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Chapter One Definitions: Definitions
Article 1
Article (1) For the purposes of implementing the provisions of this Decree by law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise: The State : The United Arab Emirates. The Ministry : The Ministry of Finance. The Minister : The Minister of Finance. The Central Bank : The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates. The Governor : The Governor of the Central Bank. The Supreme Committee : The Supreme Committee for the Supervision of the National Strategy for Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing. The National Committee : The National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism, and Proliferation Financing. The General Secretariat : The General Secretariat of the National Committee. The Unit : The Financial Intelligence Unit established by virtue of the provisions of this Federal Decree by Law. The Supervisory Authority : The federal and local authorities entrusted under the legislation with the supervision of the financial institutions, designated non-financial businesses and professions, virtual asset service providers, and non-profit organizations (NPOs); or the competent authorities responsible for granting approval to engage in an activity or profession, where no specific supervisory authority is designated by the legislation.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 3 Law Enforcement Authorities : The federal and local authorities entrusted, pursuant to the provisions of this Federal Decree by Law and their applicable legislation, with combating, investigating, detecting, and gathering evidence in respect of the offenses, including Money Laundering, Predicate Offences, the Financing of Terrorism, and the Proliferation Financing. Concerned Authorities : The governmental entities concerned with the implementation of any provision of this Decree by Law within the State. The Executive Office : The Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation, concerned with the implementation of targeted financial sanctions within the State. Targeted Financial Sanctions : The freezing of funds and the prohibition of making them available, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of any natural or legal person or organization designated by resolutions issued by the Cabinet regarding Terrorist Lists, or by the United Nations Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations concerning the prevention and suppression of terrorism and its financing, as well as the prevention, suppression, and halting of proliferation and its financing. The Crime : The crime of Money Laundering and the predicate offences related thereto, or the financing of terrorism, or the proliferation financing. Predicate Offence : Any act constituting a felony or misdemeanor, including the financing of terrorism, the proliferation financing, and evasion of direct and indirect taxes, in accordance with the applicable legislation of the State, whether committed
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 4 within or outside the State, provided that such an act is punishable in both countries. Money Laundering : Any of the acts defined in Clause (1) of Article (2) of this Decree by Law, including its commission through digital systems, Virtual Assets, or cryptographic technologies. Terrorist Act : Any commission, attempt, participation, organization, planning, contribution, or provision of advice in the commission of any of the following acts, or the incitement of others to commit the same, whether committed by a person or by a group of persons acting for a common purpose: 1. Any act or omission constituting a terrorist crime pursuant to Federal Law No. (7) of 2014 referred to hereinabove or any other law, or pursuant to international treaties and conventions on combating of terrorism to which the State is a party. 2. Any act or omission that is unlawfully intended to cause the death of, or to inflict serious bodily injury upon, a civilian or any other person not taking active part in hostilities in the event of an armed conflict, or to cause substantial damage to property or to the environment, where the purpose of such act, by nature or context, is to instill terror among a group of people, or to influence public authorities in the State, another country, or an international organization to perform or refrain from performing any act, or to obtain any benefit or advantage therefrom. Terrorist : Any natural person, whether within or outside the State, who intentionally commits any of the following acts:
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 5 1. Commits or attempts to commit a Terrorist Act by any means, whether directly or indirectly. 2. Participates as an accomplice in a Terrorist Act. 3. Organizes a Terrorist Act or incites others to commit it. 4. Participates with a group of persons acting with a common intent to commit a Terrorist Act for the purpose of expanding terrorist activity or to commit such act, knowing the group’s intention. Terrorist Organization : A group of two or more persons, whether within or outside the State, that has committed a terrorist act, directly or indirectly, or has threatened to commit it, aims, plans, or seeks to commit it, or promotes or participates in its commission, whether directly or indirectly, regardless of its name, form, place of establishment, location, activity, or the nationality or residence of its members; including any organization recognized as a Terrorist Organization under any other law. Financing of Terrorism : Any of the acts defined in Clause (1) of Article (3) of this Federal Decree by Law. Proliferation : The illicit and unauthorized trade, as regulated under the applicable legislation in the State, in materials, systems, equipment, components, programs, or technology contributing to the production or development of Weapons of Mass Destruction, related technology, or their delivery means, including any act stipulated in Clause (3) of Article (3) of this Decree by Law. Weapons of Mass Destruction : Weapons capable of inflicting harm on a large number of persons and posing a threat to human life and the natural environment through their catastrophic effects, such as nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological weapons.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 6 Funds : Assets or properties, however acquired, of any type or form, tangible or intangible, movable or immovable, electronic, digital, or cryptographic, including national and foreign currencies, legal documents, and instruments of whatever form, including electronic or digital forms, evidencing the ownership of such assets or properties, or shares or rights therein; as well as economic resources deemed as assets of any kind, including oil and other natural resources and all rights pertaining thereto, whatever their value or means of acquisition; together with bank credits, cheques, payment orders, shares, securities, bonds, bills of exchange, letters of credit, and any proceeds, profits, or other income derived or resulting therefrom, which may be used to obtain any financing, goods, or services. Virtual Assets : Digital representation of value that may be digitally traded or transferred and may be used for payment or investment purposes, excluding digital representations of fiat currencies, securities, or other Funds. Proceeds : Funds derived, directly or indirectly, from the commission of any felony or misdemeanor, including profits, privileges, economic interests, and other benefits derived therefrom, and any equivalent Funds that have been converted, in whole or in part, into other Funds. Criminal Property : Includes the following: 1. Proceeds derived from the commission of a Money Laundering offence or Predicate Offence. 