# Fintech licensing in United Arab Emirates

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/uae/

In United Arab Emirates, fintech and crypto licences are issued by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). The Atlas covers 3 licence types there, in 3 families: bank, payment institution and stablecoin issuer. Each licence page lists its legal basis, fees and decision period with sources.

## Financial regulators in United Arab Emirates

- [United Arab EmiratesCentral Bank of the UAE (CBUAE)The Central Bank of the UAE is the apex monetary and financial supervisory authority of the United Arab Emirates, established to promote mon](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/cbuae/)

## Fintech licences available in United Arab Emirates

### [Bank / credit institution](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/bank/)

- [Bank · United Arab EmiratesCommercial Bank LicenceCBUAE](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/bank/uae-commercial/)

### [Payment institution (PI)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/)

- [PI · United Arab EmiratesRetail Payment Services Licence (Categories I to IV)CBUAE](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/uae-rps/)

### [Stablecoin / e-money token issuer](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/stablecoin-issuer/)

- [EMT/ART · United Arab EmiratesPayment Token Issuer Licence (Dirham Payment Tokens)CBUAE](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/stablecoin-issuer/uae/)

## Main laws

- [Regulatory Law 2004](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/ae-difc-regulatory-law-2004/): DIFC Law No. 1 of 2004
- [Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 Regarding the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/ae-federal-decree-law-6-2025/): Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025

## Path to market

Start by mapping the activities you plan to offer onto the licence types above; the activity pages show which licence permits each one. CBUAE offers pre-application meetings, an innovation hub and a regulatory sandbox; the regulator page explains how to use them. The application goes to CBUAE, together with the capital, governance and AML documentation the licence page lists.

## Getting licensed in United Arab Emirates

Protegra handles licensing in United Arab Emirates end to end: [crypto licensing in the UAE](https://protegra.io/uae).

Last verified: · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.