownership
100% foreign
Visas
Scales with office space
About DWTC
The World Trade Centre district hosts GITEX, Gulfood and most of the exhibitions that fill Dubai's hotel calendar, and its free zone naturally attracts the companies that build, staff and service those events. Stand contractors, AV firms, conference organisers and exhibition agencies cluster here.
DWTC has also positioned itself for technology companies, and for several years ran the licensing regime that hosted many of the UAE's crypto firms before VARA took over supervision. The authority remains comfortable with digital-economy activities.
The address is central: Sheikh Zayed Road, one metro stop from DIFC, with the exhibition halls and Museum of the Future in walking distance.
Licence types at DWTC
- Commercial licence. Trading and distribution activities.
- Professional licence. Events services, consultancy and management.
- Event licence. Short-term permits tied to specific exhibitions and conferences.
Offices and facilities
- Flexi desks
- One Central serviced offices
- Commercial floors in the district
What DWTC costs
Indicative first-year cost with a flexi desk. Confirmed quote issued on application. Budget from AED 19,000 for the first year, then add visa allocations, medicals and Emirates ID per person, and workspace if you upgrade beyond the entry package. Renewals typically come in below year-one totals. Our costs page breaks down every line item, and your written quote fixes the numbers before you pay.
Questions
DWTC questions, answered
Who should incorporate at DWTC?
Companies whose revenue is tied to the events calendar: organisers, stand builders, AV and staffing agencies, plus tech firms that want a central address with an authority used to digital business models.
Can I still get a crypto licence at DWTC?
Virtual asset activities in Dubai are now supervised by VARA regardless of where you incorporate. DWTC companies can apply to VARA like any other, and we can scope whether your model needs that authorisation at all.
What does a DWTC licence cost?
Budget from roughly AED 19,000 in year one with a flexi desk. Private offices in One Central move the total up significantly, as the district commands premium rents.
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