Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the CBUAE decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get a payment license in the UAE.
The mainland desk everyone confuses with the free zones: the Central Bank of the UAE licenses retail payments in dirhams under four categories - capital from AED 100,000, scaled to what you actually process. Stored-value wallets run under their own regulation. We sort the map first, from our own Dubai office.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
The UAE in brief
One central bank, four categories - and a map worth reading first.
The licence most payment founders actually need in the UAE comes from the Central Bank, not from a free zone. The Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation splits the market into four categories: Category I carries the full list - account issuance, instrument issuance, acquiring, aggregation, domestic and cross-border transfers, plus payment token services; Category II drops the tokens; Category III drops cross-border; Category IV is initiation and account information only. Capital follows volume, not ambition: below AED 10 million in monthly transfers, Category I asks AED 1.5 million, Category II one million, Category III half a million - the numbers double (or more) once you cross that line, and Category IV sits at AED 100,000 flat. Wallets holding customer float are a different animal: the Stored Value Facilities Regulation wants AED 15 million paid up, a bank guarantee for the full amount in the Central Bank's favour, and aggregate capital of at least 5% of the float.
The map matters because the UAE runs three regulatory worlds in parallel. A CBUAE licence covers the mainland and the ordinary free zones - the regulation says plainly that applicants may incorporate in a free zone, but not in a financial free zone. DIFC and ADGM are those financial free zones, with their own regulators and their own rules; our ADGM digital-banking page covers that route. Add 9% corporate tax with a zero band on the first AED 375,000, 5% VAT, no tax on salaries - and the case for one of the world's two largest remittance-sending markets makes itself. We hold the licence conversation before the incorporation one, because undoing the wrong choice costs a year.
CBUAE licenses retail payments in four categories - capital AED 100k to 3M, tiered at the AED 10M monthly line. Wallets run under the SVF Regulation: AED 15M paid up, full-amount bank guarantee, capital ≥ 5% of float.
Free-zone companies qualify; DIFC and ADGM are excluded - separate regimes. 9% tax with a 0% band. We file from our own Dubai office.
The two routes
Retail payment services - or the stored-value wallet.
Two CBUAE regulations cover the family: the RPSCS regulation for processing money, the SVF regulation for holding it. Most models need one; some need both. We fix that before anything is drafted.
RPS categories for processing - SVF for holding float.
01 - RETAIL PAYMENT SERVICES
Category I-IV licence
The core licence for acquiring, transfers, aggregation and initiation - four categories, capital tiered by monthly volume with AED 10 million as the line, and payment token services reserved for Category I.
The core licence for acquiring, transfers, aggregation and initiation - four categories, capital tiered by monthly volume with AED 10 million as the line, and payment token services reserved for Category I.
- ✓Category I - full list incl. payment tokens
- ✓Category II - everything but tokens
- ✓Category III - domestic scope
- ✓Category IV - initiation & account info, AED 100k
- ✓Capital AED 0.5-3M · volume-tiered
- ✓Mainland and non-financial free zones
02 - STORED VALUE FACILITIES
Wallets & float - CBUAEThe SVF licence
For wallets and prepaid balances: AED 15 million paid-up capital, an unconditional bank guarantee for the full amount, aggregate capital held at 5% of float - the regime that makes UAE wallets bankable.
SVF: AED 15M paid up, unconditional guarantee, 5%-of-float capital. The wallet regime.
- ✓E-money style wallets and prepaid
- ✓AED 15M paid-up capital
- ✓Bank guarantee - full amount, on demand
- ✓Aggregate capital ≥ 5% of float
- ✓UAE company · financial free zones excluded
- ✓Float rules stated in the regulation
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. Category capital depends on your projected volumes - we model the tier against the regulation, not against a sales pitch.
Why the UAE
Scale-priced capital in the region's deepest market.
The regulation prices entry honestly - small volumes, small capital - and the market on the other side is the Gulf's largest.
✓
Capital that follows volume
Below AED 10 million a month, Category III costs AED 500,000 and Category IV just 100,000 - the UAE is one of the few desks where the rulebook itself scales down for early-stage models.From AED 100k - the rulebook scales down.
✓
The remittance capital of the world
The UAE sends more outbound remittances than any country except the US - corridor models to India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Egypt sit on their natural supply here.Top-2 sender worldwide; corridors built in.
