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Retail Payment Systems

Get support with CBUAE licensing, application documents and compliance controls to launch your payment service in the UAE.

Get RPS Support

    About Our Retail Payment Systems Service

    Launching a payment product in the UAE takes more than a strong idea and working technology. You need to know which regulated activity applies, what the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) expects, and whether your governance, capital, systems and controls are ready for review.

    Vertex Compliance supports fintech founders, payment businesses and established firms through the setup and compliance process. We help you define the proposed service, map it to the relevant regulatory category, prepare the required documents and build practical controls for day-to-day operations.

    Our work is shaped around your actual business model. With us, you can easily issue payment accounts or instruments, acquire merchants, aggregate payments, transfer funds, or provide payment initiation or account information services. We help you understand the regulatory route before you commit significant time and money.

    Retail Payment Systems

    What Our RPS Setup Reviews

    Support is tailored to your business model, planned activities and stage of development.

    1. Regulatory Scope and and Business Model

    We review how money moves through your service, who holds the funds, who serves the customer and who is responsible at each stage. We also examine your partners, technology, target transaction flows and target target customer journey. Based on this review, we identify the activities that may require CBUAE approval and flag areas that need clarification before the application begins.

    2. Licensing and Application Support

    We help prepare the business plan,lk, programme of operations, governance documents and supporting information required for the licensing process. We also organise the application so that your proposed services, ownership structure, operating model, revenue arrangements and compliance responsibilities are explained clearly and consistently.

    3. Risk, Compliance and Control Framework Framework

    We develop or review the policies and controls your payment business needs to operate. Depending on your service, this may include AML/CFT/CPF and sanctions controls, fraud prevention, consumer protection, complaint handling and data protection. We also look at operational risks, oversight of outsourced providers and plans for keeping the business running during a disruption.

    Our Approach

    Our four-stage process keeps the project focused and reduces avoidable rework.

    1
    1. Understand the Service

    We examine your products, customers, transaction flows, delivery channels, jurisdictions, technology and third-party relationships. This gives us a practical understanding of what the business will do and how the service will operate.

    2
    2. Confirm the Regulatory Route

    We map the business model against the relevant UAE payment regulations. We identify the likely licence category and explain the main approval, capital, governance and documentation requirements.

    3
    3. Build the Application Pack

    We prepare and review the required policies, plans, procedures and supporting materials. Any gaps are assigned to the appropriate owner, with clear actions and realistic priorities.

    4
    4. Support Review and Readiness

    We help your team respond to questions, update documents and prepare for regulatory engagement. Where required, we can continue supporting implementation after approval.

    Who Is Retail Payment Systems Service For?

    Fintech Start-ups
    Payment Service Providers
    Banks and Financial Institutions
    International Payment Firms

    Ideal for businesses planning to launch or operate a retail payment system and needing guidance on setup, licensing, and regulatory requirements.

    Why Choose Vertex Compliance?

    Clear Regulatory Direction

    We explain which requirements apply to your payment business and what needs to be done next. You receive a clear list of documents, decisions and controls, without having to work through the regulations alone.

    Advice That Fits Your Business

    No two payment services operate in exactly the same way. Our advice is based on your products, customers, technology, transaction flows, business partners and the risks connected with your proposed operations.

    Documents Your Team Can Use

    We prepare policies and procedures for practical use, not simply for submission. Each document sets out the relevant responsibilities, approval steps, reporting lines, records and actions your employees need to follow.

    Support After Submission

    Our involvement does not have to end once the application is submitted. We can help answer regulatory questions, put the required controls in place, address identified gaps and prepare your business for ongoing supervision.

    Meet the Experts

    Sarah Khan
    Vasantha Madan Mohan

    Managing Director

    Sarah Khan
    Sridhar Rajam

    Associate Partner

    Sarah Khan
    Arjun Mohan

    Director – Sales & Marketing

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Not automatically. The answer depends on the activity, where it is provided, who the customers are and whether an exclusion applies. Your business model should be reviewed before you rely on any licensing assumption.
    The CBUAE framework addresses activities such as payment account and payment instrument issuance, merchant acquiring, payment aggregation, domestic and cross-border fund transfers, payment initiation and payment account information services. Payment-token activities may fall under a separate regulatory framework.
    Requirements vary by licence category. Applicants should generally expect to provide information about their business model, ownership, governance, financial resources, technology, outsourcing arrangements, risk management and compliance framework. Policies must reflect the proposed operation rather than rely on generic templates.
    No adviser can guarantee regulatory approval. Vertex can help you prepare a clear and consistent application, identify gaps early and respond to regulatory questions. The final licensing decision remains with the relevant authority.
    Yes. Our support can include control implementation, policy updates, AML/CFT/CPF reviews, risk assessments, staff training, compliance monitoring and preparation for regulatory inspections.
    Do not assume that submitting an application gives you permission to operate. The answer depends on the activity you plan to offer and the approvals it requires. We can help you identify what needs to be in place before launch.