The map·UAE·Government programmes

CBUAE FinTech Sandbox

Central Bank of the UAE regulatory sandbox (Sandbox Conditions Regulation) — co-sandboxing with ADGM and DIFC.

What
Regulatory permission to test fintech and digital-banking products.
Who
FinTech, payments, digital-banking and payment-token startups.
Cost
No equity — service or permission
Status
Active

Checked · September 2026 · centralbank.ae/en/our-operations/fintech-digital · How we check ↗

Website ↗On the map →

In detail

CBUAE FinTech Sandbox is a regulatory sandbox in the UAE. Central Bank of the UAE regulatory sandbox (Sandbox Conditions Regulation) — co-sandboxing with ADGM and DIFC. Licenses payments, stored value, digital banks and payment tokens; broader crypto sits with VARA/ADGM.

Amount
Regulatory permission to test
Eligibility
FinTech, payments, digital banking, payment-token startups
Sectors
FinTech, Payments, Digital Banking, Payment Tokens
Status
Active

What the source says

“Launched by The Central Bank of the UAE in 2020, the FinTech Office aims to build a mature FinTech ecosystem in the UAE”

centralbank.ae/en/our-operations/fintech-digital-transformat · seen September 2026

“It works with key stakeholders to develop a FinTech ecosystem with five pillars: 1) Demand, 2) Capital, 3) Policy, 4) Talent, and 5) Infrastructure.”

centralbank.ae/en/our-operations/fintech-digital-transformat · seen September 2026

“Open Finance will unlock opportunities for customers to access, understand, use, and switch financial services and products available in the UAE.”

centralbank.ae/en/our-operations/fintech-digital-transformat · seen September 2026

Closing soon on the map

Cultural Development Fund (CDF)

Grant · Saudi Arabia
Up to SAR 500,000 non-repayable per project, capped at 20 projects total.
No equity — grant
29 Sep 2026closes

Finspire

Accelerator · Saudi Arabia
SAR 100,000 development funding, earmarked rather than paid as cash.
Equity via SAFE, capped at 5%
4 Oct 2026closes

QSTP Incubation

Accelerator · Qatar
In-kind support: Doha workspace and housing for a four-week Sprint, talent and investor access.
Equity — 1.5% deferred SAFE-style stake
1 Nov 2026closes

All published deadlines →

More government programmes in the UAE

ADGM

Government · UAE
A RegLab regulatory sandbox; not a funding programme.
No equity — service or permission
—

ADIO

Government · UAE
Project-dependent incentive packages plus regulatory fast-tracking.
No equity — service or permission
—

DIFC

Government · UAE
100% foreign ownership in a dedicated free zone; not a funding programme.
No equity — service or permission
—

Dubai Future Foundation

Government · UAE
Programme support and co-creation opportunities.
—

All government programmes in the UAE →  ·  Across the Gulf →

More programmes that take no equity →

Sources

Primary source · centralbank.ae/en/our-operations/fintech-digital-transformation · LinkedIn · linkedin.com/company/central-bank-of-the-uae · Checked September 2026