YouTube Shopping is now live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Since October 26, 2026, eligible creators in the YouTube Partner Program with at least 500 subscribers can tag Amazon products in long-form videos, Shorts and livestreams and earn a commission when viewers buy. Amazon is the first retail partner, and YouTube says more retailers will follow.
The YouTube Shopping launch in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt was announced by Javid Aslanov, Head of YouTube for the Middle East and North Africa, on Google’s MENA blog. The National and Arab News also reported it. Below we cover who qualifies, how tagging and payouts work, and what regional creators should check before they start.
What YouTube Shopping brings to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt
The YouTube Shopping affiliate program lets creators earn from products they already recommend. Creators don’t have to paste links into a description box. Instead, they attach product tags to the video itself. Viewers can tap a tag while they watch to see the price and product details, then go to Amazon to finish the purchase.
According to YouTube’s announcement, the launch covers three things:
- A lower bar for creators: eligible Partner Program members with as few as 500 subscribers can take part.
- AI-assisted tagging: Google AI can spot products that appear on screen and suggest matching affiliate links, so creators spend less time searching for product URLs.
- Universal Shopping Tags: regional creators can earn commissions when viewers in other participating markets, such as the US or Japan, make a qualifying purchase.
It also works on TV. People watching YouTube on a connected TV can scan an on-screen QR code with their phone and check out on Amazon there.
Who can join YouTube Shopping in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt
The 500-subscriber figure is the headline, but it isn’t the only requirement. A creator first needs to be in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). The National notes that the expanded, lower-tier YPP also requires:
- at least 500 subscribers
- three public uploads in the previous 90 days
- either 3,000 valid public watch hours on long-form videos in the last 12 months, or 3 million valid Shorts views in the last 90 days
YouTube’s Shopping affiliate help page adds rules about the channel itself:
- The channel can’t be a music channel or an Official Artist Channel, and it can’t be linked to music partners such as labels, distributors, publishers or VEVO.
- The channel audience can’t be set as Made for Kids, and the channel can’t have a large number of videos set as made for kids.
- The creator has to be based in an eligible country. With this launch, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt join the eligible markets.
YouTube’s general help pages may take some time to list the new countries. The most reliable check is in YouTube Studio: go to Earn and look for the Shopping affiliate program under Programs. If it’s there, you can accept the program’s terms and start tagging products. If you want to know exactly where the YPP bar sits and how it is changing, see our guide to YouTube monetization requirements for 2027.
Do creators in other Arab countries qualify?
Not yet. The launch covers Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt only, and Arab News describes it as the first phase of YouTube Shopping’s expansion in MENA. YouTube’s own figures cite more than 40 million logged-in users across five MENA countries making shopping-related searches in June 2026. The National names those five as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria. Morocco and Algeria are not part of the launch, and YouTube has not announced when, or whether, the program will reach them.
How YouTube Shopping commissions work
The basic process looks like this:
- Tag products. In YouTube Studio, attach eligible Amazon products to a video, Short or livestream. You can also accept product suggestions from the AI tagging tool.
- Viewers tap through. Tagged products appear while the video plays. Tapping one sends the viewer to Amazon. On a TV, the viewer scans a QR code instead.
- Earn on qualifying sales. When a viewer completes a qualifying purchase, the creator earns a commission. Clicks, estimated revenue and earnings show up in YouTube Studio.
A few details matter for payouts. The National reports that if a buyer returns or refunds an item, the commission from that sale can be deducted. Neither YouTube’s announcement nor the news coverage gave commission rates for the Middle East launch, so creators should check the rates shown in Studio instead of assuming figures from other markets.
Tags can be added to older videos as well as new ones, so a back catalogue of reviews or unboxings could start earning without new uploads. The National makes this point too.
Why YouTube is pushing shopping in the region now
YouTube’s pitch rests on trust. A survey that Kantar ran for YouTube found that 86% of surveyed viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE agree YouTube has the most trusted creators for product recommendations. It also found that 84% say YouTube helps them make more confident shopping decisions. These are YouTube-commissioned figures, so read them as the company’s case for the product, not as independent market research.
The rollout fits a wider pattern. Video platforms want to keep both product discovery and the sale inside their own apps. We recently covered another YouTube retail tie-up in our explainer on the YouTube–AliExpress partnership. TikTok is doing the same with its own checkout tools ahead of its TikTok Shop Black Friday 2026 campaign.
Timeline: YouTube Shopping’s road to MENA
- June 2023: YouTube announces a wider rollout of the Shopping affiliate program to eligible US creators, according to The National.
- March: YouTube expands affiliate access to Partner Program creators with at least 500 subscribers, according to The National (see YouTube’s announcement).
- June 2026: YouTube says more than 40 million logged-in users across five MENA countries made shopping-related searches.
- October 26, 2026: The affiliate program launches in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, with Amazon as the first partner.
What YouTube Shopping means for creators in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt
For smaller creators, this is a new way to earn that doesn’t depend on landing brand deals. Tech reviewers, beauty and skincare channels, gaming setup creators and home-and-lifestyle vloggers fit it most naturally, because their videos already show products people search for.
How much YouTube Shopping pays creators in the UAE and elsewhere depends on audience intent, though. Affiliate income only comes from purchases, not views, so a channel with an audience ready to buy will usually earn more than a bigger channel with casual viewers. Disclosure matters as well. The National points out that keeping viewers’ trust is important when creators have a financial reason to recommend something. Being clear about tagged products, and tagging only items you would actually recommend, helps protect the trust the program relies on.
Creators who want more than one income stream should also look at YouTube’s other recent tests, such as the invite-only YouTube Shorts bonus program.
FAQ
How many subscribers do I need for YouTube Shopping in the UAE?
At least 500, and your channel must already be in the YouTube Partner Program. That means meeting YPP’s upload and watch-hour or Shorts-view thresholds too.
Which retailers are included?
Amazon is the first affiliate partner. YouTube says it plans to add more local and international retailers but hasn’t named them.
Can I earn when viewers outside the Middle East buy?
Yes, in participating markets. Through Universal Shopping Tags, creators can earn when viewers in other participating countries, such as the US and Japan, make qualifying purchases.
Are music and kids channels eligible?
No. YouTube’s rules exclude music channels, Official Artist Channels, channels linked to music partners, and channels set as Made for Kids or with many made-for-kids videos.
Where do I sign up?
In YouTube Studio, open Earn, find the Shopping affiliate program under Programs, and accept the terms if your channel is eligible.
Sources: Google MENA Blog (YouTube), The National, Arab News, YouTube Help.
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