Ras Al Khaimah Launches Minerals and Metals Trading Hub to Complement Dubai Ecosystem
For Immediate Release
RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE — The Government of Ras Al Khaimah has formally launched a Minerals and Metals Trading Hub within the RAKEZ framework, establishing a dedicated commercial and regulatory environment for companies active in gold, silver, base metals, and critical minerals trading, processing, and supply chain management.
The Hub provides a structured platform for minerals and metals businesses, offering dedicated licensing categories, specialist compliance support, purpose-built facilities for metals storage and assaying, and a business facilitation programme designed to attract operators from producing regions across Africa, Central Asia, and the broader Middle East.
The launch represents a deliberate step by Ras Al Khaimah to build a distinct identity within the UAE's minerals and metals landscape, complementing rather than competing with Dubai's DMCC ecosystem. Where the DMCC caters primarily to large-scale international operators, RAK's hub is positioned as the preferred base for mid-market companies, regional aggregators, and first-time Gulf market entrants.
The Hub's regulatory framework has been developed in alignment with UAE federal standards and international benchmarks including the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, ensuring that companies operating within it meet the responsible sourcing requirements of major international markets. This alignment is particularly important for operators handling African-origin gold, where provenance documentation and responsible sourcing certification are increasingly prerequisites for market access.
"The launch of Ras Al Khaimah's Minerals and Metals Trading Hub adds meaningful depth to the UAE's position in the global commodities sector. A second well-regulated hub within the UAE, specifically designed for the mid-market operators who move the majority of the world's physical gold, creates more entry points into the Gulf ecosystem and more options for the African operators whose gold forms such a large part of that market's supply." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold
The Ras Al Khaimah government has committed significant infrastructure investment to the Hub, including the development of purpose-built office and operational facilities within RAKEZ's Al Ghail industrial zone, dedicated logistics infrastructure connecting the Hub to RAK's Saqr Port and to Dubai's international logistics network, and investment in testing and assaying equipment capable of meeting LBMA and international standards.
"For the gold supply chain connecting Africa and the Gulf, having multiple well-regulated commercial platforms within a single UAE jurisdiction is a genuine advantage. The development of RAK's Hub alongside Dubai's established market means that operators of all sizes can find an appropriate base within the UAE's legal and commercial framework — and that is good for the transparency and governance of the entire supply chain." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold
The Hub is expected to attract its first cohort of precious metals company registrations in the first quarter of 2026, with RAKEZ reporting strong expressions of interest from companies across West and East Africa, South Asia, and the Levant region seeking to establish UAE commercial presences.
— Ends —