The UAE has taken a significant step forward in its fight against financial crime, unveiling a sweeping set of new measures to reinforce its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing framework. The decisions were approved during the second 2026 meeting of the National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing.
At the core of the update is the adoption of the National Guide on Financial Intelligence and Money Laundering Investigations — a structured framework covering investigation procedures, asset tracking, confiscation protocols and coordination among enforcement authorities. Importantly, the guide expands financial investigation scope to include virtual assets and introduces clearer asset recovery mechanisms, reflecting the UAE’s recognition of evolving financial crime methods.
The committee also approved a series of sectoral risk assessments covering financial institutions, virtual asset service providers and designated non-financial businesses and professions. These assessments are intended to update risk classifications, enabling more targeted supervisory and enforcement actions across the financial system.
Two additional national risk assessments were endorsed: the second public edition of the National Risk Assessment for Proliferation Financing, and a new National Risk Assessment for Non-Profit Organisations — a sector historically vulnerable to misuse for terror financing purposes.
Structural reforms were also confirmed, with the committee approving a reorganisation of its subcommittees, updating their mandates to reflect current enforcement priorities and improve inter-agency coordination. New work methodologies and follow-up mechanisms will support faster, more effective decision-making at the national level.
Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE and Committee Chairman, stated that these measures mark the national AML system’s transition to a more advanced stage of integration — one that enhances institutional governance, reinforces the risk-based approach and sustains confidence in the UAE’s financial system.
For financial institutions, compliance teams and international partners, these developments underscore the UAE’s commitment to maintaining its position as a trusted global financial hub — one that takes financial integrity, regulatory transparency and enforcement capability seriously as cross-border capital flows continue to grow.
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