US companies flock to Dubai as DMCC reports 7% surge in American business registrations

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has reported a 7 per  cent year-on-year increase in US company registrations, reinforcing its status as the leading international business district in the UAE and a key hub for American firms expanding into the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

Now home to more than 45 per cent of the estimated 1,500 American businesses operating in the UAE, DMCC has become the preferred launchpad for US firms seeking to access some of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

This uptick in American interest comes in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to the UAE in May 2025.

US firms in Dubai

The visit resulted in $200bn in strategic trade agreements, covering sectors such as:

• Artificial intelligence
• Energy
• Defence
• Aviation

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said: “President Trump’s recent visit to the UAE – part of the first official foreign visit of his second term – marks a new chapter in economic collaboration between the UAE and United States.

“With bilateral trade reaching $34.4bn in 2024, there is significant trade and investment momentum as well as appetite among American businesses to set up in Dubai and tap into global markets.”

To capitalise on this momentum, DMCC hosted its Made For Trade Live series in New York City, Brooklyn, and Miami, engaging more than 150 US business leaders from sectors including tech, finance, commodities, and advanced manufacturing.

These events are part of DMCC’s long-term strategy to attract high-growth American companies to Dubai, positioning the emirate as a springboard into EMEA and South Asia.

As of mid-2025, nearly 26,000 companies operate out of DMCC, including more than 700 from the United States. The district offers a full-service ecosystem for trade, innovation, and entrepreneurship — all within Dubai’s free zone framework.