UAE Strengthens AML/CFT/CPF Framework with Robust 2025 Performance Indicators

Abu Dhabi has announced significant advancements in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) national framework for Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and Combatting Proliferation Financing (CPF). The National Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing Committee (NAMLCFTPC) revealed the performance indicators for 2025, which received approval from the Higher Committee for Oversight of the National Strategy during a recent meeting.

Commitment to Financial Crime Prevention

The results underscore the UAE’s ongoing commitment to a risk-based and sustainable approach in addressing financial crime threats. This strategy aims to enhance the effectiveness of national efforts, improve coordination and integration, and support the national system’s capacity to measure impact and continuously refine performance through accurate and up-to-date indicators.

Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE and Chair of the National Committee, highlighted that these outcomes reflect the progress made in implementing the National Strategy for AML, CFT, and CPF (2024-2027). He emphasized the UAE’s dedication to fostering a secure and stable global financial environment, supported by a robust supervisory framework capable of addressing emerging challenges effectively.

Legislative and Regulatory Reforms

Balama noted that the advancements seen in the 2025 performance indicators are strategically significant, particularly following substantial legislative and regulatory reforms, including the issuance of Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025. This legal framework has fortified governance arrangements, enhanced institutional integration, and further improved the UAE’s financial and economic competitiveness.

He expressed gratitude to the members of the National Committee, supervisory authorities, law enforcement agencies, and strategic partners for their dedication and pivotal roles in achieving these milestones, which embody a unified national effort.

Hamid Saif Al Zaabi, Secretary-General and Vice Chair of the National Committee, affirmed that the 2025 performance indicators reflect the UAE’s commitment to enhancing the effectiveness of its national AML/CFT/CPF framework in alignment with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and international best practices.

International Cooperation and Technical Exchanges

The General Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been actively strengthening communication and cooperation with international partners in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. During the year, the General Secretariat convened 15 expert meetings with various FATF member jurisdictions, facilitating technical exchanges, risk-informed cooperation, and the sharing of best practices.

Al Zaabi remarked that the results confirm the ongoing advancement of national coordination among relevant authorities and the increasing impact of international partnerships in combating cross-border financial crime. The UAE remains committed to enhancing institutional readiness, improving supervision and financial investigations, and utilizing data and statistical indicators for informed decision-making.

Rising Requests for Legal Assistance

The indicators indicate that the UAE has further solidified its position as a trusted global partner in 2025. Requests for judicial cooperation, law enforcement, and financial intelligence have seen a notable increase. Incoming mutual legal assistance requests rose by 4.9%, from 492 to 516, while extradition requests surged by 25.3%, from 446 to 559. Additionally, requests for information received by the Financial Intelligence Unit increased by 20.7%, from 1,261 to 1,522. Pre-emptive freezing orders also saw a significant rise of 46.7%, from 15 to 22, with the value of frozen assets tripling to AED150 million.

Supervision of Financial Institutions

In terms of supervision, 781 inspections were conducted across financial institutions and virtual asset service providers (VASPs), resulting in administrative penalties totaling AED384 million. Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) increased by 28%, reaching approximately 80,000 reports, with banks accounting for 82.2% of these. The designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBP) sector underwent around 8,900 inspections, leading to penalties of AED160.33 million.

The UAE has made significant strides in beneficial ownership transparency, achieving a compliance improvement level of 91.7% compared to the previous year. Only 336 legal entities lacked beneficial ownership information, a dramatic decrease from 4,038 in 2024. Risk-based inspections rose by 54.2%, from 155,000 to 239,000, while beneficial ownership inquiries increased by 43.3%, totaling 3,300 inquiries, with 68.9% originating from law enforcement authorities.

Financial Intelligence and Asset Recovery

In the realm of financial intelligence, investigations, and asset recovery, the number of intelligence packages disseminated surged by 83.7%, from 233 to 428. The reports within these packages increased by 155.1%, from 1,492 to 3,806. Suspicious Transaction Reports rose by 20.8%, from 54,000 to 66,000, while law enforcement money laundering cases increased by 45.8%, from 646 to 942. Domestic confiscations reached AED4.23 billion, in addition to AED750 million returned to victims.

In counter-terrorist financing efforts, suspicious reports related to terrorist financing rose by 62%, from 158 to 256. A total of 56 investigations into terrorist financing were recorded, with 85.7% involving natural persons.

Comprehensive Assessment of the Framework

The 2025 performance indicators provide a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of the UAE’s AML/CFT/CPF framework, utilizing data from competent authorities, supervisory bodies, and the Financial Intelligence Unit. The results reflect the maturity and ongoing development of the national framework across key areas, including international cooperation, supervision, beneficial ownership transparency, financial intelligence, asset recovery, counter-terrorist financing, and counter-proliferation financing.

As reported by www.emirates247.com.

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Published on 2026-06-05 00:20:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk