UAE Financial Licensing · CBUAE · ADGM FSRA · DFSA

For founders, fintechs and family offices

A licence the regulator wants to approve.

We work with all three UAE financial regulators — CBUAE, ADGM FSRA and DFSA. From first call to approved licence, we build applications to pass, not just to look good.

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Featured · CBUAE · Q1 2026 priority

Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025

Open Finance is now a Licensed Financial Activity.

The rule took effect on 16 September 2025. You have until 16 September 2026 to comply. Article 62 covers TPPs, Account Information Services and any platform that enables a licensed activity. If this applies to you, now is the time to act.

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Three regulators. One choice that shapes everything.

The 2026 regulatory map

At the centre of the UAE’s financial future.

CBUAE Open Finance, ADGM FSRA and DFSA are three frameworks with three legal systems. We help you pick the one that fits your business, then prepare and submit your application to the standard the regulator expects.

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Key facts

  • 3 — Regulators. CBUAE, ADGM FSRA and DFSA — the three rule books every UAE financial firm needs to know.
  • 17+ — Jurisdictions. UAE free zones, the mainland, and other countries — all handled directly by our team.
  • 8,844 — DIFC active companies. Active registered companies in DIFC in 2025 — a centre we work with every day, alongside ADGM and CBUAE.
  • 0% — Tax on qualifying income. No personal income tax anywhere in the UAE, plus 0% corporate tax on qualifying income for DIFC and ADGM entities.

Three regulators. Three legal systems. Your first big decision.

ADGM & the Financial Services Regulatory Authority

Abu Dhabi · UK Common Law · FSRA · Sovereign · Fintech · Digital Assets

Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre, on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands. It ran the MENA region’s first fintech RegLab, the first Virtual Assets framework, and the first Third Party Provider rules for Open Finance.

  • 2018 — First MENA virtual assets framework
  • 20+ — Regulated VA / FRT firms
  • RegLab — Sandbox to full licence pathway
  • Hub71 — Innovation ecosystem in ADGM
ADGM licence categories and indicative base capital
CategoryActivityBase capital
Cat 1Banking / Deposit-takingUSD 10M+
Cat 2Dealing as PrincipalUSD 2M+
Cat 3ADealing (Agency / Matched)USD 500K
Cat 3BManaging AssetsUSD 250K
Cat 3CManaging CIF / FundsUSD 250K
Cat 4Advisory, Arranging, TPPUSD 50K+

Read our ADGM FSP licence guide

DIFC & the Dubai Financial Services Authority

Dubai · English Common Law · DFSA · Banking · Asset Mgmt · Capital Markets

The UAE’s largest financial free zone — 8,844 active companies and 1,052 firms regulated by the DFSA (FY2025). Its rules closely follow the UK FCA, so the framework is familiar to international banks and fintech firms.

  • 8,844 — Active companies in DIFC
  • 1,052 — DFSA-regulated firms
  • 1,388 — FinTech & Innovation firms
  • Jan 2026 — Updated Crypto Token framework live
DIFC licence categories and indicative base capital
CategoryActivityBase capital
Cat 1Banking / Deposit-takingUSD 10M+
Cat 2Dealing in InvestmentsUSD 2M+
Cat 3ASTP / Dealing as AgentUSD 200K
Cat 3CFund ManagementUSD 140K+
Cat 3DPayment ServicesUSD 200K
Cat 4Advisory & ArrangingUSD 30K+

Read our DFSA licence categories guide

Central Bank of the UAE — Federal Regulation

Federal · UAE · CBUAE · Federal · Open Finance · PSP · SVF

The federal regulator for banking, payments, insurance and Open Finance across the UAE. Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 — effective 16 September 2025 — brings the rules together and, for the first time, treats Open Finance Services as a Licensed Financial Activity. Firms must comply by 16 September 2026.

  • 7 — Emirates of federal market access
  • Sep 2026 — CB Law 6/2025 reconciliation deadline
  • AED 1M — Min. capital — Open Finance Provider
  • I–IV — Retail Payment Service categories
CBUAE licence categories and indicative base capital
CategoryActivityBase capital
BankingFull commercial bankingBasel III
Finance Co.Credit, BNPL, leasingTiered
RPSC ICard scheme operationsHigh
RPSC IVPayment initiation / AIS (TPP)AED 1M+
SVFStored Value FacilityTiered
OFPOpen Finance ProviderAED 1M+

Read our CBUAE Open Finance and payments licence guide

Six disciplines, one engagement model.

