A DMCC Gold Trading License allows businesses to trade, source, process, and manage precious metals from one of the world’s leading commodity hubs. It supports its jurisdiction, Dubai, that handles around 15% of the global gold trade, with specialized infrastructure such as the DMCC Vault, Tradeflow and access to a network of precious metal companies. For international markets looking to enter the gold and precious metals market, DMCC offers a regulated, globally connected platform with strong infrastructure and industry support.
The UAE’s precious metals trade reached nearly AED 625 billion in 2024, up 27% from the previous year and 79% over two years. Dubai also accounts for around 15% of global gold trade and is the world’s second-largest physical gold trading hub after Switzerland. Within this market, DMCC has built an ecosystem of more than 1,500 companies covering gold trading, refining, assaying, logistics, financing, manufacturing and jewellery.
For businesses entering this market, obtaining a DMCC gold trading license provides a regulated free-zone base in one of the UAE’s strongest commodity hubs. The setup also provides access to specialised infrastructure, secure precious metals storage, commodity ownership registration and an established network of industry participants.
This guide explains the DMCC gold and precious metals licensing process, expected costs, business requirements and key compliance obligations for 2026.
Why is DMCC suitable for gold and precious metals businesses?
DMCC is designed around international commodity trade. Its gold ecosystem covers the supply chain from sourcing and refining to trading, logistics, financing and jewellery manufacturing. More than 1,500 companies operate across its precious metals, stones and diamonds ecosystem.
The location also gives businesses direct access to Dubai’s wider trading infrastructure. Dubai connects major gold-producing markets with large consumer markets across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
For a precious metals company, this ecosystem is important because the business often needs more than a license. It needs access to secure storage, logistics providers, financial services, buyers, sellers, refiners and other industry specialists.
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Download Free Guide ↗What facilities support gold businesses in DMCC?
DMCC’s gold ecosystem includes several specialised facilities and platforms:
| Facility or Service | Business Relevance |
|---|---|
| DMCC Vault | Secure storage infrastructure for precious metals |
| DMCC Tradeflow | Registration of possession and ownership of commodities stored in UAE facilities; supports commodity-backed transactions, collateral arrangements and trade financing. |
| Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX) | Access to derivatives and commodity trading markets |
| Precious metals ecosystem | Network of traders, refiners, assayers, manufacturers and service providers |
| Dubai Precious Metal Conference | Industry networking and market engagement |
This combination makes DMCC particularly suitable for businesses that intend to build a serious precious metals operation rather than simply hold a trading license.
What activities can a DMCC gold and precious metals company undertake?
Gold and precious metals businesses can operate across several parts of the value chains. The exact license activity, however, must match the company’s intended business model. Typical activities include:
- Gold and precious metals trading
- Precious metals wholesale trading
- Gold bullion trading
- Trading of refined precious metals
- Precious metals refining
- Precious metals processing
- Assaying and related services
- Jewellery manufacturing
- Jewellery and precious metals trading
- Precious metals logistics and related services
- Commodity-related consultancy and support activities
The activity selection is important because DMCC gold trading license fees and regulatory requirements depend on the activities selected.
A company that only trades gold should not select manufacturing or refining activities simply to create a broader license. The license should reflect the actual business model and planned operations.
How do you obtain a DMCC gold trading license?
The DMCC company formation process follows a defined sequence. The process starts with selecting the business activity and company structure and ends with the issuance of the electronic license.
What are the steps to set up a gold trading company in DMCC?
- Select the business activity: The first step is to identify the exact gold or precious metals activities required. This determines the license category and additional approvals.
- Select the company structure: A new investor can establish a DMCC free-zone company, while an existing overseas company can also consider a branch structure where appropriate.
- Submit the incorporation documents: The application requires corporate and shareholder documentation. Identification documents, proof of address and corporate documents are required based on the ownership structure.
- Complete compliance and approval checks: Gold and precious metals are a high-value commodity sector. The application therefore requires appropriate compliance information and supporting documentation. For gold trading, the process also includes obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) as part of the required approvals.
- Secure an appropriate office solution: The business needs a DMCC-approved office solution that meets the requirements of its license and operations.
- Pay the applicable fees: The company pays the application, registration, license and other applicable charges.
- Receive the DMCC license: Once the incorporation and licensing requirements are completed, DMCC issues the electronic business license.
