Commercial Bank Licence (United Arab Emirates)
The Commercial Bank Licence is issued by Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) under Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 Regarding the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business. The official register lists 61 current holders (June 2025 CBUAE register). Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.
At a glance
| Official name | Commercial Bank Licence1 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | UAE commercial bank licence · UAE banking licence · CBUAE bank licence · Central Bank of the UAE banking licence · Onshore UAE bank licence · CBUAE |
| Issued by | Central Bank of the UAE |
| Jurisdiction | United Arab Emirates |
| Licence family | Bank / credit institution |
| Legal basis | Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 Regarding the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business1 |
| Passporting | Domestic only |
| Public register | official register2 |
| Current holders | 61 (June 2025 CBUAE register)2 |
What it lets you do
| Taking deposits from the public | Accepting deposits or other repayable funds from the public, the activity reserved to credit institutions. |
|---|---|
| Lending | Granting loans, including consumer credit, mortgage credit, factoring and financing of commercial transactions. |
| Execution of payment transactions | Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account. |
Where it is valid
Buying a company that already holds it
Prior approval required. Under Article 120 of Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025, no person may acquire, transfer, or increase a controlling interest in a Licensed Financial Institution without obtaining prior written approval from the CBUAE. Controlling interest thresholds are established at 10% of shares or voting rights for Payment Token Service Providers (PTSR Circular 2/2024 Art. 1.17) and 20% for Retail Payment Service Providers (RPSCS Circular 15/2021 Art. 1 and Art. 8), or any holding conferring de facto control or board appointment rights. Unauthorised acquisitions are legally void, empowering the CBUAE to revoke voting rights and mandate the forced disposal of excess shares.1
Bank in other countries
| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | Financial Services Permission for Accepting DepositsFinancial Services Permission for Accepting Deposits (Category 1 Commercial Bank) | FSRA | n/a | USD 70,000 | n/a |
| Bermuda | Banking Licence / Deposit Company Licence / Restricted Banking LicenceBanking Licence / Deposit Company Licence / Restricted Banking Licence (Banks and Deposit Companies Act 1999) | BMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cayman Islands | Bank LicenceBank Licence (Category A and Category B) under the Banks and Trust Companies Act | CIMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Czech Republic | Commercial Bank licence | CNB | n/a | CZK 200,000 | n/a |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | Bank licenceFinancial Services Permission for Accepting Deposits or Providing Credit (Category 1 Commercial Bank) | DFSA | n/a | USD 70,000 | n/a |
| Estonia | Credit institution authorisation (bank) | FI | n/a | EUR 5,000 | ~6 mo |
| Georgia | Commercial bank licence | NBG | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Germany | CRR) | BaFin | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Ireland | Banking LicenceBanking Licence (Section 9 Central Bank Act 1971) | CBI | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Latvia | Credit institution licence (bank) | LB | n/a | n/a | 4-13 mo |
| Lithuania | Specialised bank licence | LB | n/a | EUR 4,157 | ~6 mo |
| Lithuania | Bank licence | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Luxembourg | Credit institution authorisation | CSSF | n/a | EUR 75,000 | ~6 mo |
| Malta | Credit institution licence | MFSA | n/a | EUR 35,000 | ~6 mo |
| Netherlands | Bank licenceBank licence (Vergunning bank / kredietinstelling) | DNB | n/a | EUR 44,300 | ~6 mo |
| Poland | Commercial Bank licence | KNF | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Singapore | Banking LicenceBanking Licence (Full Bank, Wholesale Bank, Digital Bank) | MAS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Slovakia | Banking licence | NBS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Spain | Commercial bank licence | BdE | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Switzerland | FinTech licence (PersonsFinTech licence (Persons pursuant to Article 1b Banking Act | FINMA | n/a | CHF 100 | n/a |
| Switzerland | Banking licence | FINMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| United Arab Emirates | Commercial Bank Licence | CBUAE | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.
Laws behind it
- Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 Regarding the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business: Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025
Sources
- rulebook.centralbank.ae: 6185 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- centralbank.ae: cb register june 2025 (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
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