How Tabadal protects every trade.
Every business on Tabadal will be verified. Every deal will be documented. This page sets out exactly how, before the first trade ever happens.
Six layers of protection, built into every trade.
Barter only works when both sides trust each other. This is how the platform is designed to make that the default.
Trade-licence verification
Every applicant submits their DED or free-zone trade licence after acceptance. We verify it against the relevant UAE authority before issuing a Verified badge. Re-verification happens annually.
- Valid UAE trade licence (DED mainland or recognised free zone)
- Authorised signatory Emirates ID or passport check
- Business email on the company domain confirmed
- Company name cross-checked across all documents
Verified-only community
No unverified visitor can view deals, contact members, or participate. Your business information is only ever visible to other verified Tabadal members, never to the public.
- Deals and profiles hidden from unverified visitors
- No public-facing marketplace, access requires verified membership
- Counterparty verification status visible before any introduction
- Annual re-verification to maintain active status
Written deal agreements
Every confirmed deal is scoped in writing and signed by both parties before any service is delivered. This is not optional. No agreement, no deal.
- Services being exchanged, described in full
- Agreed AED value of each party's service
- Delivery timeline and milestone schedule
- Acceptance criteria and dispute-resolution procedure
- Agreements retained on the platform for 5 years
UAE VAT compliance under VATP042
Tabadal auto-generates compliant tax invoices for every completed deal, one in each direction. Both reference the agreed AED value, calculate 5% VAT, and carry unique invoice numbers.
- Dual tax invoices generated automatically on confirmed delivery
- 5% VAT calculated on the agreed AED value
- Unique FTA-compliant invoice numbers on each invoice
- PDF download from your account; file in your quarterly return
Dispute resolution
If something goes wrong you have a clear process with defined timelines. Disputes are taken seriously. We do not mediate without evidence, and we issue binding decisions within 7 business days.
- Structured dispute report via disputes@tabadal.ae
- Evidence window for both parties
- Decision issued within 7 business days of evidence
- Escalation path to DIFC Small Claims Tribunal if required
Data protection (PDPL)
Tabadal complies with UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on Personal Data Protection. Data is processed only for membership verification and deal facilitation.
- Data processed only for verification and deal facilitation
- Business profile visible to matched members only
- No data sold to or shared with third parties
- Request access, correction, or deletion at legal@tabadal.ae
If something goes wrong, here is exactly what happens.
A clear process with defined timelines. No ambiguity, no waiting in silence.
File a dispute report
Email disputes@tabadal.ae with a description of the issue and your deal reference number. Both parties are notified within 24 hours.
Both parties submit written summaries
Each party submits a written account of what was agreed, what was delivered, and where the disagreement lies. Submissions are shared between both parties.
Evidence submission window
Both parties submit supporting evidence: deliverables, communications, the signed agreement, milestone records. The team reviews all materials.
Decision issued
The team issues a written decision binding on both parties under the deal agreement. The decision is one of the three outcomes below.
Decision outcomes
Extended deadline for performance. The party in breach is given a defined additional period to complete their obligations.
Partial credit to the injured party. A portion of the deal value is credited to the affected party's account for use against future trades.
Deal voided. Both parties are released from their obligations. VAT invoices are reversed. No further action required.
Bartercard ran on trade dollars. Tabadal runs on AED invoices.
Bartercard ran on trade dollars, its own internal currency. Members traded in a unit that in practice carried no standing with the FTA. Tabadal runs on AED service exchanges with real VAT invoices on both sides, because under VATP042 a barter is two taxable supplies. That is not a workaround. It is the model.
More than a document check.
Once an application is accepted, every early member is invited to a short verification conversation with the founding team. It is not just a document check. It is a 15-minute call about your business, what you offer, and what you need.
We do this because the quality of the network depends on the quality of the members. An algorithm can check a trade-licence number. A conversation tells us whether someone is the kind of business owner who will show up, deliver, and treat their counterpart with professionalism.
Ready to join a trusted network?
The team reviews every application within 24 hours.