UAE Free Zone Minimum Share Capital Requirements 2026 — Complete Guide
Share capital requirements vary by free zone and company type. Here is the complete 2026 guide to UAE free zone minimum share capital requirements.
In this guide:
What Is Share Capital?
- Authorized capital: The total maximum capital the company is authorized to issue
- Paid-up capital: The portion actually paid in (deposited in bank account)
- Most free zones: Nominal share capital only; no actual capital deposit required for standard licences
Share Capital by Free Zone
| Free Zone | Minimum Share Capital | Paid-Up Required? |
|---|---|---|
| IFZA | AED 1,000 | No (nominal only) |
| SHAMS | AED 1,000 | No (nominal only) |
| RAKEZ | AED 1,000-10,000 | No (nominal only) |
| SPC | AED 1,000 | No (nominal only) |
| DMCC | AED 50,000 (FZE) | No (nominal only) |
| JAFZA | AED 1,000 | No (nominal only) |
| DIFC | USD 1 (LLC) | No (nominal only) |
| ADGM | AED 1 | No (nominal only) |
When Paid-Up Capital Matters
- Golden Visa route: AED 2 million paid-up capital required to qualify for Golden Visa via investment
- Certain regulated activities: Some financial activities have higher minimum capital requirements
- Banking: Higher capital can assist with bank account credibility; not typically a hard requirement
Share Capital for Banking
- No minimum required: UAE banks do not require a specific share capital amount to open an account
- Higher capital: Can signal commitment and business scale; helpful for larger credit facilities