Regulatory Licensing

We get you authorised by the CBUAE, ADGM FSRA or DFSA. We start by pinning down your regulated activity, then build a clear, complete application the regulator can approve.

Sandbox & RegLab Pathway

We help you test your fintech live under regulator supervision through the ADGM RegLab or DFSA Innovation Testing Licence, then move you from testing to a full Financial Services Permission.

Read our ADGM RegLab guide

Jurisdiction Selection

We use five simple questions to compare ADGM, DIFC and CBUAE for you — based on your business model, customers, capital and long-term plans.

Read our DIFC vs ADGM vs CBUAE guide

Company Formation

We set up your company in free zones, on the mainland, and in 17+ countries. We do this after we agree the right structure with you — not before.

Corporate Structuring

We design holding companies, SPVs, group structures and family office vehicles. They are built to pass regulator review and to fit your long-term ownership goals.

Compliance & Maintenance

We act as your registered agent and handle AML / UBO, compliance calendars, renewals and filings. This keeps your licensed company in good standing.

Four steps. You see where you stand at each one.

  1. Scope your plan. We use five questions to map your activities, customers and capital. Then we recommend the right jurisdiction and licence.
  2. Talk to the regulator early. We speak with the FSRA Authorisation Team or DFSA before you apply. This builds a relationship, not just a tick-box step.
  3. Prepare and submit. We write your business plan, governance design, capital adequacy plan and the full application — all to the standard the regulator expects.
  4. Get approved and stay compliant. We clear the regulator’s conditions, move you from in-principle to full approval, and then help keep your licence in good standing.

Questions before the first call.

Can a single entity hold both an ADGM and a CBUAE licence?

Usually no. ADGM and CBUAE are separate jurisdictions with their own legal systems, so one entity cannot hold both. What works instead: one group owns a regulated company in each. This is common for fintechs that want ADGM’s rules and CBUAE onshore market access at the same time, and we design these structures often.

How long does a financial services licence take?

A full licence with ADGM FSRA, DFSA or CBUAE usually takes 6–12 months from start to finish. The timeline depends on early talks with the regulator, how strong your application is, the regulator’s workload, and how complex your activity is. The RegLab or ITL routes can be faster, though they still need careful preparation — and getting the regulator conversation right early is the single biggest thing you can control.

What is the minimum capital for a fintech licence in the UAE?

It depends on the activity. ADGM Cat 4 advisory or arranging starts at USD 50,000. ADGM Cat 3C fund management starts at USD 250,000. A CBUAE Open Finance Provider needs at least AED 1M. These are minimums, not targets — the regulator checks that your capital matches the risk in your business plan, so we size it to pass review the first time.

Should we use a sandbox first, or apply for a full licence?

If you have not yet proven your product with real customers, the ADGM RegLab or DFSA Innovation Testing Licence is usually the right first step. You test live, under regulator supervision, without the full compliance load — a lower-cost way to prove the model before you scale. Established firms with a proven model usually go straight to a full licence.

Are you a law firm?

No. TRUVIS INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LLC is a corporate service provider, not a law firm. We bring in lawyers when you need a legal opinion. Our job is the practical work between advice and running your company: planning your structure, shaping your licence application, and getting it done.

News and guides on UAE licensing.

  • DFSA Crypto Token framework — the 12 January 2026 shift — The DFSA’s updated Crypto Token rules took effect on 12 January 2026. Firms now carry the burden of judging if a token is suitable. We explain the new positive and negative indicators and how your token assessment should work.
  • CBUAE Open Finance: what Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 means — From 16 September 2025, the new law treats Open Finance Services as a Licensed Financial Activity for the first time. We explain what this means for TPPs, account information services and other firms now covered under Article 62. The deadline to comply is 16 September 2026.
  • The five questions that decide your UAE jurisdiction — Five things decide it: your customers, your money flows, your business stage, your capital, and your long-term plan. Answer them in order and the right jurisdiction — ADGM, DIFC or CBUAE — becomes clear.