The UAE has carried out its most significant financial-sector overhaul in more than a decade. Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 on the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business was issued on 8 September 2025 and published in the Official Gazette on 15 September 2025. It repeals both the 2018 Central Bank law and the 2023 insurance law, consolidating banking, finance and insurance supervision under a single framework administered by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), and extends the regulator's reach to fintech, open finance and virtual-asset payments. Affected firms have until 16 September 2026 to comply.
Who should read this
Banks, insurers, exchange houses, payment and fintech firms, and any CBUAE-licensed institution should map their operations against the new framework before the 16 September 2026 deadline.
Directly affected
Key facts
- Enacted as Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 on the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business
- Issued 8 September 2025; published in the Official Gazette on 15 September 2025
- Repeals Federal Law No. 14 of 2018 (Central Bank & Organisation of Financial Institutions and Activities) and Federal Decree-Law No. 48 of 2023 (Regulating Insurance Activities)
- Consolidates banking, finance and insurance supervision under the CBUAE
- Expands regulation to open finance, virtual-asset payment services and technology providers
- One-year transitional period — compliance required by 16 September 2026 (CBUAE may extend)
Executive summary
For the first time, banking and insurance sit under one consolidated statute administered by the Central Bank. The new law does not merely re-state the 2018 regime; it folds insurance regulation into the CBUAE's remit, sharpens its supervisory and enforcement powers, and expressly extends the perimeter to the technologies now driving financial services — open finance, payment services using virtual assets, and the technology providers that enable them.
What changed
- One consolidated framework. Banking and insurance are now governed together under the CBUAE, replacing two separate laws and reducing the risk of overlapping or inconsistent regulation.
- Wider regulatory perimeter. Open finance, virtual-asset payment services and enabling technology providers are brought expressly within scope, reflecting how financial services are actually delivered.
- Stronger supervision and enforcement. The CBUAE's inspection, licensing and sanctioning powers are reinforced.
- Transitional runway. Existing licensees have until 16 September 2026 to align their operations, with discretion for the CBUAE to extend.
Practical implications
- Insurers should prepare for supervision under the CBUAE framework rather than the standalone 2023 insurance regime.
- Banks and finance companies should reassess licensing conditions, governance and reporting against the consolidated law.
- Fintech, payment and virtual-asset firms should confirm whether their activities now require CBUAE authorisation and how the new perimeter interacts with VARA and other regulators.
- All licensees should build a compliance roadmap to the 16 September 2026 deadline and monitor implementing regulations as they are issued.
Directly affected: banks, insurers, finance companies, payment and fintech firms, and other CBUAE-licensed institutions.
Compliance deadline: 16 September 2026.
Action items
- Map current activities and licences against the consolidated framework and the expanded perimeter.
- Insurers: plan the transition to CBUAE supervision and update governance accordingly.
- Fintech and virtual-asset payment providers: confirm authorisation requirements and regulator boundaries.
- Diarise the 16 September 2026 deadline and track implementing regulations.
Supervisory and enforcement exposure
With reinforced CBUAE powers and a wider perimeter, firms face greater supervisory scrutiny and clearer sanctioning routes. Institutions that leave alignment to the end of the transitional period risk enforcement action, licensing consequences and remediation under time pressure. Early gap analysis is the safer course.
Sources and authorities
Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 on the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business — UAE Legislation Portal / CBUAE Rulebook
uaelegislation.gov.ae — legislation 3284
Repeals Federal Law No. 14 of 2018 and Federal Decree-Law No. 48 of 2023. Issued 8 September 2025; compliance by 16 September 2026.
Instrument details
Instrument: Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 on the Central Bank, Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business.
Issued: 8 September 2025. Official Gazette: 15 September 2025. Compliance deadline: 16 September 2026.
Repeals: Federal Law No. 14 of 2018 and Federal Decree-Law No. 48 of 2023. This summary is general guidance; the enacted Arabic text prevails.
Based on Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 and cross-checked against leading practitioner analyses and the CBUAE Rulebook. General information only — it does not constitute legal advice, and the enacted Arabic text prevails. For advice on a specific matter, please contact us. Last updated: 2 July 2026.