✓
9% tax, 0% band
Corporate tax at 9% with the first AED 375,000 at zero, no tax on salaries, 5% VAT - the operating maths of a licensed business stays simple and low.Plus 5% VAT and untaxed salaries.
✓
Free-zone incorporation allowed
The regulation admits companies from ordinary free zones - you keep free-zone corporate mechanics while holding a mainland licence. Only DIFC and ADGM are carved out.Only DIFC/ADGM carved out.
✓
Payment tokens on the map
Category I reaches payment token services, and the separate Payment Token Services Regulation frames dirham-backed tokens - the UAE wrote rules where most regulators wrote warnings.Cat I + the Payment Token Regulation.
✓
Three regimes, one strategy
CBUAE mainland, ADGM, DIFC - three doors into one country. We licence against where your customers are, not where the conference was.CBUAE, ADGM, DIFC - one strategy.
How it compares
How the UAE differs from other routes.
The Gulf has four serious payment desks now. The honest comparison is below.
UAE vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  UAE | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Capital entry | AED 100k-3M · volume-tiered | Flat minimums, higher entry |
| Wallet regime | SVF - AED 15M + guarantee | Often folded into one licence |
| Market | Largest Gulf consumer base | Smaller home markets |
| Tax | 9% · 0% first AED 375k | 0-30% across the region |
Capital entry
UAEAED 100k-3M · volume-tiered
Other jurisdictionsFlat minimums, higher entry
Wallet regime
UAESVF - AED 15M + guarantee
Other jurisdictionsOften folded into one licence
Market
UAELargest Gulf consumer base
Other jurisdictionsSmaller home markets
Tax
UAE9% · 0% first AED 375k
Other jurisdictions0-30% across the region
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | RPS Cat I-IV (CBUAE) | 9% · 0% band | AED 0.1-3M by volume |
 Saudi Arabia | PI / EMI (SAMA) | 20% foreign share | SAR 1-10M by type |
 Bahrain | PSP (CBB) | 0% · 15% DMTT large | BD 250k · open banking |
 Qatar | PSP (QCB) | 10% foreign share | PSR 2021 · QCB scope |
UAELicense typeRPS Cat I-IV (CBUAE)
Taxation9% · 0% band
RequirementsAED 0.1-3M by volume
Saudi ArabiaLicense typePI / EMI (SAMA)
Taxation20% foreign share
RequirementsSAR 1-10M by type
BahrainLicense typePSP (CBB)
Taxation0% · 15% DMTT large
RequirementsBD 250k · open banking
QatarLicense typePSP (QCB)
Taxation10% foreign share
RequirementsPSR 2021 · QCB scope
Before you apply
Requirements for the CBUAE licence.Requirements for the licence.
The regulation states the file plainly - the craft is matching category, capital and controls to your real volumes. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
A UAE-incorporated company - mainland or an ordinary free zone; financial free zones (DIFC, ADGM) are excluded by the regulation.
02
Initial capital for your category - AED 100,000 to 3 million, evidenced and tiered to monthly transfer volumes at the AED 10 million line.
03
For SVF: AED 15 million paid up, plus an unconditional, irrevocable bank guarantee for the full amount in the Central Bank's favour.
04
A programme of operations - services, corridors, projected volumes and three-year financials the supervisor can interrogate.
05
Fit and proper management and controllers - competence, clean records, ownership transparent to UBOs.
06
Safeguarding of customer funds per the regulation - segregated accounts and reconciliation the Central Bank can trace.
07
AML/CFT framework - KYC, monitoring, goAML reporting and a resident compliance officer.
08
Technology and security documentation - platform architecture, resilience and incident procedures to CBUAE standards.
09
Governance - board composition, control functions, outsourcing register and conflicts procedures.
10
For SVF: float management policy - aggregate capital at 5% of float, modelled forward against your growth curve.
01
UAE company - no financial free zones.
02
Category capital, AED 100k-3M.
03
SVF: AED 15M + full guarantee.
04
Interrogable programme of operations.
05
Fit & proper to UBOs.
06
Segregated safeguarding accounts.
07
AML with goAML reporting.
08
CBUAE-grade IT documentation.
09
Governance and outsourcing register.
10
SVF float policy - 5% modelled.
Reflects the Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation and the Stored Value Facilities Regulation as published in the CBUAE Rulebook, as of 2026.RPSCS + SVF Regulations, CBUAE Rulebook, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the CBUAE register.
