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Navigating the complex regulatory environment in the UAE requires more than just awareness. It demands effective tools and strategies to combat money laundering and terrorism financing risks. I have seen many organizations struggle with compliance, but with the right approach, they can confidently meet regulatory expectations and protect their operations. This post outlines practical steps and solutions to enhance your AML/CFT framework. Understanding AML Compliance Tools UAE

What Jewellery Businesses Should Learn If you run a jewellery, gold, or precious stones business in the UAE, AML/CFT compliance is not a “bank-only” issue anymore. In the last several years, UAE authorities have actively inspected DNFBPs  (Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions) and issued meaningful administrative penalties, including cases that specifically involve gold and gemstones businesses. What the enforcement record is clearly telling the market A) Jewel

The UAE’s jewellery and gold sector has always symbolized trust, heritage, and prosperity. From family-owned shops in traditional souks to luxury boutiques in malls, jewellers are central to both local culture and international trade. Today, this sector is under increased regulatory scrutiny. Under the UAE’s Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework, most jewellery and gold businesses are now classified as Dealers in Precious Metals an

AML/CFT isn’t a “bank problem.” The UAE explicitly regulates DNFBPs (Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions) and sets expectations on risk assessments, customer/vendor due diligence, sanctions screening, monitoring and recordkeeping. If your business accepts cash, issues refunds, or uses layered subcontractors, your exposure is real, and regulators increasingly expect proportionate controls with evidence. Sector risk snapshots (practical, not theoretical) Health

In the UAE, having policies isn’t enough. Regulators and auditors now test operational effectiveness  and evidence trails  under the UAE AML law and its Implementing Regulations, and inside the DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) under the regulator's DFSA rulebooks. If you can’t produce verifiable artefacts quickly (logs, registers, approvals, testing results), you don’t have a control environment; you have a document folder. Why evidence is the new battleground Stat

With 9% corporate tax  in force and Economic Substance Regulations (ESR)  still biting, boards must align how value is created with where  value is claimed—people, premises, decisions, and documentation. For Free Zone entities, the QFZP  (Qualifying Free Zone Person) regime can reduce tax on qualifying income to 0% , but only if you meet tight conditions (income type, de-minimis rules, and anti-abuse safeguards) and can prove it with records. The facts to anchor your strategy