Short answer: As of August 2026, Oman had 19,366 e-commerce licences, of which 10,454 were active, according to Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion data. Only 416 stores were verified on Maroof Oman. Local electronic payment gateways processed OMR 3.2 billion in 2025, up 76.3% on 2024. Internet penetration stands at 95.3%, and Instagram ads reach half the population.
Last updated: October 2026
About this page: Every figure below comes from an official body, or is attributed to one in the Omani press, with a link and a date. We added no estimates of our own and left out conflicting market-size guesses. This is a general overview, not legal or investment advice. We update it when new figures are published.
Oman e-commerce statistics at a glance
| Indicator | Figure | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce licences | 19,366 | Up to August 2026 | Ministry data via Oman Observer |
| Active licences | 10,454 | August 2026 | Same |
| Social media marketing and promotion licences | 3,243 | August 2026 | Same |
| Stores verified on Maroof Oman | 416 (of 794 requests) | August 2026 | Same |
| Transactions through local e-payment gateways | OMR 3.2 billion (+76.3% on 2024) | 2025 | Same |
| National E-Commerce Plan completion | 86.7% (26 of 30 initiatives) | End of 2025 | Ministry via Oman Observer |
| E-commerce complaints to the Consumer Protection Authority | 1,851 | First eight months of 2025 | Oman Observer |
| Internet users | 5.28 million (95.3%) | October 2025 | DataReportal |
Licensing: growth, and a gap
Since the E-Commerce Regulation (Ministerial Decision 499/2023) took effect, a licence is required for any online selling in Oman, including from social media accounts. Two figures published in August 2026 broadly agree: 19,260 licensed e-commerce activities between February 2024 and 1 August 2026, according to the Ministry's Director General of Commerce, and 19,366 licences up to August 2026 in Ministry data published two days later. The small gap most likely reflects different cut-off dates and counting units.
What stands out:
- Only about 54% of licences are active (10,454 of 19,366). Licences run for one to three years under Article 4 of the regulation, so renewal is where many sellers drop out.
- 3,243 licences cover marketing and promotion via social media, a sign that paid promotion through accounts is now a regulated activity in its own right.
- Cost is not the barrier. The government portal lists the e-commerce licence fee at OMR 6.5 for local investment and OMR 12.5 for foreign investment (checked October 2026).
Maroof Oman: verification is still rare
| Date | Verified stores | Requests | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | 340 | 670 | Oman Daily, citing the Ministry |
| Up to 1 August 2026 | 412 | — | Director General of Commerce, Oman Observer |
| August 2026 | 416 | 794 | Oman Observer |
Verified stores are roughly 2% of licences, and about 76 stores were added between February and August 2026. For a seller, that makes the Maroof badge a genuine differentiator. Our guide to getting an e-commerce licence in Oman covers verification and its obligations.
Digital payments
Transactions through local electronic payment gateways reached OMR 3.2 billion in 2025, up 76.3% year on year, as reported by Oman Observer in August 2026 (the article does not attribute the figure to a named body). Article 10 of the regulation requires every licensed store to work with a bank or payment provider licensed in Oman. One published official fee: linking to the OmanNet payment gateway, a Central Bank of Oman service, is capped for the private sector at 1.5% per transaction up to OMR 10, per gov.om (checked October 2026).
Oman's digital audience
| Indicator | Figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5.54 million | October 2025 |
| Internet users | 5.28 million (95.3%) | |
| Social media user identities | 3.44 million (62.1%) | |
| Mobile connections | 6.93 million (125% of population) | |
| YouTube | 3.44 million (62.1%) | Ad reach |
| 2.80 million (50.5%) | Ad reach | |
| TikTok | 2.73 million (68.4% of adults 18+) | Ad reach, adults only |
| Snapchat | 2.35 million (42.3%) | Ad reach |
| 1.75 million (31.6%) | Ad reach | |
| 1.30 million members (23.5%) | ||
| X | 910,000 (16.4%) | Ad reach |
| Median mobile download speed | 133.84 Mbps | Ookla |
| Median fixed download speed | 89.70 Mbps | Ookla |
Source: DataReportal, Digital 2026: Oman, published November 2025 with late-2025 data. Ad reach is not the same as active users, and TikTok's share is measured against adults, so do not compare it directly with Instagram's.
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Regulatory timeline
| Date | Event | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| October 2021 | National Digital Economy Programme approved, targeting a 10% GDP contribution by 2040 | Oman Daily |
| 2022–2027 | National E-Commerce Plan | Oman Daily |
| February 2023 | Personal Data Protection Law (Royal Decree 6/2022) in force | qanoon.om |
| September 2023 | E-Commerce Regulation (Decision 499/2023), effective after 90 days | qanoon.om |
| February 2026 | Compliance grace period for the data protection Executive Regulation ends | Decision 6/2025 |
| 7 September 2026 | Data protection amendments (Royal Decree 68/2026) in force, including explicit consent before marketing messages | qanoon.om |
| 1 April 2027 | Mandatory e-invoicing for taxpayers with annual supplies above OMR 5 million | Decision 189/2026 |
| 1 October 2027 | Mandatory e-invoicing for all other VAT-registered taxpayers | Same |
What we still do not know
- Market size in OMR: published estimates conflict and none is official, so we use none.
- Cash-on-delivery share: no official statistic found.
- Licences by governorate or sector: not published in the sources we reviewed.
Five takeaways for store owners
- The market is regulated and growing: more than 19,000 licences.
- Verification is rare: about 2% of licensees are on Maroof Oman.
- Digital payments are accelerating: +76.3% through local gateways in one year.
- Mobile comes first: 125% mobile penetration and fast networks.
- 2027 brings obligations: e-invoicing for VAT-registered sellers, on top of the 2026 marketing-consent rules.
How Naqla can help
We build mobile-first stores that display what the regulation requires, through our online store service, and plan campaigns on Oman's actual audience numbers through our marketing service. See our fixed-price packages or get in touch.
FAQ
How many e-commerce licences are there in Oman?
19,366 as of August 2026, of which 10,454 were active, according to Ministry data published by Oman Observer.
How many stores are verified on Maroof Oman?
416 verified stores from 794 requests as of August 2026, up from 340 in February 2026.
How big are digital payments in Oman?
OMR 3.2 billion went through local electronic payment gateways in 2025, up 76.3% on 2024, per Oman Observer.
How many people use Instagram in Oman?
Instagram ads reached 2.80 million people in late 2025, or 50.5% of the population, according to DataReportal. That is ad reach, not active users.
What is the size of Oman's e-commerce market?
There is no official figure we can rely on. Licence counts and gateway transaction values are the most dependable indicators published so far.
By Naqla Digital SolutionsPublished All articles
