02Your obligation here
The UAE splits funds and corporate-service supervision along two lines: who runs the activity, and where it sits. A fund manager or administrator answers to a capital-market conduct authority, onshore or in a free zone, while a corporate or trust service provider is supervised for AML as a designated non-financial business. Whichever line you fall under, the obligation behind the licence is the same in shape: a named, fit-and-proper compliance officer, a written AML/CFT programme, a documented risk assessment, risk-based customer due diligence, ongoing sanctions and PEP screening, activity monitoring, and suspicious-transaction reporting to the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit through goAML.
Federal (onshore)
CMA The Capital Market Authority (formerly the Securities and Commodities Authority) licenses and supervises fund and investment activity onshore. Register: uaecma.gov.ae
Abu Dhabi (ADGM)
ADGM FSRA The Financial Services Regulatory Authority authorises fund and fund-administration activity in the ADGM free zone. Register: adgm.com/public-registers/fsra
Dubai (DIFC)
DIFC DFSA The Dubai Financial Services Authority runs the DIFC funds regime. Register: dfsa.ae/public-register/firms
Corporate & trust service providers
MoET The Ministry of Economy and Tourism supervises corporate and trust service providers (TCSPs) for AML as designated non-financial businesses. AML page: moet.gov.ae/en/aml
Any specific CMA, ADGM FSRA, DIFC DFSA or MoET rulebook threshold, capital requirement, filing deadline or transition date is confirmed against that regulator's own framework before it is stated. The sentence stays generic if unconfirmed.
03What we build in UAE funds and CSP
01Licensing & new-regime buildThe AML/CFT programme CMA, ADGM FSRA or DIFC DFSA expects behind a fund or fund-administration authorisation, and the DNFBP controls MoET expects from a corporate or trust service provider: risk assessment, policies, the compliance and MLRO function, investor and beneficial-ownership controls, the file that survives the review.Detail →
02RemediationAfter a regulator finding, a deficiency notice or a failed audit: gap analysis against the applicable framework, a fix that closes the finding, and the evidence trail to prove closure at re-inspection.Detail →
03Outsourced & bridge MLRO + FIUA senior compliance officer or bridge MLRO while you recruit, plus a managed FIU: alert triage, investigations, and suspicious-transaction reporting to the UAE FIU via goAML.Detail →
04Independent AML auditThe independent review of your funds or CSP programme that the regulator and your board expect, tested against the current framework, with findings you can act on.Detail →
05Sanctions & integrity DDSanctions and screening controls, investor and counterparty due diligence, and source-of-funds and beneficial-ownership checks across the fund and CSP book.Detail →
04Why it is urgent now
Standing exposure
Funds, fund administration and corporate-service activity in the UAE are already fully supervised. CMA onshore, ADGM FSRA and DIFC DFSA in the free zones authorise the fund side, and MoET supervises corporate and trust service providers for AML as DNFBPs, so an operator without a defensible AML/CFT programme is exposed at the next inspection, not at some future deadline. The pressure is standing, not seasonal.
Tell us what you are trying to license, fix or run in UAE funds and CSP.
Fixed scope. No hourly billing. A costed plan within 48 hours.