If you run a business in the UAE, your domain name is not just a web address. It is part of your brand, your reputation, and your customer trust.

Every year, WIPO (the World Intellectual Property Organization) publishes administrative panel outcomes for .ae domain disputes. In the 2025 list of published cases (DAE2025 series), a clear pattern stands out: most cases resulted in transfer of the domain name to the trademark owner, and a smaller number ended as terminated proceedings (closed without a published merits decision).

A quick refresher: how .ae disputes are decided

Under the UAE Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy used for .ae disputes, a complainant typically needs to show:

1. The domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark they own
2. The registrant has no rights or legitimate interests in the domain name
3. The domain was registered or is being used in bad faith

That final point matters. Under the .ae policy approach, proving bad faith registration or bad faith use can be enough in many situations.

The 2025 .ae cases: what happened and why it matters

DAE2025-0001: c5energy.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Woodbolt Distribution, LLC
Respondent: Ahmad Nasaan, Ultramade Nutrition & Beverages (FZE)

What stood out: The panel treated “C5” as a classic one-character variant of the complainant’s “C4” brand family and found it confusingly similar. The decision also referenced a Sharjah Federal Court order requiring removal of the infringing mark from products and materials, weakening any argument of legitimate interest.

Takeaway: Changing one character does not make a risky domain safe, especially when the name and category overlap.

DAE2025-0002: temu.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Whaleco Inc. / Whaleco Technology Limited
Respondent: Lijun Wen

What stood out: The domain was identical to the trademark, and the respondent did not participate in the proceeding. The panel relied on the overall circumstances, which can include passive holding logic in cases involving obvious marks.

Takeaway: Even if a domain is inactive, passive holding can still support a bad faith finding where the mark is clear and there is no credible explanation.

DAE2025-0003: tarkettpvcflooring.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Tarkett GDL S.A.
Respondent: Asad Ali / Diamond Furniture

What stood out: Adding “pvc flooring” strengthened the impression that the domain was connected to the complainant’s sector. The domain resolving to a parked/holding page did not help the respondent.

Takeaway: Adding a product keyword to a brand name usually increases confusion rather than reduces it.

DAE2025-0004: arcelor.ae and arcelor-mittal.ae — Transfer

Complainant: ArcelorMittal
Respondent: Anil Kumar

What stood out: The panel referenced websites copying the complainant’s content and logo, which strongly supports a finding of impersonation/passing off.

Takeaway: If your website appears designed to look like a brand owner’s official site, outcomes are usually decisive.

DAE2025-0005: lestoises.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Les Toises AG
Respondent: Jean Yessay

What stood out: Reproducing the dominant part of a trademark is often enough to establish confusing similarity. Removing or shortening some elements rarely fixes the risk.

Takeaway: If the “core” brand remains, the dispute risk remains.

DAE2025-0006: talabat.ae — Terminated

Complainant: Talabat General Trading and Contracting Company
Outcome on WIPO list: Terminated

What “terminated” usually means: These cases commonly end without a published merits decision, often after suspension for settlement implementation or withdrawal.

Takeaway: “Terminated” does not necessarily mean the respondent won. It usually means the proceeding ended without a published panel decision.

DAE2025-0007: clarinsuae.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Clarins
Respondent: Ronald Malcolm

What stood out: The panel referenced conduct consistent with misleading consumers for commercial gain, including an “official looking” presentation and product offers.

Takeaway: Adding “UAE” to a famous brand is one of the most common dispute patterns, and it is rarely defensible.

DAE2025-0008: perrigo.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Perrigo Pharma International DAC
Respondent: Domain Admin / E-MARKETPLACE PTY LTD

What stood out: The domain redirected to a sales listing (Afternic), which the panel treated as strong evidence of bad faith in the context of a brand-identical domain.

Takeaway: Registering a brand-identical domain for resale is a major red flag.

DAE2025-0009: blancpain.ae, longines.ae, glashuette-original.ae — Transfer

Complainants: Blancpain SA, Longines (Francillon S.A.), Glashütte Original
Respondent: E-MARKETPLACE PTY LTD / Domain Admin

What stood out: Registering multiple famous watch brands is classic portfolio squatting. Panels generally view this as a clear attempt to exploit reputation and consumer confusion.

