Join Us at Domain Days Dubai: The MENA Region’s Premier Digital Assets Event
Domain Days Dubai returns for its 4th edition on 14-15 October 2026 at the Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah. Organised by AEserver in partnership with the Dubai Blockchain Center, it is the Middle East and Africa region’s premier business event for domain investors, registrars, registries, web hosting and cloud providers, SaaS companies, Web3 pioneers, and digital-asset professionals. Three successful editions have established Domain Days as the must-attend gathering for anyone shaping the digital economy of the MEA region, and the 2026 edition promises to be the biggest yet.
The 4th Edition of Domain Days Dubai
Domain Days launched in November 2023 with a clear mission: to give the Middle East and Africa region its own dedicated gathering for domains, hosting, and digital-asset businesses. The inaugural edition sold out. The 2024 and 2025 editions grew year on year, drawing increasing numbers of global decision-makers to Dubai. The 2026 edition marks our fourth year of building the MEA region’s domain and hosting community, and expectations are higher than ever.
The event is curated by Munir Badr, founder of AEserver and a 30-year UAE resident who has watched the local internet and domain industries grow from a handful of early adopters into a thriving regional sector. Domain Days exists to connect the people building that future, from the registrars and registries managing the DNS, to the investors flipping premium names, to the hosting and cloud companies powering the region’s digital economy.
Throwback to 2025: A Record Edition
Before we look forward to 2026, a quick look back at the numbers that Domain Days 2025 delivered:
| Metric | 2025 Edition |
|---|---|
| Local and global speakers | 50+ |
| Professional attendees | 350+ |
| Companies represented | 160+ |
| Days of business and networking | 2 |
The 2025 edition brought together leading names from across the industry: Sedo, DMARC Manager, it.com Domains, WebPros, Blackwall, 10Web, Atom, Right of the Dot, Dynadot, GoDaddy, OpusDNS, Tasjeel.ae, Patchstack, and many others, alongside ccTLD registries, regional policy bodies, and Web3 innovators. AEserver, as the founding partner of the event, hosted dozens of one-on-one meetings with UAE companies exploring domain portfolios, migration, and enterprise hosting.
Who Attends Domain Days Dubai
Domain Days is a business event, not a conference in the traditional sense. Every attendee is there to meet, learn, and make deals. The community spans eight core groups:
| Attendee Category | Who They Are |
|---|---|
| Domain Registrars | ICANN-accredited and ccTLD-accredited companies selling and managing domain names globally |
| Domain Registries | The operators of top-level domains (.com, .org, ccTLDs like .ae, .qa, new gTLDs, and specialty extensions) |
| Hosting, Cloud, and SaaS | Web hosting providers, cloud infrastructure companies, control panel vendors, and SaaS platforms |
| Investors and Monetization | Domain investors, portfolio managers, parking providers, traffic networks, and affiliate platforms |
| Policy, Trademarks, and IP | Legal professionals, brand protection specialists, UDRP experts, and intellectual-property advisors |
| Domain Brokers | Licensed brokers handling premium domain sales, aftermarket auctions, and private transactions |
| Regulatory Bodies | Government authorities, telecom regulators, and ccTLD policy-makers from the MEA region and beyond |
| Web3 and AI Providers | Blockchain-based naming services, NFT domain platforms, AI-driven naming tools, and decentralised infrastructure builders |
Why Attend Domain Days Dubai 2026
Every Domain Days delegate we survey gives the same three reasons for attending: business opportunities, learning, and the quality of the networking environment. Here is what makes the 2026 edition worth booking:
Business Opportunities in the MEA Region
The MEA region is one of the fastest-growing markets for domains, hosting, and digital services. The UAE’s digital economy, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation, and Africa’s rapid internet adoption create opportunities that global domain and hosting companies cannot afford to ignore. Domain Days is the only regional event where you can meet decision-makers from across this entire landscape in two days.
Deep Industry Insights
The event programme covers every major topic shaping the domain and hosting industry:
- Domain name registration, aftermarket, and investment strategies
- Hosting, cloud infrastructure, and data centre trends in the MEA region
- Web3, blockchain naming services, and alt-root domains
- AI and its impact on naming, content, and hosting
- Security, DMARC, DNSSEC, and domain abuse mitigation
- Policy, regulation, and ICANN developments relevant to MEA
- Monetisation, parking, and traffic strategies
- Fireside chats with industry veterans and emerging leaders
Non-Stop Networking
Most attendees stay at the venue hotel, which means networking never stops. Breakfast, coffee breaks, lunch, dinner, and the exclusive VIP after-party all happen in the same luxury setup. This is the single biggest reason returning attendees tell us they keep coming back. Unlike bigger industry events where delegates disperse at the end of the day, Domain Days creates a contained, intimate environment where real conversations happen.