01
Route and category
RPS category against your volumes, SVF where float is held, ADGM/DIFC where they fit better - fixed in writing before anything else.RPS, SVF or free-zone regimes - in writing.
02
UAE company and people
Incorporation on the right side of the free-zone carve-out, capital evidence and the resident officers the Central Bank vets.Incorporation, capital, resident officers.
03
The application file
Programme, safeguarding, AML and technology documentation per the regulation - complete before filing, because completeness is the timeline.Complete before filing - that is the timeline.
04
CBUAE review
Question rounds answered, category and capital defended against projections - plan on six to twelve months end to end.Rounds answered; 6-12 months realistic.
05
Licence and launch
Registration, safeguarding accounts live, guarantee lodged where SVF applies - and the reporting calendar running from day one.Registered, safeguarded, reporting live.
Quick facts
RegulatorCBUAE
CategoriesI-IV by service list
RPS capitalAED 100k - 3M
Volume lineAED 10M monthly avg
SVF capitalAED 15M + guarantee
SVF float ruleCapital ≥ 5% of float
Realistic timeline6-12 months
Financial free zonesExcluded - own regimes
The regulation prices capital off your monthly average - a projection you will live with. We model it against the business plan, not the other way round.
On the ground in Dubai
Licensed from the city we work in.
Prifinance - UAE
Dubai · Al Saqr Business Tower
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
01
UAE company formation
Mainland or free-zone incorporation chosen against the regulation's carve-outs - the corporate layer built for the licence, not patched after it.Right side of the carve-out.
02
The CBUAE file
Category selection, capital evidence, programme of operations and safeguarding design per the RPSCS regulation - drafted by us and defended through the question rounds.Category, capital, safeguarding - defended.
03
The SVF architecture
Float model, the full-amount bank guarantee and the 5% aggregate-capital calculation - the three things wallet applications stumble on, done first.Guarantee and float maths done first.
04
Substance and staffing
Resident compliance officer, AML reporting through goAML and operations hires from Dubai's deep fintech talent pool - assembled from our own office on Sheikh Zayed Road.From our Sheikh Zayed Road office.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of payment companies in the UAE.
Corporate tax arrived in 2023 and stayed modest: 9% with a zero band, 5% VAT, nothing on salaries - the numbers behind the relocation wave.
Corporate tax 9%
The federal rate since June 2023, with 0% on the first AED 375,000 of profit - fee and margin income of a licensed PSP follows the ordinary rules.0% on first AED 375k.
VAT 5%
The Gulf's lowest standard rate; margin-based financial services are exempt, fee-based services generally taxable - we map the product mix before launch.Margin services exempt.
No tax on salaries
Zero personal income tax on employment - the hiring argument that lets UAE licensees recruit compliance and engineering talent from anywhere.The hiring argument.
Free-zone mechanics
Ordinary free zones still offer their corporate perks, and the regulation admits their companies - the licence and the incorporation optimise separately.Optimised separately.
Small business relief
Revenue below AED 3 million can elect out of corporate tax entirely through 2026 - early-stage licensees often pay nothing while they build.< AED 3M revenue.
Treaties 140+
One of the world's widest treaty networks - group structures above the UAE entity model cleanly, with no dividend withholding at home.No dividend WHT.
Tax summary
Corporate tax9% · 0% first AED 375k
VAT5%
Personal income taxNone
Dividend withholdingNone
Small business relief< AED 3M revenue
Tax treaties140+
*Figures as of 2026 per the Federal Tax Authority. Product-level VAT mapping is modelled per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: UAE company, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed institution.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
UAE · CBUAE
Launch your payment project in the UAE with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from incorporation to the CBUAE licence, safeguarding architecture and ongoing compliance.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is the UAE the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The UAE payment licence, answered.
Which licence does a payment business need in the UAE?+
For processing - a Retail Payment Services licence from the Central Bank, in one of four categories set by your service list. For holding customer float in wallets - the Stored Value Facilities licence. Some models need both; we fix that in the first call.
What do the four categories cover?+
Category I is the full list: account and instrument issuance, acquiring, aggregation, domestic and cross-border transfers, payment tokens. Category II drops tokens, Category III also drops cross-border, and Category IV covers payment initiation and account information only.
