Federal Decree by Law No. (14) of 2018 Concerning the Central Bank and the Regulation of Financial Institutions and Activities
Federal Decree by Law No. (14) of 2018
Historic federal framework for the UAE Central Bank, monetary policy, licensing and supervision of financial institutions and activities, consumer protection and financial-system regulation; replaced by the 2025 framework.
Overview
What this legislation covers
Historic federal framework for the UAE Central Bank, monetary policy, licensing and supervision of financial institutions and activities, consumer protection and financial-system regulation; replaced by the 2025 framework.
Who or what it applies to
- Historic legal analysis of the Central Bank and licensed financial institutions before the 2025 replacement law.
- Banks, finance companies, exchange businesses and other previously licensed financial institutions and activities.
- Legacy transactions or enforcement issues governed by the law during its period of operation.
Key points
Important points at a glance
Historically regulated the objectives, governance and powers of the Central Bank.
Regulated monetary policy, currency, reserves and payment-system functions.
Created the licensing framework for banks and other licensed financial institutions and activities.
Granted the Central Bank supervisory, inspection and enforcement powers.
Contained prudential, governance and compliance requirements for regulated institutions.
Contained consumer-protection and confidentiality provisions.
Was amended several times during its period of operation.
Was replaced by Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 concerning the Central Bank, financial institutions, activities and insurance business.
Practical explanation
Understanding the law
Historic-law explanation
Why this law still matters
Although replaced, the decree-law may remain relevant to conduct, decisions and contracts that occurred while it was in force.
Current framework
For present-day licensing, supervision, banking regulation and insurance-business regulation, users should consult Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 and current Central Bank rules.
Legacy analysis
Historic enforcement actions, contractual issues and transitional matters may still require the version of the law in force at the relevant date.
Amendments
The 2018 framework was amended several times, so historic research should identify the exact version applicable on the relevant date.
Practical notes
- Do not use this as the primary current-law source for new banking or insurance matters.
- Current matters should be checked under Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 and current CBUAE regulations.
- The archived law remains useful for historical rights, obligations and transitional analysis.
Legislation text
Text and provisions
Official-text notice. This package provides a structured English rendering based on the official UAE legislation source identified in the manifest. It is not represented as the legally controlling Arabic text. For interpretation and application, consult the original Arabic text and the latest consolidated official UAE legislation.
Verified legislative metadata
| Instrument | Federal Decree by Law No. (14) of 2018 |
|---|---|
| Issued date | 2018-09-23 |
| Effective date | 2018-10-01 |
| Status | Repealed / replaced by Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 |
| Official Gazette | Official Gazette No. 637 |
| Official source | UAE Legislation |
Structured rendering of the legislation
Historic legal framework
The decree-law formed the principal federal statute governing the Central Bank and the licensing and supervision of financial institutions and regulated financial activities until the 2025 replacement framework.
Central Bank objectives and powers
Defined the Central Bank's objectives and legal powers concerning monetary stability, currency, reserves, financial-system stability and regulation.
Governance
Regulated the Central Bank's board, senior management, decision-making and institutional powers.
Monetary policy and currency
Provided legal authority for monetary-policy tools, currency issuance, reserves and related central-banking operations.
Licensing of financial institutions
Required persons carrying on regulated financial activities to obtain the appropriate Central Bank licence and comply with licence conditions.
Supervision and inspection
Granted the Central Bank powers to supervise, inspect and require information from licensed institutions.
Prudential and governance requirements
Set financial, governance, risk-management and operational requirements for regulated institutions and permitted detailed rules to be issued by the Central Bank.
Consumer protection and market conduct
Contained provisions relevant to customer protection, transparency and the conduct of licensed institutions.
Enforcement
Provided administrative and regulatory tools for addressing breaches, including restrictions, directions, licence measures and penalties within the statutory framework.
Replacement in 2025
Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025 introduced the current unified framework and replaced this 2018 law. Current legal analysis should start with the 2025 legislation.
Verification
Official source & references
Official legislation sourcehttps://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1083/archivedOpen ↗Official Gazette: Official Gazette No. 637
This page is a research and educational resource. Legislation can be amended, repealed, supplemented by regulations or interpreted by courts and authorities. Obtain advice before relying on it for a live matter.