UAE Banks Turn Blockchain Pilots Into Profitable Infrastructure Under 2025 Law

On 11 March 2026, the United Arab Emirates was described as having shifted from experimental blockchain pilots to live banking infrastructure that generates revenue, backed by Federal Decree Law No. 6 of 2025 and Central Bank oversight with fines up to $272 million for operating without a license. Major institutions such as Emirates NBD have invested over AED 1 billion in digital transformation and are adopting CBDC platforms like the Digital Dirham and Project mBridge, while the country’s digital banking market is projected to reach $175 billion by 2029.