UAE Banks and Insurers Face September Deadline to Comply With Landmark Central Bank Law

Banks, insurers and fintech firms operating in the UAE are working toward a 16 September 2026 deadline to bring their operations into compliance with the country's landmark Central Bank Law issued in 2025. The decree-law, one of the most significant overhauls of the UAE's financial regulatory framework in over a decade, consolidates the supervision of banking and insurance activities under the Central Bank of the UAE, expands regulation to cover emerging technologies and virtual assets, and strengthens the regulator's supervisory and enforcement powers. Affected entities were granted a one-year transitional period, ending in mid-September, to review and adjust policies, governance and reporting, including obligations around environmental, social and governance disclosures. The law also unifies the complaints process for customers of banks and insurers under an independent financial ombudsman, and establishes specialised judicial committees to resolve disputes. With the deadline approaching, legal advisers have urged firms to complete gap assessments and licensing reviews, particularly entities operating without proper authorisation or through non-financial free zones. The central bank retains discretion to extend the transition period if it deems appropriate, but firms are being encouraged to prepare for full compliance.