Why Are Asian Firms Choosing Dubai?

Dubai continues to draw the attention of global businesses, and the latest figures from Dubai International Chamber show where much of that interest is coming from.

According to the chamber, nearly half of the multinational companies it attracted to the emirate in 2025 came from Asia. Out of all the multinational companies that set up operations in Dubai with the chamber’s support last year, 46.9 percent were Asian businesses. The trend highlights Dubai’s growing appeal as a gateway for companies looking to expand into regional and global markets.

The Middle East and CIS region followed as the second-largest source of multinational companies, accounting for 20.3 percent of the total. European companies made up 15.6 percent, while businesses from the Americas represented 12.5 percent. African companies accounted for the remaining 4.7 percent.

A similar pattern was seen among SMEs. Asian SMEs formed the largest share, making up 49.8 percent of the total SMEs that the chamber helped attract to Dubai in 2025. The Middle East and CIS region ranked second at 19.7 percent.

African SMEs accounted for 12.6 percent of the total, followed by European businesses at 10.4 percent. Companies from the Americas made up 7.4 percent of the SMEs that entered the Dubai market with support from the chamber.

In total, Dubai International Chamber helped attract 64 multinational companies and 309 SMEs to Dubai during 2025.

These figures reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global business hub. By continuing to bring in companies from a wide range of regions, the chamber aims to support business growth in the emirate and create more opportunities for international companies looking to expand their operations.