Takeaway: Registering multiple famous brands is almost guaranteed to trigger transfer outcomes.

DAE2025-0010: hydrafacialdubai.ae — Transfer

Complainant: HydraFacial LLC
Respondent: Payam Basiri / rn mark

What stood out: The panel referenced copied images and an implied affiliation, which strongly supports a passing off finding.

Takeaway: Adding “Dubai” does not legitimize use of someone else’s trademark.

DAE2025-0011: kyliecosmetics.ae, kyliejennercosmetics.ae, kyliejennerskin.ae, kylieskin.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Kylie Jenner, Inc.
Respondent: Vionne Jakubowska

What stood out: The respondent referenced fan intent, but multiple domains closely matching official brand channels made the overall pattern difficult to defend.

Takeaway: Fan-site arguments rarely succeed when the domain looks like an official commercial brand asset.

DAE2025-0012: thefrankieshop.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Frankie Shop, LLC
Respondent: Smith John

What stood out: The panel referenced the domain being offered for sale at a value beyond out-of-pocket costs, alongside other indicators.

Takeaway: Brand-identical + for sale is one of the clearest combinations leading to transfer.

DAE2025-0015: aiq.ae — Transfer

Complainant: Matrix JVCO Ltd
Respondent: Khalifa

What stood out: The panel referenced allegations of an extremely high sale demand (USD 200,000) and context suggesting the registration was not independent of the complainant’s interests.

Takeaway: Some disputes are internal. If a domain is registered personally while working with or for a company, it can become a major legal and operational problem.

DAE2025-0016: carpisa.ae — Terminated

Complainant: KUVERA S.P.A.
Outcome on WIPO list: Terminated

Takeaway: Like other terminated matters, this usually indicates the proceeding ended without a published panel ruling, often due to settlement or withdrawal mechanisms.

DAE2025-0017: pamp.ae — Transfer

Complainant: MKS PAMP SA
Respondent: Ali Safar

What stood out: The panel referenced use that implied brand ownership and included sales behavior inconsistent with an authorized, clearly disclosed reseller arrangement.

Takeaway: Even resellers must be careful. If your domain is the brand, and your site sells competitors or implies official status, disputes become very difficult to defend.

The big picture: what 2025 taught .ae domain registrants

Across these cases, several patterns repeated:

• Typosquatting (one-character changes) still loses domains.
• Brand + UAE/Dubai is a common route to disputes.
• Passive holding does not protect you when the mark is obvious.
• Listing brand domains for sale is a strong bad faith indicator.
• Impersonation (logos, copied pages, “official” positioning) is extremely risky and often decisive.

Tips to avoid a .ae domain dispute

If you are registering a domain in the UAE, here is a simple safety checklist:

1. Do a trademark check before you buy. If the name matches a known brand, skip it.
2. Avoid “brand + location” domains unless you are the trademark owner or clearly authorized.
3. Do not register brand domains to resell. It is one of the most frequently cited bad faith indicators.
4. If you are a distributor/reseller, brand your domain around your own company name, and disclose relationships clearly on your website.
5. Keep ownership clean and documented (trade license, invoices, dated screenshots, and a clear paper trail).
6. If you receive a dispute notice, respond quickly and professionally. Silence can hurt your position.

How AEserver can help you stay safe (and still build a strong brand)

At AEserver, we are not just a licensed & accredited .ae domain registrar. We help UAE businesses register the right names, protect their brands, and build sustainable online assets.

If you are unsure about a domain name, our team can support with:

• Pre-registration guidance (risk checks and safer alternatives)
• Portfolio planning (defensive registrations for your own brand and key variants)
• Ongoing management (renewal protection, access controls, proper ownership practices)

It is always cheaper to validate a domain before you invest in branding, SEO, marketing campaigns, and customer awareness.

If you want to discuss a domain purchase or a brand protection strategy, reach out to AEserver and we will guide you with practical, UAE-focused advice.

Disclaimer: This article is a general summary for awareness and does not constitute legal advice.