Onshore · SCA
SCA licensing for financial firms in the UAE
A licence supervised by the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority places your firm in one of the world’s fastest-growing financial hubs. The Emirates combine a credible onshore regulator with a tax-efficient base and a genuine gateway position between European, Asian, and African flows.
The regulator
The Securities and Commodities Authority regulates onshore UAE securities and commodities activity, distinct from the standalone financial free zones such as the DIFC and ADGM, which run their own common-law regimes. Choosing between the onshore SCA route and a free-zone authority is itself a strategic decision we work through with each firm.
What the licence permits
Regulated under the SCA
- Operate as an SCA-regulated firm in the onshore UAE market
- Deal in and arrange securities and commodities activities
- Serve a fast-growing Gulf and international client base
Who it suits
Firms targeting Gulf and emerging-market clients that want a credible, tax-efficient regional base.
Market access
Access to the UAE and wider MENA markets from a recognised onshore regulator, with a strategic East-West position.
What to weigh
The first decision is onshore SCA versus a free-zone regulator, as they suit different models. The UAE rewards real local presence and a clear regional strategy.
We run the United Arab Emirates application end to end
Whether you build from new or acquire an existing licensed entity, BrokLicense handles incorporation, the regulator application, the AML and compliance framework, banking and liquidity introductions, and the trading stack. You stay the principal. We do the work, in confidence, and stay on for compliance once you are live.
Cost, capital, and timelines depend on your model and are set out in a first consultation, under NDA, not published here.
Other permissions in United Arab Emirates
Related reading
- How to Start a Forex Brokerage: The Parts Nobody Tells You AboutStarting a brokerage is not one decision. It is a licence, a structure, banking, liquidity, and a platform, in the right order. Here is what it involves.
- How to Choose the Right Jurisdiction for Your BrokerageThe cheapest licence is rarely the right one. Choosing a jurisdiction is about your clients, your banking, and your ambition, not the lowest sticker price.
- Regulated vs Unregulated Broker: Why the Licence Is the BusinessOperating without a licence can look cheaper and faster. It also caps what your business can ever become. Here is what regulation actually buys you.
Other Middle East & Africa jurisdictions
All jurisdictionsDiscuss your mandate in confidence
Every engagement begins under a mutual NDA. Set out the firm you intend to operate and the timeline you are working to, and you leave the first consultation with a recommended jurisdiction, the route to the licence, and a defined scope of work.
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