# Introduction to Financial Services licence in the UAE

> Introduction to Financial Services licensing in the UAE — the authority catalogue rows we hold for this line, the approvals attached to them, and where the activity can be filed.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/introduction-to-financial-services
- Updated: 2026-09-04
- IFZA (Dubai): 6619029
- Regulation: Regulator approval required
- Publication: below the publication gate (Activity sits with a restricted regulator)
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## What the authority says

Includes firms engaged in introducing financial services by inviting any person in any way or means to enter into an agreement with a licensed entity or a body licensed by a regulatory authority similar to the authority to provide him with a financial service.

Source: IFZA activity catalogue.

## Where you can licence this

| Authority | Status | Code | Licence type | Approval | Facility |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) | Listed | 6619029 | Professional | Required before the licence issues | Not restricted in the catalogue |
| [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) | Not listed under this name | — | — | — | — |
| [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) | Not verified — we hold no DET activity catalogue | — | — | — | — |

Catalogue evidence, not legal advice. Authorities change activity lists without notice — confirm before you file.

## Routes that list this activity

- [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) — Dubai address, available with Dubai Setup Index. From, no visa: AED 12,900 (12 months · calculator output)

A route listing the activity is a starting point. The authority confirms eligibility when you apply.

## Third-party approvals

This activity sits with a regulator that controls who may hold the licence. Treat everything below as a starting point and speak to the regulator before you commit money or dates.

### Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA)

Before licence · IFZA (Dubai)

Authority’s process note: Approval is required before the license is issued; this means that you will submit the license application. Once the required documents are generated in the final stage (after the license application passes the security check), we will send the documents across to apply for the approval. The client can apply for the service through https://www.sca.gov.ae/en/services/services-catalogue/financial-activity-licensing.aspx Charges differ on the activity itself. All information is mentioned on the website.

[Approval documents](https://ifza.link/PCzgbf)

## Free zone or mainland

- IFZA lists this activity; Ajman Free Zone does not carry it under the same name, so confirm the Ajman catalogue before switching lanes.
- We hold no Dubai DET record for this activity, so treat mainland as unverified here rather than unavailable.
- Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) clearance is required before the licence issues, which breaks any advertised same-week timeline.

## Related activities

- [Financial Consultation & Financial Analysis](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/financial-consultation-and-financial-analysis) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Financial Instruments Quotation Services](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/financial-instruments-quotation-services) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Other activities auxiliary to financial service activities ( except insurance and pension funding )](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/other-activities-auxiliary-to-financial-service-activities-except-insurance-and-pension-funding) — Ajman Free Zone
- [Consultancy Regarding the Issuance of Securities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/consultancy-regarding-the-issuance-of-securities) — Dubai mainland (DET)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I add more activities to a Introduction to Financial Services licence later?

Usually yes, as a licence amendment, subject to the authority's rules and any extra approval attached to the new line.

### Does this activity need third-party approval?

Yes. Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) must clear the activity before the licence issues, so build that step into your timeline.

## Related

- [All business activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities)
- [Compare setup routes](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare)
- [How company setup works](https://dubaisetupindex.com/how-it-works)

## Machine-readable

- [Introduction to Financial Services record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/activities/introduction-to-financial-services.json)

## Citation

Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional.

Dubai Setup Index. “Introduction to Financial Services licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-04. https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/introduction-to-financial-services

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/introduction-to-financial-services). “Introduction to Financial Services licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-04.

Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown.