ARABIAN CURRENT

Regulation

Rules, licensing and policy changes shaping technology, finance and trusted digital markets in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Regulation · Page 2

UAE

Regulation · UAE

iCapital's ADGM Permission Pushes Private-Market Infrastructure Deeper Into Abu Dhabi

iCapital has moved from an Abu Dhabi office and in-principle approval to an ADGM Financial Services Permission. The shift is another sign that private-market technology firms are building regulated Gulf operations rather than serving the region remotely.

21 Sept 2026 · 2 min readRead →

Two banking professionals meeting in a Dubai office overlooking the skyline

UAE

Regulation · UAE

The UAE's New SME Banking Rules Reach Far Beyond Disclosure

The UAE's new SME customer-protection regime is now in force. The bigger change is not another disclosure requirement: it pushes SME protection into product design, fees, account opening, complaints, data governance and board oversight.

16 Sept 2026 · 5 min readRead →