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Free benefits worth AED 31,000 come bundled into an SPC Free Zone business license, through a network of more than 100 vetted partners covering everything from e-commerce marketplaces and logistics to banking and corporate spend management.
Here’s a quick-glance list of what’s covered below, so you can jump straight to the partner you’re after:
For a small trading company or a solo e-commerce founder, that network can be worth more than the license itself. These partnerships are specifically built to solve real problems: how to sell online, how to ship, how to manage spend, and how to bank, amongst several other benefits.
What Partnership Benefits SPC Free Zone Members Get
SPC Free Zone’s partner directory spans e-commerce, logistics, banking, financial services, technology, coworking, and marketing, with more than 100 partners in total. Depending on the partner, members typically get one or more of the following: onboarding or account setup support, free or discounted credits and software, priority service, and in some cases a dedicated account contact.
Browse through the partner directory to explore the partnerships that’ll benefit you best, from e-commerce marketplaces to last-mile support, spend management, digital marketing tools, payment gateways, banking partners, business software and ERP, and more.
None of this replaces SPC Plus, the free zone’s own paid concierge service covering documentation and attestation, corporate banking assistance, bookkeeping, VAT filing, corporate tax registration through SPC Finance, and customs codes.
Payroll itself isn’t one of SPC’s own services; it’s something several partners offer directly, including Bayzat, Now Money, and HUMLOG. The two sit alongside each other: one connects you to external companies, the other keeps compliance in-house.
Amazon UAE: E-Commerce and Seller Support
SPC Free Zone signed a memorandum of understanding with Amazon UAE in August 2024 to help members sell directly on Amazon.ae. It was signed by Saif Al Suwaidi, Director of SPC Free Zone, and Chintan Dhebar, Marketplace Director at Amazon Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye.
Under the partnership, members get:
- Step-by-step guidance on seller registration
- Onboarding support for setting up an Amazon.ae seller account
- Seller education through training, workshops, and live webinars on the fundamentals of selling on Amazon’s marketplace
Amazon has stated a goal, as of the partnership’s August 2024 announcement, of hosting products from 100,000 businesses, including UAE SMEs, on Amazon.ae by 2026. SPC Free Zone members are positioned to be part of that pipeline.
Getting listed on Amazon.ae involves account verification, category approvals, and platform rules that trip up most first-time sellers. The onboarding support exists to shorten that learning curve, rather than leaving members to work it out alone.
Most members selling on Amazon.ae hold SPC Free Zone’s e-commerce license, which starts from AED 5,750.
Aramex and FedEx: Logistics and Shipping Benefits
Selling online is only half the job. SPC Free Zone’s logistics partnerships with Aramex and FedEx cover the other half: getting the product to the customer.
Aramex covers last-mile delivery in the UAE, the GCC, and internationally. Its SME e-commerce solutions specifically suit smaller sellers shipping direct-to-consumer, where delivery speed and tracking reliability directly affect customer reviews.
FedEx leans toward specialised handling, cost-effective packaging, and supply chain management, suiting members shipping internationally or moving higher-value goods.
A rough way to think about which to use first:
- Small parcels to local UAE or GCC customers: Aramex is the natural starting point
- Exports to Europe, Asia, or further afield, where customs clearance and freight documentation matter more: FedEx tends to fit better
- Both domestic and international orders: many members use both, splitting shipments by destination
This connects back to the business activities a member selects at setup, since certain trading and e-commerce activities require import and export codes before shipments can move at scale.
Alaan: Spend Management and Smart Corporate Cards
Alaan is one of the region’s leading corporate spend management platforms. SPC Free Zone members get access to its smart corporate card system, giving employees purchasing power for day-to-day expenses while giving owners and finance teams centralised control and visibility over where that money goes.
Founders juggling a new UAE bank account, recurring software subscriptions, and maybe a first hire or two often lose track of spending across multiple cards and receipts. Alaan consolidates that into one dashboard, replacing the shoebox-of-receipts approach that slows down bookkeeping and VAT filing later.
