Payment Institution Licence in United Arab Emirates
Middle East gateway, growing payments hub. CBUAE regulated. Capital from AED 2M+. Typical timeline 6 to 12 months.
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Tell us the business, the markets and your timing. Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal: the licence, the requirements, the cost and the timeline.
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Why United Arab Emirates for Your Payment Institution Licence?
The UAE provides access to a high-growth payments market and serves as a gateway to the broader Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia regions.
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) regulates payment service providers under the Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation. The UAE is a rapidly growing payments market.
Licence requirements
Detailed requirements
Minimum capital starts at AED 2 million for stored value facilities. Local incorporation, governance, AML frameworks, and technology risk management required.
Application process
Regulatory Strategy
We assess your business model and regulatory position to develop a clear licensing strategy.
Business Plan
We prepare a comprehensive business plan meeting the regulator's expectations.
Programme of Operations
Detailed programme of operations covering governance, compliance, and operational arrangements.
Compliance Framework
Full AML/CFT framework, compliance monitoring programme, and risk management policies.
Application Submission
We compile and submit the complete application package to the regulator.
Regulator Review
We manage all regulator communications and information requests during the review period.
Authorisation
Upon approval, we support your transition to live operations.
Process detail
6 to 12 months depending on the payment services sought and complexity of the business model.
United Arab Emirates vs United Kingdom
| Criteria | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | AED 2M+ | £20k to £125k |
| Timeline | 6 to 12 months | 6 to 12 months |
| Regulator | CBUAE | FCA |
| Key Feature | Middle East gateway, growing payments hub | UK market access: no EEA passporting post-Brexit |
Related services
Licensing & Authorisation
Full-service licensing advisory from strategy to authorisation.
Compliance Support
Ongoing compliance frameworks tailored to your regulatory obligations.
Financial Crime
AML, KYC and financial crime prevention programmes.
Ready to get started?
Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal.
Speak to a licensing expertFrequently asked questions
The capital requirement for a payment institution licence in United Arab Emirates is AED 2M+. Minimum capital starts at AED 2 million for stored value facilities. Local incorporation, governance, AML frameworks, and technology risk management required.
The typical timeline for a payment institution licence in United Arab Emirates is 6 to 12 months. 6 to 12 months depending on the payment services sought and complexity of the business model.
The UAE provides access to a high-growth payments market and serves as a gateway to the broader Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia regions.
After receiving your payment institution licence in United Arab Emirates, you must maintain ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements including safeguarding of customer funds, regular regulatory reporting, maintaining adequate capital, updating AML and compliance frameworks, and cooperating with supervisory reviews and inspections.
Most jurisdictions require local substance for a payment institution licence. In United Arab Emirates, you will typically need a registered office, at least one locally resident director, and potentially additional operational staff. We can advise on the exact requirements and help you establish the minimum viable local presence.
A payment institution licence in United Arab Emirates provides access to the domestic market. Middle East gateway, growing payments hub. Separate authorisation may be required for other jurisdictions.