The DMCC company formation process is digital, allowing investors to complete the core setup process remotely.
How much does a DMCC gold trading license cost?
The cost of establishing a precious metals company in DMCC depends on the activities, office solution, visas and operational requirements. The current standard DMCC company setup charges provide a useful starting point:
| Cost Component | Current DMCC fee |
|---|---|
| Application | AED 1,035 |
| Company registration | AED 9,020 |
| Office Set up | Flexi-desks start from AED 20,000 per year |
| Articles of Association | AED 2,020 |
| Annual business license | AED 20, 285 |
| Establishment | AED 1,825 |
| Core setup subtotal | AED 54,185 |
All applicable charges are subject to AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation Dirham fees, while additional activities and specialised licensing requirements can increase the total.
What other costs should be included in the setup budget?
The AED 34,185 subtotal mentioned in the previous section, is not the complete cost of establishing a fully functional gold business in DMCC. A realistic budget includes office spaces, visas, immigration processing, insurance, compliance systems, professional support, banking and operational infrastructure.
Here are some additional cost components that should be taken into consideration before finalizing your budget:
- DMCC application
- Company registration
- License
- Establishment card
- Office
- UAE residence visa
- Medical and Emirate ID processing
- Health insurance
- Compliance set up
- Accounting and audit
- Banking
- Customs and logistics
- Secure Storage
- Precious Metal Insurance
In the aforementioned list, expenses like DMCC application and company registration are fixed set up charges. License, establishment card and office charges are recurring costs that require renewal. The UAE residence visa, medical, emirates ID processing, health insurance cost you as per applicant, i.e., the number of employees you decide to hire.
Other charges such as compliance setup, accounting, audit, banking, depends on your respective business model, transactional volume, annual revenue threshold, and the other relevant requirements.
The costs for customs, logistics, storage security and your precious metal insurance depend on the value and risk profile.
For businesses that require physical handling of high-value metals, storage, insurance, logistics and security deserve particular attention. These costs sit outside the basic company formation fee.
What is the annual DMCC license renewal cost?
The standard one-year trading and service license renewal is currently AED 20,265. This standard renewal price does not apply to certain categories, including general trading, industrial and refinery licenses. Additional activities also affect the final license cost.
License renewal should therefore be planned as part of the annual operating budget rather than treated as a one-time incorporation expense.
A business should also keep its lease, corporate documents, establishment card and compliance records current to avoid operational delays during renewal.
What documents are required for a DMCC precious metals company?
The exact document list depends on the shareholders, directors, company structure and selected activity. A standard application typically requires:
- Passport copies of shareholders and directors
- Passport-sized photographs where applicable
- Proof of residential address
- Proposed company name
- Business activity details
- Business plan or additional business information where required
- Corporate documents for corporate shareholders
- Board resolutions where applicable
- Ultimate beneficial ownership information
- Source-of-funds or source-of-wealth information where required
- Additional compliance documents for regulated or high-risk activities
Gold and precious metals businesses should prepare their ownership and business information carefully. Clear documentation helps establish the nature of the business and its intended source and destination markets.
What compliance requirements apply to gold and precious metals businesses?
Gold is a high-value commodity. Its international supply chain therefore carries specific financial crime and responsible sourcing risks.
The UAE’s regulatory framework places particular emphasis on responsible sourcing, due diligence and AML/CFT controls within the precious metals sector. Federal oversight of the gold industry sits with the Ministry of Economy, while the UAE Good Delivery framework establishes quality and transparency standards for the sector.
What AML and CFT controls are required?
Precious metals dealers need appropriate controls to identify and manage money laundering and terrorism financing risks. Gold and other precious metals involve high-value transactions, international supply chains and multiple counterparties.
This makes strong customer and transaction controls an important part of operating the business. A DMCC gold and precious metals company should establish a documented, risk-based Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework covering the following areas:
Key areas include:
- Customer due diligence
- Beneficial owner identification
- Customer risk classification
- Enhanced due diligence for higher-risk relationships
- Transaction monitoring
- Suspicious transaction reporting where required
- Record keeping
- Staff compliance training
- Internal AML/CFT policies
- Enterprise-wide risk assessment
The compliance framework also needs to reflect the nature and scale of the business. A company dealing in large-value bullion transactions requires stronger controls than a business with limited-value commercial activity.
