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The Central Bank of the UAE has moved from a traditional focus on risk management to actively supporting innovation within structured oversight, according to the Gulf News article “From regulation to innovation: the making of the UAE’s fintech hub”. More than 75 firms have secured licences or in-principle approvals across six regulatory categories, Central Bank of the UAE material cited in the analysis shows. The sector is forecast to generate 30,000 jobs overall, including 10,000 positions for UAE nationals, tying modernisation efforts to the national Emiratisation programme. This outcome stems from the country’s combination of high digital adoption, advanced infrastructure and an international talent pool that has attracted fintech activity.
The Financial Infrastructure Transformation programme under the Central Bank of the UAE has established core digital systems that include the Aani instant payments platform, which a Khaleej Times report placed at more than 12.5 million users, alongside the Al Tareq open finance initiative, digital identity tools, supervisory technology and the planned Digital Dirham. These components operate as an interconnected network rather than standalone efforts, a Gulf News assessment found. The Payment Token Services Regulation issued in 2024 ranks among the earliest comprehensive rulesets globally for such instruments. Over 320 fintech companies now operate in the UAE, building directly on these foundations.
An Emirates NBD and PwC report valued the UAE fintech market at $3.16 billion in 2024 and projected growth to $5.71 billion by 2029. The Dubai International Financial Centre housed 1,933 AI, fintech and innovation firms in the first half of 2026, reflecting 39 per cent year-on-year expansion, according to ecosystem data. Such figures align with the country’s broader rise in related indices, including its entry into the global top 25 in the World Intellectual Property Organization’s 2026 Global Innovation Index.
The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority in Dubai has overseen nearly AED 2.5 trillion in year-to-date transaction volumes across licensed entities, the Emirates News Agency reported. This specialised oversight complements federal frameworks by addressing digital asset activities that include stablecoins and tokenisation. The UAE additionally ranks fifth globally for fintech in the latest Global Financial Centres Index, a Dubai government statement noted. These developments follow earlier sandbox programmes that have evolved into full licensing regimes.
A Binance-collaborated analysis of the UAE blockchain ecosystem traced the regulatory path from initial experimentation to production-scale deployment across payments, custody and market infrastructure. Key applications now encompass tokenised real-world assets and integrated trade finance solutions operating at institutional levels. The Central Bank of the UAE maintains coordinated oversight with emirate-level bodies to support this expansion while enforcing consumer protections.
The DIFC has outlined plans to become the world’s first AI-native financial centre, targeting $3.5 billion in economic benefits and 25,000 new jobs through full integration of artificial intelligence into regulatory, operational and infrastructure systems, according to the authority’s announcements. This initiative extends a five-year AI strategy initiated in 2023 that embedded the technology into data protection law and governance models. The approach reinforces the regulatory clarity that has drawn venture capital and positioned the UAE as a leading MENA destination for fintech investment.