The Venue: Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah
Domain Days 2026 returns to the Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, our home venue since 2023. Located on the iconic Palm Jumeirah, the hotel offers:
- A 5-star beach resort setting on one of the world’s most recognisable man-made islands
- Conference facilities purpose-built for 300+ delegate events
- Direct connection to Sheikh Zayed Road with 25 minutes to Dubai International Airport
- On-site access to Palm West Beach for informal networking and downtime
- A relaxed, “business meets fun” atmosphere that fits the Domain Days culture
Address: Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Palm West Beach, Palm Jumeirah Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Team Behind Domain Days
Domain Days is curated by a small team of industry veterans, each bringing decades of experience in their respective domains. Meet the people who make the event happen.
Munir Badr, Founder and Curator
Munir Badr is a UAE resident of 30 years and the founder of AEserver, the UAE’s largest privately owned local domain registrar and web/cloud hosting company. A trilingual internet entrepreneur, Munir has spoken at industry events around the world including the Middle East DNS Forum (MEDNSF), the Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association (APTLD), the Middle East Network Operators Group (MENOG), and Affiliate World Summit. He is an alumnus of the American University of Sharjah (AUS).
In 2023, AEserver was named E-Solution Provider of the Year at the Entrepreneur.com Middle East E-Business Awards. In 2025, AEserver celebrated its 20th anniversary. After years of attending domain and hosting events around the world, Munir identified the need to create a dedicated regional event for the MEA market, and Domain Days Dubai is the result.
Connect with Munir on LinkedIn
Dr. Marwan Alzarouni, Co-Host (CEO, Dubai Blockchain Center)
Dr. Marwan Alzarouni is a renowned expert in emerging technologies, serving as CEO of the Dubai Blockchain Center and Strategic Advisor at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. The Dubai Blockchain Center was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on 15 May 2018. The centre brings together blockchain thought leaders, developers, investors, and educators.
Dr. Marwan is one of the UAE’s earliest adopters of internet technology, well before it was formally introduced in the country. He started a web development and domain name trading business in the early 1990s, investing in domain names and setting up well-known websites at the time. He has owned thousands of domain names over the years and continues to invest in them. He has been ranked by CoinTelegraph among the top 100 most influential people worldwide in blockchain and Web3, and has served on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cryptocurrencies. He is also a founding member of the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) and the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Ethical Committee.
Connect with Dr. Marwan on LinkedIn
Jason Nickerson, CMO
Jason Nickerson is a seasoned professional in the open-source community with over 20 years of experience in the web industry. His competencies span web development, e-commerce, marketing, events organisation, and cloud hosting. A global speaker and open-source advocate, Jason has led marketing for Open Source Matters, organised JoomlaDay Florida, run the Merge/CMS Summit Orlando with NamesCon co-founder Jothan Frakes, and produced events for major industry players including cPanel and DigitalOcean/Cloudways.
Beyond his event experience, Jason is a community builder committed to cultivating inclusive environments where diverse perspectives drive innovation. That philosophy shapes the Domain Days experience, from speaker curation to the informal networking format.
Connect with Jason on LinkedIn
Leonid Todorov, Program Director
Leonid Todorov holds a Master’s degree in Linguistics with postgraduate studies in international relations, management, business leadership, and economics across Denmark, Taiwan, and the United States. His career bridges the private sector and academia. In 2008, he joined the .ru ccTLD registry and contributed to the launch of the IDN ccTLD .РФ and two new gTLDs. From 2015 to 2025, he served as General Manager of the Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association (APTLD).
Leonid’s focus is on ccTLDs, internet governance, public policy on the internet, and cybersecurity. He has authored and co-authored numerous publications in these areas, and presented at national and international events around the world. As Program Director for Domain Days, he curates the agenda to balance technical depth, commercial relevance, and policy insight.