DMCC’s 2026 responsible sourcing training specifically covers AML/CFT/CPF obligations for precious metals dealers and refineries, financial crime risks, supply-chain due diligence and the application of Ministerial Decree 68 of 2024.
What is the UAE Good Delivery standard for gold?
The UAE Good Delivery (UAEGD) standard establishes quality and transparency specifications for gold traders and refiners operating in the UAE.
The framework was launched in November 2021 and is aligned with international best practices, including OECD principles.
For businesses involved in refining and producing gold products, UAEGD requirements become particularly important.
A pure trading company should distinguish between holding a trading license and meeting the standards applicable to a refinery or producer. The regulatory obligations depend on the actual business activity.
Does a gold trading company need a refinery or manufacturing facility?
No. A business that operates strictly as a trader does not need to establish a refinery simply because it trades gold.
The business model should determine the facility requirement.
For example:
| Business Model | Main Requirement |
|---|---|
| Gold Trader | Trading license and appropriate business premises |
| Bullion trader | Trading activity plus appropriate storage and logistics arrangements |
| Gold refiner | Refining activity and specialized facility requirements |
| Jewellery manufacturer | Manufacturing activity and suitable premises |
| Precious metals processor | Processing activity and operational facility |
| Gold sourcing business | Trading activity plus strong supply-chain due diligence. |
This distinction is important when calculating setup costs. A trading business should not budget for the infrastructure required by a refinery unless refining is part of the actual operation.
Does a DMCC gold company need a physical office?
Yes. The company needs an appropriate DMCC office solution for its license.
The cost depends on the type and size of office selected. DMCC provides different workspace options, including flexi-desk solutions and dedicated office arrangements.
For businesses handling precious metals, the office requirement should also be assessed alongside storage, logistics and security needs.
A flexi-desk can support a lean trading operation, while a company with employees, physical operations and larger transaction volumes needs a more substantial setup.
Can a DMCC gold trading company import and export precious metals?
Yes. International trade is one of the key reasons businesses choose Dubai as a base for precious metals operations.
However, the company must ensure that its license activities, customs registrations, shipping arrangements, documentation and compliance controls support the planned import and export transactions.
For physical gold, documentation should establish the nature, quantity, value, origin and destination of the goods. The company should also maintain records supporting the commercial rationale for transactions and the parties involved.
This is particularly important when dealing with international suppliers and buyers.
How does DMCC support the physical gold supply chain?
DMCC offers infrastructure designed specifically for commodity businesses.
The DMCC Vault provides secure precious metals storage, while Tradeflow provides a platform for registering possession and ownership of commodities stored in UAE facilities. DGCX adds access to a dedicated commodities exchange environment.
This ecosystem is valuable for businesses that need to move beyond basic buying and selling.
For example, a trader can structure its operations around sourcing, secure storage, ownership registration, financing, logistics and resale without having to build every element independently.
Conclusion
Dubai has developed into one of the world’s leading physical gold trading centres, supported by strong connectivity, established commodity infrastructure and a large international trading community.
DMCC builds on these advantages with a specialised ecosystem for gold and precious metals businesses. Its combination of licensing, secure storage, commodity platforms and industry infrastructure makes it a strong choice for businesses planning to trade, source, process or expand within the global precious metals market.
The important step is to structure the company correctly from the beginning. Selecting the right activities, budgeting for the full operating setup and putting the required compliance controls in place creates a stronger foundation for sustainable growth.
If you are planning to establish a gold or precious metals business in Dubai, Stratrich Consulting can help you structure the DMCC setup, licensing, compliance and cost requirements around your business model.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. DMCC provides a UAE free-zone structure designed for international businesses and offers a strong ecosystem for commodity trading.
The current standard setup charges total AED 34,185 before the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation Dirham fee and before office, visa and other operating costs. This includes the application, registration, AoA, annual license and establishment card.
No. A trading company does not need a refinery when refining is not part of its business activity. Refining requires a separate operational and regulatory setup.
Yes. The DMCC Vault provides secure precious metals storage, while Tradeflow supports the registration of possession and ownership of commodities stored in UAE facilities.
The key areas include customer due diligence, beneficial ownership checks, AML/CFT controls, responsible sourcing, supply-chain risk assessment, transaction monitoring and appropriate record keeping.
