Current instruments: a reference
The federal instruments applicable to anti-money laundering, beneficial ownership and insurance business in the United Arab Emirates, with commencement dates and what each replaced. Maintained rather than dated.
- First published
- 16 August 2026
- Last revised
- 16 August 2026
Between September and December 2025 both the sectoral framework governing insurance business and the framework governing anti-money laundering were replaced. Material prepared before that period, and material prepared after it without checking, frequently cites instruments that are no longer in force.
This page lists what applies. It is maintained rather than published once, and the revision date above indicates when it was last checked.
In force
Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 regarding the Central Bank, the Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities, and Insurance Business. Commenced 16 September 2025. Replaced the framework under Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2018 and Federal Decree-Law No. 48 of 2023.
Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing. Commenced 14 October 2025. Replaced Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018 and its amendments.
Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 regarding the Executive Regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025. Commenced 14 December 2025. Replaced Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019 and its amendments.
Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 on the regulation of real beneficiary procedures. Commenced November 2023. Replaced Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020.
Cabinet Decision No. 132 of 2023 on administrative penalties under Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023. Commenced December 2023. Replaced Cabinet Resolution No. 53 of 2021.
Cabinet Resolution No. 71 of 2024 on violations and administrative penalties under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economy. Commenced 2024. Replaced the preceding penalties resolution.
Cabinet Decision No. 74 of 2020 regulating terrorist lists and the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Commenced 2020. Replaced the preceding lists resolution.
Publication details for the three 2025 instruments, taken from the federal legislation portal: Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 was issued on 8 September 2025 and published in Official Gazette No. 807; Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 was issued and published on 30 September 2025 in Official Gazette No. 808; Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 was issued on 29 October 2025 and published in Official Gazette No. 811 on 14 November 2025. All three are shown as active.
No longer in force
Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018 and the amendments made to it by Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2021 and Federal Decree-Law No. 7 of 2024. Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019 and the amendments made to it by Cabinet Resolution No. 24 of 2022. Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020 and Cabinet Resolution No. 53 of 2021.
Two preserving provisions apply, and they are drafted differently. Article 41(3) of Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 preserves the former executive regulations, resolutions and circulars insofar as they do not conflict with the current framework and until they are replaced. Article 183(1) of Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 preserves regulations, decisions, standards, guidelines and circulars issued under Decree-Law No. 14 of 2018 and Decree-Law No. 48 of 2023 until replacement instruments are issued, with Article 183(2) preserving the established meanings of definitions and technical terms used in them. Subordinate material issued before the 2025 instruments is therefore neither automatically displaced nor automatically preserved, and each item has to be read against the current text.
Points where this reference is qualified
Commencement dates for the 2023 and 2024 instruments are given by month rather than by day. Published accounts differ on the day on which Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 took effect, and the discrepancy has not been resolved against the gazette.
The relationship between Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 and Chapter Three of Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 is not settled on the face of the instruments. Both address beneficial owner information held by companies and by the registrar. No express repeal of the 2023 decision has been identified.
Sector-specific instruments issued by supervisory authorities are not listed here. Their continued application depends on the transitional provision described above.
This reference sets out general information on the applicable regulatory framework and does not address the circumstances of any particular entity. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. The position stated reflects the framework as at the date of the latest revision stated above. Any English translation of UAE federal legislation cited here should be read subject to the authoritative Arabic text, which prevails in the event of inconsistency.