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Showing posts from December, 2025

Recent AML/CFT Enforcement Actions in the UAE: What We Can Learn

The UAE has recently taken aggressive steps to enforce its AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Financing of Terrorism) regulations, signaling a clear zero-tolerance policy for compliance failures. In 2025, the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) imposed significant fines—such as AED 3 million on a UAE bank and AED 5.9 million on a foreign bank branch—for AML compliance violations. The Ministry of Economy (MOE) also revoked the licenses of multiple precious metals dealers found to have breached AML/CFT laws.​ Key Enforcement Actions ·          The CBUAE launched intensified inspections and applied large fines, license revocations, and personal sanctions for systemic compliance failures.​ ·          In August 2024, a local bank was fined AED 5.8 million for deficiencies in its AML/CTF protocols.​ ·          The new Federal Decree Law No. 10 of 2025, effective from...