United Arab Emirates: Money Laundering

Businesses operating in the UAE face severe consequences for failing to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, including substantial fines ranging from AED 50,000 to AED 5,000,000 per violation. Understanding the comprehensive AML framework under Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 is essential for financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses to implement proper customer due diligence, maintain accurate records, and avoid costly penalties that can damage corporate reputation.

Financial crimes in the UAE carry severe consequences including imprisonment, fines, and deportation. Understanding the legal process and selecting an experienced defense lawyer can significantly impact case outcomes.

The United Arab Emirates has established a comprehensive legal framework to combat Money Laundering (ML), Terrorism Financing (TF), and Proliferation Financing (PF) that aligns with international norms and FATF guidance.

The European Parliament approved, on 9 July, a proposal by the European Commission to remove both Gibraltar and the United Arab Emirates from its list of high‑risk jurisdictions regarded as having strategic deficiencies in their national anti‑money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism regimes.

Learn More About the Regulations on virtual assets to counter proliferation financing and prevent money laundering.

Federal Decree-Law No. 20/2018 initially established the AML regime of the UAE. Still, the difficulty and nature of financial crime required the need for further enhancement in the form of Federal Decree-Law No. 26/2021.

The UAE has introduced two new oversight bodies to enhance its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing efforts, aiming to strengthen financial crime prevention and align with international standards, improving its global standing.

The UAE has made significant improvements in combating financial crimes with the introduction of a new Federal Decree-Law, bringing vital updates to its Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Combating the Financing...

On Sunday 11th August, 2024, the UAE introduced a new Federal Decree-Law to amend provisions of the existing law on anti-money laundering.