Abu dhabi: The Ministry of Economy and Tourism launched today the trademark platform 'TM Market Place' - the first digital platform of its kind in the UAE and the region for buying and trading trademarks. This new national project 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. According to Emirates News Agency, the launch event was organised by the Ministry at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by 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. Bin Touq stated that 'TM Market Place' is a collaboration between the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and the UAE Government Leaders Programme. The platform e nables owners of trademarks registered in the UAE to list and trade their trademarks within a secure and transparent environment, connecting them with investors and entrepreneurs. This initiative aligns with the leadership's vision to foster a knowledge-based economy, develop new economic sectors, and support the competitiveness of the business environment. He further added that the platform's launch is a crucial milestone in supporting the UAE's efforts to enable intangible business assets to obtain fair financial valuation. By showcasing trademarks within the UAE's markets to a wide base of investors and entrepreneurs, it transforms them into active economic assets. This contributes to increasing the market value of UAE companies, as many own legally protected trademarks that are not fully utilized commercially. Through the platform, the Ministry aims to provide an integrated, reliable, and secure digital tool that enables trademark owners to generate returns from their registered marks by listing or sell ing them. This ensures the highest levels of transparency and rights protection, facilitating access for investors and entrepreneurs globally to ready-made or promising trademarks in the UAE. Bin Touq also highlighted that TM Market Place will support the expansion of SMEs and family businesses by converting the value of their trademarks into financial assets. It will facilitate the trading of intangible assets related to trademarks as a strategic economic resource, promoting sustainable economic development and encouraging private sector investment in brand building and innovation. The platform will be operational from the day of its launch, with an anticipated increase in the market's attractiveness to brands by up to 20% within the first year of operation. The Ministry will supervise the platform to ensure compliance with national and international IP laws, applying the highest standards of consumer protection. Sales and transactions will be limited to trademarks registered in the UAE, adhering to Feder al Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 on Trademarks. The buying and selling mechanism requires users to log in for security, with financial transactions completed securely through digital payment. During the event, the Ministry emphasized its efforts to develop the IP and trademark environment in collaboration with public and private sector partners. Integrated legislative and regulatory frameworks have been established, including the issuance of the Law on Trademark, new Cabinet Resolution on trademark service fees, and the UAE's joining of the Madrid Protocol. The UAE's national efforts have significantly elevated the trademark industry, with the total number of trademarks registered reaching 34,234 by early November 2025. In the first half of the current year, 19,957 national and international trademarks were registered, marking a 129% growth compared to the previous year. The number of trademarks registered in 2024 doubled from 2023.