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Regulatory updates

Every UAE regulatory change, as it happens.

New rules, circulars, consultations and notices from UAE regulators, each summarised with who is affected and what to do. Collected by Arakan Lexara from the regulators' own websites.

Arakan Lexara Weekly

The week's changes, what they mean and the deadlines ahead. Every Monday, free.

Dubai Financial Services Authority7 Jul 2026Regulatory NoticeHigh impactConsultation open
Notice of Consultation Paper Release: CP 173
Formal DFSA notice announcing release of CP173 (Collective Investment Funds framework overhaul) for public consultation, with comments due 7 September 2026.
Dubai Financial Services Authority7 Jul 2026Consultation PaperHigh impactConsultation open
Consultation Paper No 173 – Proposals to Enhance the DFSA's Collective Investment Funds Framework
DFSA's most substantial funds-framework review since 2010: proposes risk-based fund classifications replacing rigid private fund categories, clarifies dealing/arranging as integral to investment management licences, removes the external fund manager regime, updates master-feeder eligibility, expands employee investment options, and seeks preliminary views on tokenised fund units and a retail long-term investment fund regime. Affects CIR, GEN, GLO, FER, IFR and MKT modules.

Updates are found automatically on regulators' websites and summarised by AI. Check the official source before relying on any item.

Past weekly briefings

Dubai Financial Services Authority2 Jul 2026Rule AmendmentMedium impact

Notice of Amendments to Legislation: July 2026 (CP171 – PIB/COB Miscellaneous Changes)

Following CP171, DFSA finalised amendments to the PIB module's K-ASA/K-AUM calculation methodology (arithmetic mean of prior six months' month-end values) and removed the COB module's trade settlement date reconciliation requirement.

Dubai Financial Services Authority2 Jul 2026News AnnouncementLow impact

DFSA confirms admission of UAE's inaugural Sovereign Retail Treasury Sukuk listing on Nasdaq Dubai

DFSA approved the UAE's first sovereign retail sukuk for listing/trading on Nasdaq Dubai, the first government-issued sukuk targeted at individual (not just institutional) investors on the DIFC exchange, expanding capital markets access.

Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority2 Jul 2026Press ReleaseLow impact

VARA Issues 50th VASP Licence as Dubai's Regulated Virtual Assets Market Continues to Grow

VARA announced it had issued its 50th Virtual Asset Service Provider licence, to Tribe Tokenisation FZE, marking continued growth of Dubai's regulated virtual-asset market since VARA's 2022 establishment. This milestone announcement was carried via Reuters/Zawya wire reporting citing VARA rather than found as a standalone post on VARA's own news index at the time of research, so treat the exact wording as secondary-sourced.

Dubai Financial Services Authority30 Jun 2026Regulatory NoticeMedium impact

Dear SEO Letter: Cyber Risk Self-Assessment 2026

DFSA launched its 2026 Cyber Risk Self-Assessment survey via the ePortal, referencing General Module Rule 5.5 cybersecurity requirements, with a submission deadline of 24 July 2026.

Dubai Financial Services Authority29 Jun 2026GuidanceMedium impact

Conduct Supervisory Pulse: Personal Account Dealing

DFSA's first Conduct Supervisory Pulse examined Personal Account Dealing practices at DIFC brokerage firms, flagging over-reliance on employee self-declarations and insufficient post-trade monitoring; firms should self-assess PAD arrangements against the six evaluation areas identified. Precedes further pulses on best execution and record-keeping.

Dubai Financial Services Authority26 Jun 2026Press ReleaseLow impact

DFSA Annual Report 2025 published

DFSA published its Annual Report 2025, highlighting sector growth of 182 newly licensed firms and 1,050 total regulated entities in the DIFC. Informational; date sourced from secondary reporting.

Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority24 Jun 2026Enforcement NoticeMedium impact

VARA Notice of Fines - Peken Global Limited ("Kucoin")

VARA imposed a financial penalty on Peken Global Limited, operator of the KuCoin exchange brand, for unlicensed virtual-asset activity targeting Dubai, following its March 2026 investor alert.

Central Bank of the UAE24 Jun 2026Enforcement NoticeMedium impact

CBUAE fines a foreign bank branch AED 20 million and its head of compliance AED 300,000 for AML/CFT failures

CBUAE imposed a AED 20 million financial sanction on an unnamed foreign bank branch operating in the UAE for 'significant, repeated failures' in its AML/CFT framework, and separately fined the branch's head of compliance AED 300,000 for failing to fulfil his AML oversight responsibilities. This signals CBUAE's continued individual-accountability enforcement approach for MLRO/compliance officers, not just institutions.

Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority22 Jun 2026Enforcement NoticeMedium impact

VARA Notice of Fines - CoinMENA FZE

VARA imposed a fine on licensed VASP CoinMENA FZE (licence ref VL/23/09/001) for a rulebook compliance breach; notable as an example of VARA's active supervisory enforcement against its own licensees, not only unlicensed operators.

Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority22 Jun 2026Enforcement NoticeMedium impact

VARA Notice of Fines - MX Global LTD ("MEXC")

VARA imposed a financial penalty on MX Global LTD, operator of the MEXC exchange brand, for providing virtual-asset services in or from Dubai without a VARA licence, following its March 2026 public alert.

DIFC Registrar of Companies18 Jun 2026Consultation PaperHigh impact

Proposed Amendments to DIFC Data Protection Regulations - AI and Autonomous Systems (Regulation 10 and new Regulation 11)

DIFC proposed strengthening Regulation 10 (safe, ethical, privacy-by-design development of AI/autonomous systems processing personal data) and introducing a new Regulation 11 empowering the Commissioner of Data Protection to recognize AI accreditation and certification schemes, alongside clarifying the responsibilities of the Autonomous Systems Officer (ASO). No formal consultation paper number was disclosed in secondary sources reviewed.

DIFC Registrar of Companies17 Jun 2026Consultation PaperMedium impact

Proposed Amendments to DIFC Arbitration Law (re-titled 'Arbitration and Mediation Law')

DIFC proposed a major overhaul of DIFC Law No. 1 of 2008 (Arbitration Law), re-titling it the 'Arbitration and Mediation Law' and introducing formal recognition of electronic communications, asymmetrical arbitration agreements, tribunal power to order security for costs and issue summary awards, third-party funding disclosure duties, an emergency arbitrator framework for urgent pre-tribunal relief, and a new mediation section governing the DIFC Mediation Centre. Publication date reported variously as 17-18 June 2026 across secondary sources.

Ministry of Economy — AML/CFT & Commercial Supervision15 Jun 2026Cabinet DecisionLow impact

Cabinet Resolution No. (142) of 2026 Concerning the Definition of 'One Family' for the Purposes of Family Companies

Confirmed via MOET's own 'Legislations' and 'Companies' Legislations' pages as defining 'one family' for purposes of family-company status/registration, relevant to family-owned regulated businesses' eligibility for family-company treatment under the Family Businesses Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 37 of 2022). LOW-CONFIDENCE DATE: the precise publication date could not be independently confirmed from a primary or dated secondary source within available research; the date shown is an estimate based on its position among other 2026 MOET decisions and must be verified against the Official Gazette / moet.gov.ae before compliance use.

Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority12 Jun 2026GuidanceMedium impact

VARA Publishes AML/CFT Business Risk Assessment Guidance

VARA issued guidance setting expectations for how licensed VASPs should conduct and document their firm-wide AML/CFT business risk assessment, complementing the transaction/customer-level Rule III(D) guidance issued in November 2025.

Dubai Financial Services Authority10 Jun 2026Regulatory NoticeMedium impact

Dear MLRO Letter: UAE Proliferation Financing National Risk Assessment Report 2026

DFSA clarified how firms should integrate the UAE Proliferation Financing National Risk Assessment Report 2026 into their existing AML/CFT risk assessments.

Dubai Financial Services Authority9 Jun 2026CircularMedium impact

Business Continuity Measures Form v4 (6/2026) Update

DFSA issued a further updated Business Continuity Measures Form (v4, 6/2026), required from all authorised firms regardless of prior notifications, due 16 June 2026.

Dubai Financial Services Authority4 Jun 2026Regulatory NoticeHigh impact

Dear SEO Letter: DFSA Regulatory Expectations on Artificial Intelligence Risk Management in the DIFC

DFSA set out supervisory expectations for governance, accountability and oversight of AI implementation by DIFC firms, following its 2025 AI survey findings on rising AI adoption and governance gaps.

Ministry of Economy — AML/CFT & Commercial Supervision3 Jun 2026Ministerial DecisionMedium impact

Ministerial Decision No. (117) of 2026 on Standards, Controls and Accreditation Requirements for Valuers of In-Kind Contributions

Establishes a mandatory central register of MOET-accredited valuers for non-cash (in-kind) capital contributions to UAE companies, requiring compliance with International Valuation Standards/RICS Red Book, conflict-of-interest bans, a 3-month data-currency limit and 6-month report validity, plus a 1-year transitional period for existing valuers — operationalising the in-kind contribution provisions introduced by the 2025 Commercial Companies Law amendment (MOE-2025-003).

Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority1 Jun 2026Administrative NoticeMedium impact

Publication of UAE Proliferation Financing National Risk Assessment (PF NRA) 2026 and Required Actions

VARA circulated the UAE's 2026 Proliferation Financing National Risk Assessment and directed VASPs to incorporate its findings into their own proliferation-financing risk assessments and controls.

Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM21 May 2026GuidanceLow impact

Guidance and Policies Manual (GPM) — Updated Edition

The FSRA updated its consolidated Guidance and Policies Manual, its principal reference resource on FSRA regulation and supervision of financial services firms, reflecting the finalised AML framework enhancements and other recent policy changes.

Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM21 May 2026Rule AmendmentHigh impact

FSRA Finalises Enhancements to its Anti-Money Laundering Framework

Following Consultation Paper No. 1 of 2026, the FSRA finalised amendments to the FSMR and its AML Rulebook covering AML/CFT, counter-proliferation financing and sanctions compliance, aligned with updated federal laws and FATF standards. The FSRA stated the changes have minimal impact on existing compliance practices for most firms, but all Authorised Persons should confirm alignment with the updated rules.

Dubai Financial Services Authority18 May 2026Regulatory NoticeMedium impact

Dear SEO Letter: Update on Countercyclical Capital Buffer on Credit Exposures in the UAE

DFSA provided an update on the applicable Countercyclical Capital Buffer rate for UAE credit exposures, relevant to banks' capital adequacy calculations under the PIB module.

Federal Tax Authority14 May 2026News AnnouncementLow impact

FTA Corporate Tax Late Registration Penalty Waiver Initiative Beneficiaries Expected to Rise to 91,000

FTA reports over 68,600 taxable persons have benefited from the Corporate Tax late-registration penalty waiver (available where the tax return is filed within 7 rather than 9 months of the first tax period end), applied retroactively to penalties incurred since 1 June 2023, with roughly 22,000 more taxpayers eligible.

Dubai Financial Services Authority12 May 2026Rule AmendmentHigh impact

Notice of Amendments to Legislation: May 2026 (CP167 – Basel Core Principles Alignment)

DFSA finalised CP167 amendments aligning the rulebook with Basel Core Principles: new risk management function requirements for large/complex firms (GEN), Tier 2 capital and credit risk classification updates (PIB), and consequential Glossary (GLO) and Islamic Finance Rules (IFR) changes, effective 1 January 2027.

Federal Tax Authority10 May 2026News AnnouncementMedium impact

Ministry of Finance Extends Accredited Service Provider Appointment Deadline for Large Taxpayers to 30 October 2026

MOF extends the deadline for large taxpayers (revenue AED 50 million or more) to appoint an Accredited Service Provider from 31 July 2026 to 30 October 2026, citing market-readiness feedback and a desire for broader ASP choice; the underlying mandatory go-live date of 1 January 2027 for large taxpayers is unchanged. 32 ASPs were approved as of the announcement.

Dubai Financial Services Authority4 May 2026Consultation PaperMedium impact

Consultation Paper No 172 – Enhancements to the Islamic Finance Rules

CP172 proposed updates to Islamic endorsement requirements, Takaful disclosures, and clarified the circumstances in which an Authorised Person is deemed to be conducting Islamic Financial Business.

ADGM Registration Authority1 May 2026Regulations AmendmentHigh impact

Amendments to the Commercial Legislation (Foundations, Trusts, Beneficial Ownership, Companies, Commercial Licensing Regulations)

The Registration Authority amended multiple commercial regulations: prohibiting foundations/trusts from non-profit-type purposes under AML rules, clarifying trust obligations under the Beneficial Ownership and Control Regulations, expressly prohibiting bearer shares, and updating Companies Regulations filing deadlines. Affects Distributed Ledger Technology Foundations Regulations 2023, Foundations Regulations 2017, Trusts (Special Provisions) Regulations 2016, Beneficial Ownership and Control Regulations 2022, Administrative Regulations 2025, Companies Regulations 2020, and Commercial Licensing Regulations Rules 2026.

DIFC Registrar of Companies30 Apr 2026Consultation PaperHigh impact

Proposed Amendments to the Prescribed Company Regulations

DIFC proposed removing qualifying-purpose restrictions on Prescribed Companies (broadening eligibility beyond aviation, maritime and IP-holding structures), mandating appointment of a Corporate Service Provider for most Prescribed Companies (with limited 'Exempt PC' carve-outs for government-, listed- or regulated-entity-controlled companies) with a 6-month compliance window and fines up to USD 100,000 for failing to provide CSPs required documents, expanding permitted asset-holding for funds/family offices, and tightening the prohibition on Prescribed Companies directly employing staff.