Crowdfunding in the UAE

Raising funds via digital platforms must be done legally and under licence/licence. Crowdfunding allows you to collect investments or donations from many people through an online platform. In the UAE this mechanism is tightly regulated: clear rules apply to platforms, licensing is required, and all transactions are supervised for transparency.

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Legal framework for crowdfunding

Jurisdiction	Regulator	Highlights
🇦🇪 Federal (UAE)	Cabinet Decision No. 3 of 2021	Foundational UAE crowdfunding rules
DIFC / ADGM	DFSA / FSRA	Licences for fintech and investment models
Mainland	SCA (Securities & Commodities Authority)	Regulates equity- and debt-based models
Charity	IACAD, MOHRE	Regulate donation-based campaigns

Types of crowdfunding

Model	What it is	Who regulates
Donation-based	Non-refundable donations	IACAD / MOHRE
Reward-based	Rewards (product/service)	Licensed UAE platforms
Equity-based	Investors receive shares/equity	SCA / FSRA / DFSA
Debt-based	Loans with interest (P2P lending)	SCA / Central Bank of the UAE

What is prohibited

🚫 Launching fundraising on social media or platforms without a licence/licence.
🚫 Soliciting funds from individuals without disclosures and regulatory approval.
🚫 Using overseas platforms (GoFundMe, Indiegogo, etc.) without UAE registration/approval.
📌 Penalties: up to AED 500,000 plus account blocking and potential criminal action.

Who can launch crowdfunding

Only licensed legal entities: SCA, DFSA, FSRA or IACAD approvals required.
Compliance with KYC, AML, data protection and risk-disclosure standards.
Non-profit campaigns must run via approved platforms (e.g., Dubai Cares, YallaGive).

Want to launch crowdfunding in the UAE — legally?

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Examples of licensed platforms in the UAE

Platform	Model	Registration
Beehive	P2P / SME lending	DFSA (DIFC)
Eureeca	Equity crowdfunding	SCA
Aflamnah	Reward-based	UAE-registered
Dubai Cares / YallaGive	Donation-based	IACAD-approved

What MIRAD does

Advise on model selection (equity, reward, donation, lending).
Prepare documentation and file licence/licence applications with SCA, FSRA or DFSA.
Incorporate the company, draft the operating model and build compliance systems.
Support the end-to-end journey from concept to platform launch.
Help start-ups and brands raise funds via approved UAE platforms.

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