Connect with Leonid on LinkedIn
Where Business Meets Fun: The Day 2 VIP Event
C-level executives and VIP badge holders get access to an exclusive networking event on Day 2. The VIP event is designed as a contrast to the main conference: relaxed, intimate, and outside the busy conference floor. It combines:
- Informal networking in a luxury setting away from the main venue
- Team-building activities and small-group discussions on industry-relevant topics
- Premium food and beverages throughout the evening
- Opportunities to build deeper relationships that typically lead to longer-term business partnerships
Previous years have included super yacht cruises along the Dubai coastline, exclusive rooftop gatherings, and private dining experiences. The 2026 VIP event details will be announced closer to the date on the official event website.
Why Dubai, Why the MEA Region
Dubai is not an accidental choice. Three factors make the UAE the natural home for a MEA-focused domain and hosting event:
The UAE as a Global Digital Hub
The UAE has positioned itself as one of the world’s leading digital economies. Government initiatives like the Dubai Digital Authority, UAE National Cybersecurity Strategy, and the country’s pro-crypto and pro-Web3 regulatory posture have made Dubai a magnet for domain, hosting, and digital-asset businesses. The .ae domain is one of the strongest ccTLDs in the region, and the UAE’s broader ICT sector continues to grow at double-digit annual rates.
MEA Region Growth
Beyond the UAE itself, the wider MEA region presents one of the largest growth opportunities in the global domain and hosting industry:
- Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is driving massive digital transformation across government and enterprise
- Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa are emerging as significant digital services markets
- African ccTLDs are modernising and opening new opportunities for registrars and registries
- Gulf-based sovereign funds and investors are actively deploying capital into digital infrastructure
Domain Days is the only regional event where these markets are visible and addressable in one place.
Global Access
Dubai International Airport is one of the most connected airports in the world, with direct flights from every major region. For global attendees, Dubai is 7 hours from most European cities, 4 hours from most of Africa, 3 hours from South Asia, and accessible within 15 hours from the Americas. Visa on arrival is available for most nationalities. Few locations in the world match Dubai for ease of access, which is a practical reason it has become the MEA industry’s gathering place.
Partnership: AEserver and Dubai Blockchain Center
Domain Days is organised by AEserver in partnership with the Dubai Blockchain Center. This partnership brings together two complementary forces:
- AEserver contributes deep operational experience in domains, registrars, hosting, and the MEA digital infrastructure ecosystem. As a UAE-licensed ICANN and ccTLD-accredited registrar since 2005, we understand the technical and commercial side of the domain and hosting industry
- The Dubai Blockchain Center contributes regulatory insight, Web3 industry relationships, and direct access to the UAE’s blockchain and AI ecosystem
Together, we ensure Domain Days covers the full spectrum of today’s digital-asset landscape: from traditional DNS-based domains through to blockchain-based naming services and AI-driven digital infrastructure.
How to Attend Domain Days Dubai 2026
Everything you need to attend the event is published on the official website at domaindays.com, including:
- Ticket packages: Early Bird, Regular, and VIP passes
- Sponsorship opportunities: Gold, Silver, Digital, and custom sponsorship categories
- Speaker applications: if you want to take the stage, submit your proposal through the site
- Agenda and speaker lineup: updated continuously as we confirm the 2026 programme
- Hotel booking: exclusive group rates at the Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah
- Contact information for the organising team
AEserver’s Role at Domain Days
AEserver is more than the event’s founding partner. During Domain Days, our team hosts dozens of one-on-one meetings with:
- UAE enterprises exploring domain portfolio strategy, defensive registrations, and brand protection
- International registrars looking to partner on .ae and GCC ccTLD sales
- Hosting and cloud providers discussing UAE data centre partnerships and reseller arrangements
- Government and regulatory bodies working on UAE and MEA DNS policy
- SME owners who want to migrate hosting, email, or domain management to a locally-accredited provider
If your business involves domains, hosting, or digital infrastructure in the UAE or GCC, Domain Days is the single best opportunity of the year to sit down with our team in person. Reach out before the event to book a meeting slot.
Save the Date
Domain Days Dubai 2026, the 4th edition.
- Dates: 14-15 October 2026
- Venue: Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
- Format: 2 days of business, networking, panels, and fun
- Official website: domaindays.com
- Hashtag: #DomainDaysDubai
Three years of Domain Days have proven what the MEA region has long known: this market needs, and deserves, its own serious industry event. In 2026, we aim to make it bigger and better than ever. Whether you are a long-time attendee or considering your first trip, we look forward to welcoming you to Dubai in October.
Mark your calendar, book your flights, and we will see you at the Marriott Palm Jumeirah.
