UAE seizes Dh4.23 billion in 2025 anti-money laundering drive

The UAE's national anti-money laundering body reported record asset seizures and a surge in international cooperation requests in 2025. New federal legislation and tighter supervision underpinned the results.

UAE anti-money laundering crackdown yields Dh4.23 billion in seized assets

The UAE confiscated Dh4.23 billion as part of its 2025 national anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing framework, gulfnews.com reports, citing performance indicators published by the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organisations (NAMLCFTC).

The results were approved at the most recent meeting of the Higher Committee Overseeing the National Strategy on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing.

Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE and Chairman of the National Committee, said the figures reflect "steady progress" in implementing the National Strategy for Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorism Financing, and Counter-Proliferation Financing (2024–2027). He pointed in particular to the issuance of Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, describing it as a major legislative milestone that "strengthened governance structures, deepened institutional integration, and further elevated the UAE's financial and economic competitiveness on the global stage."

International cooperation requests rise sharply

Hamid Saif Al Zaabi, Secretary-General and Vice Chairman of the National Committee, said the 2025 indicators reflect alignment with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and international best practices. During the year, the General Secretariat convened 15 National Expert Team meetings with FATF member states.

Incoming mutual legal assistance requests rose 4.9%, from 492 to 516. Extradition requests climbed 25.3%, from 446 to 559. Requests for information received by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) increased 20.7%, from 1,261 to 1,522. Precautionary freezing orders rose 46.7%, from 15 to 22 orders, while the value of frozen assets doubled to AED 150 million.

Inspections, fines and suspicious transaction reports

Supervisory authorities conducted 781 inspections of financial institutions and virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and imposed fines totalling AED 384 million. Suspicious transaction reports (STRs) increased 28% to approximately 80,000 reports; banks accounted for 82.2% of those filings.

At the level of designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs), nearly 8,900 inspections were carried out, resulting in fines of AED 160.33 million.

Beneficial ownership transparency improves 91.7%

Compliance with beneficial ownership data requirements improved 91.7% year-on-year. The number of legal entities lacking beneficial ownership information fell from 4,038 in 2024 to 336. Risk-based inspections increased 54.2%, from 155,000 to 239,000, while beneficial ownership inquiries rose 43.3% to 3,300 — 68.9% of which came from law enforcement agencies and 30.6% from the FIU.

Financial intelligence packages more than double

In the field of financial intelligence and asset recovery, packages disseminated by the FIU increased 83.7%, from 233 to 428. The number of individual reports contained within those packages surged 155.1%, from 1,492 to 3,806. Suspicious transaction reports forwarded to law enforcement rose 20.8%, from 54,000 to 66,000.

Al Zaabi said the results underscore the growing effectiveness of national coordination among relevant authorities and the expanding impact of international partnerships in combating cross-border financial crime. He added that the UAE continues to advance the use of data and statistical indicators to support decision-making and measure the impact of its national framework.

Source: Google News AE