Holding Company
Holding shares, real assets or intellectual property rather than trading, typically used for group structuring and succession planning.
Commonly searched as: holding company licence dubai, holding structure uae, spv dubai, group holding company uae, set up a holding company in dubai, ip holding company uae.
Activity at a glance
- Canonical activity label: Holding Company (plain-English label, not an official activity name)
- Category: Corporate Structuring
- Activity type: Holding / ownership vehicle
- Likely jurisdiction context: Mainland or Free Zone
- Possible external approvals: Holding vehicles are generally not permitted to carry out operational trading without an appropriate operating licence.
What this licence is for
Holding shares, real assets or intellectual property rather than trading, typically used for group structuring and succession planning.
In practice the licence follows the operating model rather than the job title. Before selecting an activity we look at what you sell, who you sell it to, where the work is performed, whether you need premises or staff on the ground, and whether any part of the scope falls into a supervised or restricted area.
A single commercial description can map to several activity entries across different authorities, and picking the wrong one creates friction later at banking, visa quota or renewal stage. We confirm the wording with the licensing authority before you commit to a jurisdiction.
Confirming the official activity wording
Official activity names and codes are held by the licensing authority, not by us. Before filing, the wording is checked against the authority catalogue for the chosen jurisdiction.
- Invest in Dubai: Search business activities (Dubai, last checked 2026-09-12)
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET): Business licensing (Dubai, last checked 2026-09-12)
Frequently asked questions
- What is a Holding Company licence in the UAE?
- Holding shares, real assets or intellectual property rather than trading, typically used for group structuring and succession planning. "Holding Company" is the plain-English label this is commonly searched as; the exact activity wording on a licence varies by emirate, free zone and business model.
- Is Holding Company a mainland or free zone activity?
- It is commonly available on mainland or free zone routes, though the choice depends on where you sell, whether you need local market access, premises and visa requirements. Availability under any specific authority requires confirmation.
- Are external approvals needed for Holding Company?
- Holding vehicles are generally not permitted to carry out operational trading without an appropriate operating licence. We check the approval position for your specific scope with the relevant authority before any application is filed.
- How do I confirm the correct activity wording?
- Activity catalogues differ between authorities and are updated periodically. We match your intended operations to the closest available activity, confirm it with the licensing authority, and flag anything that needs a separate approval or a different structure.
Ask Two Pillars to confirm the correct activity
Tell us how you plan to operate under Holding Company. We will confirm the available activity wording, the jurisdiction route and any approvals to plan for. Request a consultation.
Two Pillars Advisory FZCO is an independent consultancy and is not a government entity. The labels on these pages are plain-English descriptions of commonly searched activities, not official activity names, codes, fee schedules or regulator approvals. Applicability, permitted scope and any external approval requirement are confirmed with the relevant authority before an application is filed.