2. Property used or intended to be used in any manner, in the commission of Money Laundering or a Predicate Offence.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 7 3. Funds constituting the subject matter of Money Laundering. 4. Funds used, intended to be used, or allocated for use in the Financing of Terrorism, Terrorist Acts, Terrorist Organizations, or Proliferation Financing. 5. Proceeds derived from the commission of financing terrorism, Terrorist Acts, Terrorist Organization, or Proliferation Financing. Suspicious Transactions : Transactions involving funds for which there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they constitute Proceeds of any felony or misdemeanor, or are related to Money Laundering, Financing of Terrorism, or Proliferation Financing, whether such transactions were executed or merely attempted. Without Prior Notice : The taking of an action without prior notice or involvement of the owner, Customer, or the affected Party. Freezing : The prohibition imposed on the transfer, conversion, disposition, movement, or transportation of Funds or Criminal Property, pursuant to a decision issued by a Competent Authority, while such Funds remain in the possession of their owner, manager, or holder, for the duration of the validity of such decision. Seizure : The prohibition imposed on the transfer, conversion, disposition, movement, or transportation of Funds or Criminal Property, pursuant to a decision issued by a Competent Authority that assumes actual control and management thereof, for the duration of the validity of such decision.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 8 Confiscation : The permanent deprivation of ownership of private Funds or Criminal Property by virtue of a judgment rendered by a competent court. Asset Recovery : The process of identifying, tracing, evaluating, seizing, freezing, and confiscating, as well as enforcing the relevant orders for the management of Criminal Property or Funds of equivalent value, and their disposal, restitution, delivery, or sharing. Financial Institutions : Any person engaged in one or more financial activities or operations determined by the Executive Regulations of this Federal Decree by Law, on behalf of or for the benefit of a customer. Designated Non- Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) : Any person engaged in one or more of the commercial or professional activities or businesses, as specified in the Executive Regulations of this Federal Decree by Law. Non-Profit Organizations : Any organized group of a continuing nature for a definite or indefinite duration, consisting of natural or legal persons or a legal arrangement, not aimed at profit, which collects, receives, or disburses funds for charitable, religious, cultural, educational, social, solidarity, or other purposes that fall within the scope of benevolent acts. Legal Arrangement : Trusts or other similar arrangements. Trust : A legal relationship whereby the Settlor places Funds under the control of a Trustee for the benefit of a Beneficiary or for a specific purpose, and such Funds are deemed separate from the Trustee’s own property, while the title to the Funds of the Trust remains in the name of the Trustee or another person on behalf of the Trustee.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 9 Settlor : A natural or legal person who transfers the management of their own Funds to a Trustee pursuant to a Trust Instrument. Trustee : A natural or legal person vested with the rights and powers granted thereto by the Settlor or by the Trust, authorized thereby to manage, utilize, and dispose of the Settlor’s Funds in accordance with the conditions imposed by either of them. Customer : Any natural or legal person, or legal arrangement, who establishes or seeks to establish a business relationship with Financial Institutions, any of the Designated Non- Financial Businesses and Professions, or Virtual Asset Service Providers. Transaction : Any disposal or utilization involving Funds or Proceeds, including, inter alia, deposit, withdrawal, transfer, sale, purchase, lending, exchange, mortgage, or donation. Beneficial Owner : The natural person who owns or exercises ultimate effective control over the customer, or the natural person on whose behalf the transactions are conducted; including any person who exercises ultimate effective control over a legal person or legal arrangement, whether directly or through a chain of ownership, control, or other indirect means, and who is identified, whether one or more, in accordance with the Executive Regulations of this Decree by Law. Virtual Asset Service Provider(s) : Any natural or legal person who, as a commercial activity, conducts one or more of the virtual asset activities specified in the Executive Regulations of this Decree by Law or conducts transactions related thereto, on behalf of or for the benefit of another natural or legal person.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding Anti-Money Laundering, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 10 Registrar : The competent authority responsible for supervising the economic or trade register of the various types of establishments registered in the State, as regulated by the legislation in force in the State. Customer Due Diligence (CDD) : The process of identifying and verifying the information of a Customer or Beneficial Owner, whether a natural or legal person or a legal arrangement, as well as identifying the nature of their business, the purpose of the business relationship, and the ownership structure and control thereover, including ongoing monitoring procedures for the purposes of this Decree by Law and its Executive Regulations. Controlled Delivery : An approach whereby the competent authorities, under their supervision, allow the entry into, passage through, transit across, or exit from the State of illicit or suspicious funds, or proceeds of crime for the purpose of detecting an offense and identifying its perpetrators. Undercover Operation : An investigation and detection approach whereby a Judicial Enforcement Officer operates under an assumed or false identity or performs a covert or deceptive role for the purpose of obtaining evidence or information related to an offense. Chapter Two Crimes of Money Laundering, Financing of Terrorism, and Proliferation Financing
