Fintech & Payments in the UAE

Key points

To be clear, one of the reasons we recommend the UAE is its world's #1 free zone (Fitch), which matters more than most founders realise once the business is running. Importantly, office options in the UAE range from flexi-desk, office suite, showroom or warehouse, so you only pay for the space your visa quota actually needs. the UAE is located in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), Dubai — central business district, and the registrar's processing time for a standard file is around 7 working days.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Consultation and activity selection

   GoldenKey starts by confirming your activity is available in the UAE, then agrees the licence category, visa quota and office option with you in writing.

2. 
   Step 2

   Name reservation and initial approval

   We submit your preferred trade names to the UAE and secure initial approval, normally within a day or two of submission. For starting a fintech company in the UAE, GoldenKey completes this stage with you on WhatsApp or by email.

3. 
   Step 3

   Document submission and payment

   On the ground, you sign the application forms and memorandum, we submit the attested documents and the licence fee is paid to the issuing authority.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence issued and next steps

   the UAE issues the licence, incorporation certificate and lease; from there we open the establishment card, process visas and arrange your bank introduction. Your portal shows the status of this step for starting a fintech company in the UAE in real time.

Documents required

For starting a fintech company in the UAE the registrar asks for the following documents, and we tell you exactly how each must be formatted.

• Product description
• Proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement, requested by some zones
• Attested parent-company documents and a board resolution if the shareholder is a company
• Your current residence visa and Emirates ID copy if you are a UAE resident
• A no-objection certificate from your employer if you hold a UAE employment visa
• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months

Pricing

Day to day, the figures below for starting a fintech company in the UAE are updated by GoldenKey whenever the authority changes its fees, so the price you see is the current one. Use the table below to compare packages for starting a fintech company in the UAE; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation.

Pricing available on request — message us for a written quotation.

Where to license fintech & payments

Building financial software is a technology licence. Handling client money, lending, or issuing payment instruments requires Central Bank, DFSA or FSRA authorisation. Many founders start with a tech licence and apply for regulatory sandbox entry.

DMCC Free ZoneWorld's #1 free zone — the premium choice for commodity tr…IFZA Free ZoneDubai's fastest-growing free zone — multi-activity licence…Meydan Free ZoneDubai's entrepreneurial free zone at the iconic Meydan rac…Dubai mainlandThe UAE's commercial capital — trade anywhere in the UAE w…

Examples of this activity

• Payment gateway tech
• BNPL platform
• Wealth-tech app
• Regtech

Fintech & Payments guides by nationality

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Why the UAE

Banking, logistics, telecoms and digital government services in the UAE are among the most advanced in the region, which keeps the running costs of starting a fintech company in the UAE predictable. To be clear, there are no restrictions on repatriating profits or capital, so earnings from starting a fintech company in the UAE can be moved to your home country or reinvested freely.

Why GoldenKey

Most of our the UAE clients come to us through referrals from other founders, so we take pride in keeping every promise we put in writing. Our quotations for starting a fintech company in the UAE list every government fee and our service fee on one page, in writing, before you pay anything. GoldenKey's consultants have handled starting a fintech company in the UAE for traders, consultants, tech founders and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves quickly.

Frequently asked questions