How long can the UAE FIU suspend a suspicious transaction under the new AML Law?
Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 empowers the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit to instruct a regulated entity to suspend a suspicious transaction for up to 10 working days while it conducts further analysis. This is separate from, and shorter than, the FIU’s power to issue an administrative freezing order over funds for up to 30 days. Together these tools allow the FIU to interrupt the movement of suspect proceeds while it determines whether further investigative steps or sanctions designations are warranted.
For a regulated entity, receiving a suspension instruction triggers immediate action. The transaction must be held, the customer must not be tipped off, internal stakeholders should be informed on a need-to-know basis, and the entity should be ready to share supporting analysis with the FIU. Supervisors expect regulated entities to test their suspension and freezing playbooks at least annually as part of operational resilience and AML programme assurance.
Legal Reference (UAE):
- Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, FIU suspension and freezing powers
For more details, consult the full text of Federal Decree-Law 10/2025