There is a regional fit here too. SPC Free Zone lists easy access to the wider MENA market as one of its own core benefits, and a spend platform built for the region’s currencies and vendors suits that better than a generic Western card product.
Banking Partners (Mashreq and Others)
SPC Free Zone works with several major UAE banks and finance providers, all listed on our partner directory:
- Mashreq
- RAKBANK
- Wio Bank
- Emirates NBD
- Emirates Islamic
- Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Commercial Bank International (CBI)
- Deem Finance, a finance company rather than a bank
Members choose a bank based on their own business profile rather than a single default option.
The Mashreq relationship is the most recently formalised. SPC Free Zone and Mashreq Bank signed a memorandum of understanding at the Sharjah Investment Forum and World Investment Conference in October 2025, giving members priority access to Mashreq’s business banking products, streamlined account setup, and digital-first banking tools built for startups and SMEs.
Separately, SPC Free Zone entered a two-year strategic partnership with Emirates NBD in November 2024. That deal added a dedicated channel for credit facilities and account openings. The partnership was announced at the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair, signed by Saif Al Suwaidi, Director of SPC Free Zone, and Rohit Garg, Head of Business Banking at Emirates NBD.
Corporate bank account opening through SPC Free Zone’s banking partners takes as little as three working days on eligible applications. Actual timelines still depend on the bank’s compliance checks and how complete the submitted documentation is.
Several affiliated banks, including Emirates Islamic, Emirates NBD, Commercial Bank of Dubai, and RAKBANK, also offer a 0% instalment plan on SPC Free Zone purchases for cardholders, split across 3, 6, or 12 months.
Members who want hands-on help can use Corporate Banking Assistance through SPC Plus.
How to Access Member Benefits
Access to partner benefits starts the moment a business license is issued. Most partners list their offers on SPC Free Zone’s partner page, with a “Learn More” link to the partner’s own sign-up page, where the affiliation is typically confirmed automatically or via a reference code.
For partners tied to a specific onboarding process, such as Amazon UAE’s seller registration or Alaan’s card application, members apply directly with the partner and reference their SPC Free Zone license during setup. There is no separate approval step from SPC Free Zone itself: the free zone negotiates and maintains the relationship, and the member uses it.
New members should review the full partner directory shortly after licensing, rather than waiting until a specific need comes up. Some offers, like Zoho’s software credits, are time-bound to the first months of a license.
For anything unclear, SPC Free Zone’s Contact Us page connects members with the SPC team who can confirm current terms. For ongoing, hands-on support beyond that, a dedicated account manager is available for AED 3,000 a year, covering up to three stakeholders.
Talk it through with an advisor
Book a free consultation and find out which partners fit the business you’re setting up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an e-commerce license specifically to use the Amazon UAE onboarding support?
No, but your license activity needs to permit online retail or trading, whether that is an e-commerce or general trading activity.
Can I use Aramex and FedEx for the same online store, or do I have to pick one?
You can use both. Many members split shipments, using Aramex for domestic and GCC delivery and FedEx for international or higher-value freight.
Is the Alaan corporate card only useful once I have employees?
No. Solo founders use it too, mainly for separating business spend from personal accounts and building a clean expense record ahead of VAT filing and corporate tax season.
What happens if one partner bank rejects my account application?
You are not locked into a single bank. Members can apply to more than one, and SPC Plus Banking Assistance can help identify a better-fit bank before you reapply.
Do the 0% instalment plans apply to license renewal fees or only new setup costs?
They apply to purchases at SPC Free Zone generally, including renewals, provided you use an eligible card from a participating bank.
Are partner benefits available to dual license holders operating on the Sharjah mainland too?
Yes. Partner access is tied to the SPC Free Zone license itself, so dual license holders keep full access to the same partner network.
