The central bank licenses retail payment services in four categories and separately regulates card schemes, stored value facilities and payment token services.
The CBUAE licensing categories for retail payment, card, stored value and payment token services — no licensee named.
The CBUAE retail payment services regulation defines nine categories of retail payment service, including payment account issuance, merchant acquiring, domestic and cross-border fund transfer, payment token, payment initiation and account information services.
Payment service providers licensed under that regulation fall into Category I to IV licences; Category I covers all listed services including payment token and cross-border transfer services, and Category IV covers only payment initiation and payment account information services.
Card schemes operating in the UAE must obtain a CBUAE licence before starting operations, and the Central Bank reserves the sole right to issue card issuer identification numbers (BINs).
The CBUAE stored value facility (SVF) regulation sets a licensing regime for SVFs under the Central Bank Law and excludes financial free zones, although institutions regulated by financial free zone authorities may conduct SVF business in the UAE after obtaining a CBUAE licence.
The CBUAE payment token services regulation states that payment token services comprise three categories, namely payment token issuance, payment token conversion, and payment token custody and transfer, and are subject to Central Bank licensing or registration.
Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation — Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE Rulebook)
Article (3): License Categories — Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE Rulebook)
Article (18): Card Schemes — Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE Rulebook)
Stored-value facilities — Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE Rulebook)
Payment Token Services Regulation — Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE Rulebook)
Fact sheet last reviewed 2026-09-28. Jurisdiction rules are confirmed against the sources above; a provider's own requirements differ and are confirmed by the provider.
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Latynex is not a bank or electronic money institution. Financial accounts and payment services are provided by independent, regulated financial institutions. Final eligibility and approval are determined by the selected provider, following its own KYC/KYB review.
Payment service providers licensed under that regulation fall into Category I to IV licences; Category I covers all listed services including payment token and cross-border transfer services, and Category IV covers only payment initiation and payment account information services.
Card schemes operating in the UAE must obtain a CBUAE licence before starting operations, and the Central Bank reserves the sole right to issue card issuer identification numbers (BINs).
No. Latynex is not a bank, EMI or payment institution. We review your case and, where suitable, introduce it to an independent, regulated financial provider who handles the account itself.
No. No introducer can guarantee a banking or payment-account decision. The provider you are introduced to runs its own KYC/KYB review and makes the final call under its own policies.
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