February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

UAE PASS is the UAE’s national digital identity and authentication platform, providing a unified login for accessing government and approved private-sector services. Developed by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), UAE PASS allows users to verify their identity through a mobile application using biometric authentication, creating a legally recognized digital signature. The platform eliminates the need for separate credentials across different government entities and service providers.

UAE Context

UAE PASS serves as the backbone of the UAE’s digital government transformation, integrating with federal, emirate-level, and private-sector service portals. Citizens, residents, and visitors can use UAE PASS to access services ranging from visa applications and business licensing to banking onboarding and healthcare records. The platform supports three verification tiers: anonymous, authenticated, and qualified digital signature. Adoption has been driven by government mandates requiring UAE PASS integration across all federal service channels.

Key Data

  • Launched: 2018 (expanded progressively)
  • Developed by: TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority)
  • Authentication: Biometric, face recognition, Emirates ID-based
  • Verification tiers: Anonymous, authenticated, qualified digital signature
  • Integration: Federal and local government portals, approved private-sector services
  • Availability: iOS and Android mobile applications

Significance for Vision 2031

UAE PASS is a cornerstone of the UAE’s smart government strategy and directly supports Vision 2031 objectives around digital transformation and service excellence. By providing a single trusted digital identity, the platform reduces bureaucracy, accelerates service delivery, and improves user experience. UAE PASS also enables data sharing between government entities, supporting evidence-based policy-making and the efficient allocation of public resources.

  • Smart Government - Governance model UAE PASS enables
  • TAMM - Abu Dhabi government services platform integrated with UAE PASS
  • Dubai Now - Dubai services app accessible via UAE PASS
  • ICP - Federal identity authority linked to UAE PASS infrastructure