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Central Bank of the UAE

Policy & Legal Updates
Source: Clyde & Co

UAE Central Bank Licensees Permitted to Conduct Regulated Virtual Asset Activities

The UAE Capital Market Authority issued Resolution No. (16/Chairman) of 2026 permitting Central Bank-licensed institutions, excluding insurance firms, to conduct regulated virtual asset operations. Regulated activities include trading, brokerage, custody, and operating alternative trading systems. The measure removes the requirement for banks to establish separate licensed legal entities.

Policy & Legal Updates
Source: openPR.com

Ape Law Updates Source-Linked UAE Virtual Asset Licence Tracker Covering Five Regulators

UAE legal consultancy Ape Law has updated its public UAE Virtual Asset Service Provider Licence Tracker using data collected on September 27, 2026. The tool indexes 116 authorisations across 115 distinct entities and 207 permission lines spanning five UAE regulatory regimes. It enables market participants to verify legal entities and permitted activities directly against official regulatory records.

Policy & Legal Updates
Source: Pinsent Masons

UAE Central Bank Implements Stricter Licensing Framework for Insurance Companies

The Central Bank of the UAE has introduced the Insurance Company Licensing Regulation (Circular 4/2026), establishing stricter entry rules for domestic and foreign insurers. Regulators will assess applicants based on their commercial proposition, product demand, and domestic premium retention alongside technical compliance. Insurers based in financial free zones such as DIFC and ADGM will be treated as foreign insurance companies for onshore operations.

China–UAE News
Source: TIKR.com

Mastercard Targets Processing Nearly All UAE Debit Payments Under Sovereign Scheme

Mastercard Chief Financial Officer Ling Hai stated that the company expects to process nearly 100% of UAE debit transactions once its partnership with Al Etihad Payments is fully implemented. The project positions Mastercard as the underlying switching and processing technology provider for the UAE's national card switch and domestic Jaywan scheme. Concurrently, China's UnionPay International is expanding its own partnership with Al Etihad Payments to accept Jaywan cards across its network.

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