Retail Payment Services Licence (Categories I to IV) (United Arab Emirates)
The Retail Payment Services Licence (Categories I to IV) is issued by Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) under the Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation (Circular No. 15/2021). The official register lists 28 current holders (June 2025 CBUAE register). The legal decision period is 60 working days from the date of meeting all licensing conditions and requirements. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.
At a glance
| Official name | Retail Payment Services Licence (Categories I to IV)1 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | RPS licence · RPSCS · UAE retail payment services licence · CBUAE payment service provider licence · UAE PSP licence |
| Issued by | Central Bank of the UAE |
| Jurisdiction | United Arab Emirates |
| Licence family | Payment institution (PI) |
| Legal basis | Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation (Circular No. 15/2021)1 Payment Token Services Regulation (Circular No. 2/2024)2 |
| Passporting | Domestic only |
| Statutory decision time | 60 working days from the date of meeting all licensing conditions and requirements3 |
| Public register | official register4 |
| Current holders | 28 (June 2025 CBUAE register)4 |
What it lets you do
| Execution of payment transactions | Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account. |
|---|---|
| Money remittance | Receiving funds from a payer solely to transfer them to a payee or another provider, without opening payment accounts. |
| Issuing payment instruments and acquiring payment transactions | Issuing cards or other payment instruments to payers, and acquiring card and other payment transactions for merchants. |
| Payment initiation services | Initiating a payment order at the user's request from an account held with another provider, as in open banking. |
| Account information services | Providing consolidated online information on one or more payment accounts the user holds with other providers. |
Where it is valid
How long it takes
Statutory: 60 working days from the date of meeting all licensing conditions and requirements3. Observed: not published. The statutory clock usually starts only when the regulator treats the application as complete, and pauses while it waits for answers to its questions.
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.3
PI in other countries
| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | Account Information Service Provider authorisation | CNB | n/a | CZK 25,000 | ~3 mo |
| Czech Republic | Small-scale Payment Service Provider authorisation | CNB | n/a | CZK 10,000 | ~1 mo |
| Czech Republic | Payment Institution licence | CNB | n/a | CZK 50,000 | ~3 mo |
| Estonia | Payment institution operating with an exception | FI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Estonia | Operating licence as a payment institution | FI | n/a | EUR 3,000 | ~3 mo |
| Georgia | Payment institution licenceRegistration as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) with the National Bank of Georgia | NBG | n/a | GEL 5,000 | n/a |
| Germany | Account information service provider registration | BaFin | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Germany | Payment institution licence | BaFin | n/a | EUR 13,523 | ~3 mo |
| Ireland | Payment Institution Authorisation | CBI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Latvia | Registered payment institution | LB | n/a | EUR 2,500 | ~1.7 mo |
| Latvia | Authorised payment institution licence | LB | n/a | EUR 5,000 | ~3.7 mo |
| Lithuania | Payment institution licence for restricted activity | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lithuania | Payment institution licence | LB | n/a | EUR 898 | ~3 mo |
| Luxembourg | Payment institution authorisation | CSSF | n/a | EUR 30,000 | ~3 mo |
| Malta | Account information service provider registration | MFSA | n/a | EUR 1,000 | n/a |
| Malta | Payment institution licence | MFSA | n/a | EUR 10,000 | ~3 mo |
| Netherlands | Payment institution licencePayment institution licence (Vergunning betaalinstelling) | DNB | n/a | EUR 6,800 | ~3 mo |
| Poland | Account Information Service Provider registration | KNF | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Poland | National Payment Institution licence | KNF | n/a | EUR 1,250 | ~3 mo |
| Poland | Small Payment Institution registration | KNF | n/a | PLN 616 | ~3 mo |
| Singapore | Major Payment Institution Licence | MAS | n/a | SGD 1,500 | n/a |
| Singapore | Standard Payment Institution Licence | MAS | n/a | SGD 1,000 | n/a |
| Slovakia | Payment institution licence | NBS | n/a | n/a | ~3 mo |
| Spain | Payment institution authorization | BdE | n/a | n/a | ~3 mo |
| United Arab Emirates | Retail Payment Services Licence (Categories I to IV) | CBUAE | n/a | n/a | ~2.8 mo |
| United Kingdom | Registered Account Information Service Provider (RAISP) | FCA | n/a | GBP 1,130 | n/a |
| United Kingdom | Small Payment Institution (SPI) Registration | FCA | n/a | GBP 1,130 | n/a |
| United Kingdom | Authorised Payment Institution (API) | FCA | n/a | GBP 5,640 | ~3 mo |
Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.
Sources
- rulebook.centralbank.ae: 1580 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- rulebook.centralbank.ae: 5731 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- rulebook.centralbank.ae: 6185 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- centralbank.ae: cb register june 2025 (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
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