The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism has unveiled the trademark platform ‘TM Market Place’, the first digital platform of its kind in the UAE and the region for buying and trading trademarks, offering a secure, transparent, and innovative marketplace for brand owners and investors.
The launch event was organised by the Ministry at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. TM Market Place is a new national project that enhances the innovative and competitive landscape for intellectual property (IP) and trademarks in the UAE. It aims to bring about a qualitative shift in the sector, strengthening the country’s appeal for global companies and brands.
The event was attended by HE Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism; Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism; and Dr. Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry.
During the event, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism highlighted its efforts to develop the IP and trademark environment in collaboration with partners in the public and private sectors. This is being achieved by establishing integrated legislative and regulatory frameworks.
Among the most prominent of these efforts are the issuance of the Law on Trademark and its executive regulations, the new Cabinet Resolution on trademark service fees provided by the Ministry, the development of the registration system of geographical indications (GI) for national products, and the UAE joining the Madrid Protocol.
The Ministry will supervise the TM Market Place platform, ensuring compliance with national and international intellectual property (IP) laws, leveraging unified and transparent agreements, and applying the highest standards of consumer protection. Sales and transactions on the platform will be limited to national and international trademarks registered in the UAE and in alignment with the terms of Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 on Trademarks. This will protect the rights of trademark owners and enhance transparency and security in all transactions made via the platform.
With regard to the buying and selling mechanism, TM Market Place requires users to log in to ensure the security of transactions and the reliable verification of all user identities, with financial transactions completed securely and seamlessly through digital payment.
HE Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism
“TM Market Place is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and the UAE Government Leaders Program. It is a unique initiative for the UAE and the region, enabling owners of trademarks registered in the UAE to list and trade their trademarks within a secure and transparent environment and connecting them with investors and entrepreneurs. It aligns with the forward-thinking leadership’s vision to foster a knowledge-based economy, develop new economic sectors, and support the competitiveness of the business environment. The platform’s launch is a crucial milestone in supporting the UAE’s efforts to enable intangible business assets, allowing them to obtain fair financial valuation that reflects their true worth and economic importance.”
HE Bin Touq said that TM Market Place will unlock the commercial value of UAE trademarks by showcasing them to a broad global pool of investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders. By turning trademarks into active economic assets, he noted, the initiative will help raise the market value of UAE companies, many of which hold protected marks that are not yet fully leveraged.
The minister emphasized that the TM Market Place offers a secure, integrated digital system that allows trademark owners to easily list or sell their marks while ensuring transparency and rights protection. At the same time, it gives international investors quick access to ready-made or high-potential UAE trademarks, lowering market-entry barriers and speeding up business growth.
HE Bin Touq added that TM Market Place platform will strengthen SMEs and family businesses by converting their trademarks into usable financial assets. It will also enable the trading of trademark-related intangible assets as a strategic economic resource, one that fuels innovation, supports sustainable development, and encourages greater private-sector investment in brand building and R&D. The Minister noted that TM Market Place is operational from day one, and projected a significant leap for the UAE’s trademark sector, including a 20 percent increase in market attractiveness within its first year.
The concerted national efforts have played a vital role in elevating the trademark industry and enhancing its growth and prosperity in the UAE market. From the beginning of January until early November 2025, the total number of national and international trademarks registered in the UAE reached 34,234. During the first half of the current year, 19,957 national and international trademarks were registered, recording a growth of 129 per cent compared to the first half of last year. Additionally, the number of national and international trademarks registered in 2024 doubled, reaching 31,537 compared to 16,712 in 2023.
