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UAE Introduces Region’s First License For “Finfluencers”
The UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority is setting rules for financial content creators and waiving fees for three years.
The UAE has introduced a groundbreaking licensing requirement for social media influencers and digital content creators who offer financial advice or investment recommendations online. The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) unveiled the new “finfluencer” license — the first regulatory measure of its kind in the region — in a move to increase transparency and accountability in digital financial communications.
Under the new guidelines, individuals creating content around investments, trading, or financial recommendations via social media platforms, blogs, YouTube channels, podcasts, webinars, or in-person events are now required to obtain this license. The initiative targets influencers who discuss regulated financial products or services available in the UAE, such as stocks, virtual assets, trading platforms, and related investment advice.
To encourage content creators to comply and ease the regulatory process, the SCA has waived registration, renewal, and legal consultation fees for this license over the next three years. The move is expected to reduce administrative hurdles and foster innovation within a robust legal framework, allowing digital financial content to flourish responsibly.
“This is more than just regulation — it’s a strategic step to reshape how regulators operate in the digital economy,” said Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, CEO of the SCA. He highlighted that the initiative aims to enhance market integrity, foster transparency, and create a trusted environment for investors. “By adopting forward-thinking regulatory models, the SCA is positioning itself as an enabler of transformative change in finance”.
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Licensed influencers must adhere to strict regulatory standards designed to ensure the accuracy, fairness, and responsibility of their content. Advice that now requires licensing includes recommendations on buying or selling financial products, forecasting asset values, creating financial reports, and offering analysis on regulated investments.
This licensing framework is part of the SCA’s broader efforts to support the UAE’s rapid growth as a global financial hub. By modernizing regulation to align with evolving consumer habits and digital platforms, the SCA aims to protect investors and promote financial literacy, while facilitating innovation in a fast-changing market.
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Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform
Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.
Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.
The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.
The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.
Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.
Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.
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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.
“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.
Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.
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