UAE Insurance Sector Growth 2025: Total Assets Reach AED164.9 Billion Mark
Start with the profit line. AED2.6 billion became AED4 billion in a single year, a jump of roughly 54 percent that sits at the center of the UAE insurance sector growth story for 2025 now taking shape in the Central Bank’s latest figures. Numbers like that rarely move alone. Behind them sits a year of […]
Gulf Investment Priorities Shift as Geopolitical Risk Redraws Capital Flows
Gulf investment priorities are under fresh scrutiny, and the questions investors ask have changed shape. Bilal Sabouni runs the Middle East, Africa, Turkiye and Central Asia business at Guidepoint, the global expert network. He told ICN Business that client demand now circles one theme. “A lot of the questions we are hearing come back to […]
UAE vape tax from September 1: what the AED 1 per mL rule means for you
The UAE vape tax from September 1 changes how much tax a bottle of e-liquid carries, even though the tax rate itself stays where it is. The Ministry of Finance has confirmed a minimum excise price of AED 1 per millilitre for liquids used in electronic smoking devices and tools. The rule covers e-cigarette liquids […]
Parkin’s regional growth plans extend to Egypt with smart parking deal
Parkin’s regional growth plans now stretch past the UAE, after the Dubai-listed parking operator signed a memorandum of understanding to take its technology into Egypt. The agreement brings in three local partners: Modon Misr for Asset and Facility Management, transport services provider Mwasalat Misr, and Redcon Properties. They control the ground. Parkin brings the cameras […]
Iran Trade Suspension in the UAE Halts Commercial and Banking Dealings
Iran trade suspension in the UAE took effect late on August 18, covering all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions until further notice. Afra Al Hameli, director of the strategic communications department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the decision. She cited regional escalations undermining regional and international peace and security. Officials gave no […]
Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has announced the launch of the 2026 edition of the Sharjah Excellence Award
Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has announced the launch of the 2026 edition of the Sharjah Excellence Award, with the final registration and submission deadline set for the end of January 2027. Held annually under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of […]
Sharjah and Maldives in an economic partnership push on fish and tourism
A meeting at the Sharjah Chamber’s headquarters has placed Sharjah and the Maldives in an economic partnership discussion that starts with something ordinary: the fish on your plate and the room you sleep in on holiday. Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, received Thoriq Ibrahim, Ambassador of the […]
e& UAE completes the world’s first eRedCap live network test for 5G IoT
e& UAE has completed an eRedCap live network test on its commercial 5G network, the first such test announced by any telecom operator. eRedCap, short for enhanced Reduced Capability, is a stripped-down version of 5G built for devices that do not need full 5G speed or power. The company said the result gives businesses and […]
UAE Islamic finance strategy targets Dh2.56 trillion in assets by 2031
The UAE Islamic finance strategy sets a target of Dh2.56 trillion in local Islamic bank assets by 2031, part of a wider effort to root Shari’ah-compliant finance deeper in the national economy. Islamic banking assets in the country stood at Dh1.4 trillion as of June 2026, and 43 Islamic financial institutions now hold licences. The […]
Cross-emirate parking payments move closer as Q Mobility and Parkin link up
Cross-emirate parking payments could soon live inside one digital account for drivers who move between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Q Mobility and Parkin have signed an agreement to connect their systems, and the aim is plain. You pay for a spot in either city without switching apps or opening a second wallet. Picture the commuter […]
Shamsa Entertainment City opens in Aljada with family fun until September
Shamsa Entertainment City has opened its doors in Aljada, and it gives families a fresh reason to head out this summer. The open-air venue runs until 5 September under the theme “Shamsa Festival, Where Joy Shines”. It sits inside Sharjah Summer Promotions 2026, the emirate’s yearly push to bring shoppers and visitors out during the […]
UAE music licence for businesses starts in December with new annual fees
A UAE music licence for businesses will soon shape the cost of playing a song in public. From December 2026, restaurants, cafes, hotels, malls, gyms and airlines that play music must hold one. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism set out the rules in a new guide on music rights. The guide covers a wide […]