How much capital is required?+
By category and volume: below AED 10 million in monthly transfers - AED 1.5M (Cat I), 1M (Cat II), 500k (Cat III); above the line - 3M, 2M and 1M. Category IV is AED 100,000 regardless. SVF wants AED 15 million paid up plus a bank guarantee for the full amount.
Can the company sit in a free zone?+
Yes - the regulation admits companies incorporated in free zones, but not in the financial free zones. DIFC and ADGM run their own regimes with their own regulators; we licence there when the model belongs there.
What safeguarding applies?+
Customer funds sit in segregated accounts with documented reconciliation; SVF licensees additionally hold aggregate capital of at least 5% of float and lodge an unconditional bank guarantee for the paid-up capital. Bankability follows from exactly this discipline.
How long does licensing take?+
The regulation works in completeness confirmations and question rounds rather than one statutory clock - plan on six to twelve months end to end. A file that answers the annexes completely is the speed lever, and that is our job.
How are payment companies taxed?+
9% corporate tax with 0% on the first AED 375,000, 5% VAT with margin-based financial services exempt, no tax on salaries, no dividend withholding - and small-business relief below AED 3 million of revenue through 2026.
What about payment tokens and crypto rails?+
Payment token services sit inside Category I, and the separate Payment Token Services Regulation frames dirham-backed tokens. Exchange-style crypto activity belongs to VARA and the financial free zones - a different licence family we also build.
What substance is expected?+
A UAE company with resident management and a compliance officer, real safeguarding arrangements, CBUAE-grade technology documentation - and reporting through goAML from day one.
Why the UAE rather than Saudi Arabia or Bahrain?+
Saudi is the bigger domestic build; Bahrain is the cheaper regulatory entry. The UAE is where the corridors, the talent and the capital already are - with entry capital as low as AED 100,000-500,000 for lean categories. For Gulf-wide models, it is usually the first licence, not the only one.
Which licence?+
RPS Cat I-IV to process; SVF to hold float.
Capital?+
AED 100k-3M by category and volume; SVF 15M.
Free zone OK?+
Yes - except DIFC/ADGM.
Safeguarding?+
Segregated accounts; SVF adds 5% float capital.
How long?+
6-12 months realistic.
Taxes?+
9% CT, 0% band, 5% VAT.
Tokens?+
Cat I + Payment Token Regulation.
Substance?+
Resident officers, goAML, real safeguarding.
vs Saudi/Bahrain?+
Corridors and talent are here; capital entry lower.
Both licences?+
Process + hold float = RPS + SVF. We sequence it.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
“As a software development crew at FewMoreTaps OÜ, we've had the pleasure of working with Prifinance on some key financial moves.First of all, navigating the world of corporate banking and finance can be a maze, but Prifinance made it feel like a walk in the park. They helped us set up a corporate bank account without the hassle of jumping on a plane or drowning in paperwork. Everything was done remotely, smoothly…”
Google
“I had their assistance in company registration and I would recommend them. They were answering all my clarification during the process and offering all their supportThank you Daniel and Irinia”
Google
“We found PRIFINANCE COMPANYvia the Internet and asked for help in organizing the opening of their company in Estonia. PRIFINANCE COMPANY specialists helped us a lot with this. Their professional, competent approach and knowledge of their business left us with only the best impressions.”
Google
“I'm thrilled with my experience with PriFinance! They helped me obtain a crypto license in Estonia without any hassle. The team was super understanding and always available to answer my questions and assist. It was great to see how they put effort into preparing the documents to ensure everything went smoothly. I'm delighted with the outcome and highly recommend PriFinance to anyone looking to get a license…”
Google
“Opening an account with Prifinance in a Swiss bank was such an easy and quick process that I was shocked. It all started with the first call, where I received detailed guidance on the required documents and the entire procedure.One of the key highlights was their attention to detail. As someone who usually gets tangled up in paperwork, I was pleasantly surprised when they sent me all the documents and…”
Google
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Boris.. and I must say, it was a fantastic experience. Boris went above and beyond to assist me with my residency needs. His professionalism, knowledge, and dedication truly stood out. I highly recommend working with Boris and the team!”
Google
Start today
One message away from your UAE licence.
Get a free legal opinion on your project - our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.Free legal opinion: which UAE route fits your project and what it will cost.
✓Written legal opinion within 2-5 business days - free of charge✓A clear recommendation on the right licence scope, not a sales pitch✓Transparent fixed fees, confirmed up front✓EN · RU · ES speaking team
Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Central Bank of the UAE or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.