Ras al khaimah: Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones (RAKEZ) has, since its inception in April 2017, solidified its reputation as one of the UAE’s foremost entities in supporting investment and business. It has been guided by a vision of creating a flexible business environment, complete with advanced infrastructure and a comprehensive services ecosystem that caters to investor needs while adapting to global economic changes.
According to Emirates News Agency, within a few years, RAKEZ transformed from a regionally focused economic zone into a dynamic entity, playing a crucial role in the economic growth of Ras Al Khaimah. It has enhanced the region’s ability to attract quality investments and has opened up wider opportunities for both local and international companies to expand.
In 2025, RAKEZ demonstrated its maturity and development as an economic model by expanding its business community, attracting new investments, and reinforcing its international presence. The total number of companies operating under RAKEZ surpassed 40,000 globally.
Throughout 2025, RAKEZ focused on developing its services under a ‘customer first’ approach, simplifying procedures, expanding digital solutions, and offering integrated services through service centres and digital platforms. This strategy improved the ease of doing business and provided investors with a more efficient experience.
Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, emphasized the significant growth in the business community in 2025, with around 19,000 new companies joining. This represented a 44 percent increase compared to 2024, bringing the total registered companies to over 40,000. Jallad noted that this growth demonstrates the attractiveness of Ras Al Khaimah for business establishment and RAKEZ’s success in providing practical value to investors through flexibility, speedy procedures, competitive costs, and market access.
Service-related licenses led the growth, accounting for 40 percent of new companies registered in 2025, followed by commercial and general trading licenses at 33 percent. E-commerce also maintained a strong presence at 17 percent. Prominent activities included general trading, online products and services trading, project management consultancy, and information technology, among others.
Jallad highlighted that India remained the leading source market for new investors in RAKEZ during 2025, contributing 33 percent of new companies, followed by Pakistan at 8 percent and the United Kingdom at 7 percent. Egypt and France also played significant roles in the business community’s growth. This diversity underscores RAKEZ’s success in appealing to various markets through a unified investment proposition.
In addition to the record growth in company numbers, 2025 saw RAKEZ attracting high-quality investments, reinforcing Ras Al Khaimah’s status as an industrial and technological hub. This further established RAKEZ’s role as an environment suitable for high value-added projects in future sectors.
In 2026, RAKEZ continued its momentum with achievements reflecting sustained growth and ongoing development of its business ecosystem. The first quarter saw new initiatives, strengthened strategic partnerships, and regional recognition for institutional performance and progress in innovation.
RAKEZ expanded its practical solutions to meet business community needs, announcing the expansion of self-storage facilities in Al Hamra Industrial Zone. Additionally, it launched the Growth Series 2026, offering practical sessions to address real business challenges, thus enhancing the ability to achieve sustainable growth.