How soon will 5G and Metaverse propel UAE’s next round of ecommerce growth?

How soon will 5G and Metaverse propel UAE’s next round of ecommerce growth?

Dubai: Is the UAE’s ecommerce space ready to take on new growth? With super-speed 5G networks and the first signs of shopper activity on Metaverse-enabled platforms, UAE ecommerce sure is ready. The same applies in various degrees in the other Gulf markets and elsewhere in the Middle East, according to a new report from EZDubai, the dedicated ecommerce zone at Dubai South, along with Euromonitor, the research consultancy. “5G expansion across the region enhances the retail ecommerce experience,” states the report, which adds that the likes of UAE and Saudi Arabia ‘deploying some of the world’s first 5G networks’. Then comes Metaverse-related possibilities, or experiences, which too will gain from being on 5G networks. “Meta Incubator was launched in April 2022 in Dubai to develop early-stage projects for all Metaverse-related technologies,” the report notes. “As such, companies launching Metaverse platforms are taking online shopping to the next level while also improving omni-channel interactions with consumers.” Even as 5G and Metaverse remain in the early stages of their transitions to mass usage, the UAE and Middle East ecommerce space put in some significant growth through the recent past. By 2026, these markets would generate a combined $56.6 billion, well up on