# Money transmitter licence (Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC))

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/money-transmitter/difc/

The Financial Services Permission for Providing Money Services restricted to Money Transmission only (Category 4) is issued by Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) under DFSA Rulebook: Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing and Sanctions Module (AML). The legal decision period is No statutory decision period: the Regulatory Law (Art. 48) only requires the DFSA to notify the applicant of its decision without undue delay. The application fee is USD 10,000.

## At a glance

| Official name | Financial Services Permission for Providing Money Services restricted to Money Transmission only (Category 4) [1] |
| --- | --- |
| Also known as | DIFC money services licence · DFSA money transmission licence · Providing Money Services (Category 4) · Money transmission only permission |
| Issued by | [Dubai Financial Services Authority](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/dfsa-difc/) |
| Jurisdiction | [Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)](https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/difc/) |
| Licence family | [Money transmitter / money services business (MSB)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/money-transmitter/) |
| Legal basis | DFSA Rulebook: Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing and Sanctions Module (AML) [2] |
| Passporting | Domestic only |
| Application fee | USD 10,000 [1] |
| Annual fee | USD 10,000 [1] |
| Statutory decision time | No statutory decision period: the Regulatory Law (Art. 48) only requires the DFSA to notify the applicant of its decision without undue delay [3] |

## What it lets you do

| [Money remittance](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/money-remittance/) | Receiving funds from a payer solely to transfer them to a payee or another provider, without opening payment accounts. |
| --- | --- |
| [Currency exchange](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/currency-exchange/) | Buying and selling foreign currency for customers, in cash or electronically, as a bureau de change or FX service. |

## Where it is valid

_Valid in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)._

## Cost

_Regulatory costs from the official sources above. Professional fees, staff, office and audit come on top and depend on the business model._

## Buying a company that already holds it

**Prior approval required.** Under Regulatory Law 2004 Article 59 and DFSA Rulebook General Module (GEN) Section 11.8, prior written approval from the DFSA is required before any person becomes a Controller, or increases their holding across 30% or 50% thresholds. A Controller is defined as someone holding 10% or more of shares or voting rights, or exercising significant influence over management. Under GEN 11.8.6, the DFSA must determine an application for approval of a change of control within 90 days of receipt of a duly completed application. [4]

## MSB in other countries

| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Australia](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/money-transmitter/australia/) | Registration as a remittance service providerRegistration as a remittance service provider (remittance network provider or independent remittance dealer) | AUSTRAC |: |: |: |
| [British Virgin Islands](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/money-transmitter/bvi/) | Money Services Business Licence, Class A or Class BMoney Services Business Licence, Class A (money/electronic/mobile money transmission) or Class B (money orders, traveller's cheques, cheque cashing, currency exchange) | BVI FSC |: |: |: |
| [Canada](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/money-transmitter/canada/) | Money services business (MSB) registrationMoney services business (MSB) registration (covers foreign exchange dealing, money transferring, virtual currency dealing, crowdfunding platforms and related services; a separate foreign-MSB registration applies to businesses without a place of business in Canada that direct services at Canadians) | FINTRAC |: |: |: |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | Money transmitter licenceFinancial Services Permission for Providing Money Services restricted to Money Transmission only (Category 4) | DFSA |: | USD 10,000 |: |
| [Netherlands](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/money-transmitter/netherlands/) | Exchange institution licenceExchange institution licence (Vergunning wisselinstelling) | DNB |: |: |: |
| [United States](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/money-transmitter/united-states/) | Registration of Money Services Business (Form 107 / RMSB) | FinCEN |: |: | ~5.9 mo |

Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.

## Sources

1. [DFSA Rulebook: fees module fer ver3504 26](https://dfsaen.thomsonreuters.com/rulebook/fees-module-fer-ver3504-26): retrieved 2026-09-24
2. [DFSA Rulebook: anti money laundering counter terrorist financing and sancti](https://dfsaen.thomsonreuters.com/rulebook/anti-money-laundering-counter-terrorist-financing-and-sanctions-module-aml-ver3004-26): retrieved 2026-09-24
3. [DFSA Rulebook: regulatory law 1](https://dfsaen.thomsonreuters.com/rulebook/regulatory-law-1): retrieved 2026-09-24
4. [DFSA Rulebook: general module gen ver7207 26](https://dfsaen.thomsonreuters.com/rulebook/general-module-gen-ver7207-26): retrieved 2026-09-24

Last verified 2026-09-24 · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.