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Article 1
Article (1) Definitions For the purpose 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 otherwise requires: State : The United Arab Emirates. Local Governments : The local governments of the Emirates of the State. Central Bank : The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE). Authority : The Capital Market Authority. Board : The Board of Directors of the Authority.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding the Regulation of Capital Market 2 Chairman of the Board : The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Authority. Authority Law : Federal Decree by Law No. (32) of 2025 Regarding the Capital Market Authority. Companies Law : Federal Decree by Law No. (32) of 2021 Regarding Commercial Companies, as amended, or any law superseding it. Relevant Legislation : The Authority Law, the legislation regulating the Authority and the Capital Market in force in the State, and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof. Free Zone : Any free zone established or to be established within the State, excluding the Financial Free Zone. Financial Free Zone : The zones that are subject to the provisions of Federal Law No. (8) of 2004 Regarding the Financial Free Zones, as amended, or any law superseding it. Relevant Authorities : The Ministry of Economy and Tourism, the Central Bank, the competent local licensing authorities concerned with corporate affairs in the relevant Emirate, and any other entity in the State related to the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Financial Activities : The financial activities specified pursuant to Article (3) of the Capital Market Regulation Law, which are related to the competencies and objectives of the Authority in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Market : The legal person licensed or approved by the Authority to provide the venue, means, or digital systems necessary to execute transactions in securities or foreign securities, in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding the Regulation of Capital Market 3 Central Clearing : The legal person licensed by the Authority to engage in Central clearing activities in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Central Depository : The legal person licensed by the Authority to carry out central depository activities in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Capital Market Institutions : The Market, the Central Clearing and the Central Depository, and any other institution deemed by the Board as a Capital Market Institution. Person : A natural or legal person, as the case may be. Licensed Person : A person licensed or approved by the Authority, or registered therewith, to carry out one of the financial activities that fall within the regulatory competence of the Authority in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Approved Person : A natural person approved by the Authority to perform any functions related to financial activities, whether as part of the executive management or among the employees of the Licensed Person, in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Executive Management : The holders of positions with persons that are subject to the supervision and oversight of the Authority pursuant to its resolutions, and who assume management, planning, and supervisory functions.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding the Regulation of Capital Market 4 Securities : A domestic financial instrument representing financial contracts, equity rights, or debt instruments that are tradable, transferable, or assignable including the following: 1. Shares of joint stock companies; 2. Pre-emptive rights; 3. Bonds and other debt instruments; 4. Sukuk; 5. Structured products; 6. Certificates; 7. Bills; 8. Units or shares of collective investment funds licensed by the Authority; 9. Securitized financial instruments; 10. Any contract, right, option, or derivative related to any of the securities or tradable products; 11. Any paper, instrument, capital share, or other financial instrument deemed by the Board to be a security for the purposes of applying the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Issuer : A legal person established within the State that issues securities. Foreign Issuer : A legal person established outside the State or within a Financial Free Zone, in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation, that issues or lists securities within the State. Foreign Securities : Securities issued by a Foreign Issuer, and any paper, instrument, capital share, or other foreign financial instrument deemed by the Board as foreign securities.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding the Regulation of Capital Market 5 Financial Product : Securities, Foreign Securities, virtual assets for investment purposes, and any other financial product falling within the competence of the Authority. Tradable Products : Indices, currencies, interest rates, and commodities, including metals, natural resources, and agricultural products, where trading in any of which is limited to hedging contracts such as futures and options, and any other asset traded through contracts approved by the Board. Board of Directors : The board of directors or the board of managers of the Issuer or the Licensed Person, as the case may be. Listed Entity : The legal person that lists Securities or Foreign Securities on the Market. Investment Fund : A financial vehicle through which investors’ funds are pooled for the purpose of investment, in accordance with the decisions issued by the Authority. Virtual Assets : A digital representation of value that may be digitally traded or transferred and may be used for investment purposes, excluding digital representations of fiat currencies, Securities, or other funds, without prejudice to the competence of the Central Bank in regulating instruments of a monetary nature or those related to means of payment or store of value. Material Information : Any information relating to the activity, financial position, or management of the Issuer, which has an effect on its assets, liabilities, financial standing, or the general course of its business, and which may lead to a change in the price or trading volume of a listed Security or Foreign Security, or influence an investor’s decision in respect thereof.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding the Regulation of Capital Market 6 Inside Information : Material Information that has not been disclosed to the public, as determined by the Authority. Insider : Any Person who possesses Inside Information that has come to their knowledge by virtue of their position or employment, or on the occasion of either, or by virtue of a personal or contractual relationship, or by virtue of their ownership of a controlling stake in the capital of the Issuer, or by any other means whatsoever, whether they have acquired or accessed such information personally or it came to their knowledge directly or indirectly, and whether such acquisition was by lawful or unlawful means. Related Party : Any Person connected to the Issuer or the Foreign Issuer in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law and the Relevant Legislation. Offering : The offering of Securities or Foreign Securities for public or private subscription in accordance with the decisions issued by the Authority. Prospectus : A document that sets out the details, procedures, and conditions of the Offering of a Security or a Foreign Security. Settlement and Resolution : The restructuring or liquidation of any Licensed Person designated by the Authority as systemically important pursuant to the provisions of Article (52) of this Decree by Law, through the exercise of resolution and settlement powers, in accordance with Articles (54) and (55) of this Decree by Law, for the purpose of ensuring the continuity of the Licensed Person’s critical functions, preserving financial stability, and minimizing costs to clients or beneficiaries, as the case may be.
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Federal Decree by Law of 2025 Regarding the Regulation of Capital Market 7
