# UAE financial services regulatory approvals

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/uae-financial-services-regulatory-approvals
> Updated: 2026-09-03T04:34:23.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

Financial service providers are securing regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) to expand their operations in the region.

In August 2026, Edenred UAE received in-principle approval for a Stored Value Facility (SVF) licence. This intermediate step in the CBUAE licensing process covers governance, compliance, and cybersecurity, aiming to support financial inclusion for the country’s workforce. 

Following this, in September 2026, the B2B cross-border trade payment platform XTransfer also received in-principle approval for a Retail Payment Services Licence. Once pre-issuance conditions are met, XTransfer intends to use the licence to provide regulated payment solutions for mainland UAE clients and facilitate international trade connectivity.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-03: XTransfer receives in-principle approval for UAE payment licence

XTransfer has secured in-principle approval for a Retail Payment Services Licence from the Central Bank of the UAE, facilitating expanded B2B cross-border payment services in the region.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/xtransfer-receives-in-principle-approval-for-uae-payment-licence

### 2026-08-05: Edenred UAE Gains In‑Principle Approval for Stored Value Facility License

Edenred UAE, serving over 20,000 firms and 2.5 million workers, received in‑principle approval from the UAE Central Bank to become a licensed Stored Value Facility, pending final requirements.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/edenred-uae-gains-inprinciple-approval-for-stored-value-facility-license

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Cite as: UAE financial services regulatory approvals. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/uae-financial-services-regulatory-approvals