Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), chaired the board meeting on 17 December at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Mansour welcomed attendees and highlighted the CBUAE’s achievements in 2025, stating that the Central Bank is “steadily advancing, in line with the directives of the wise leadership, in implementing ambitious strategies that enhance financial stability, improve the efficiency of the financial system, support the digital transformation journey, and contribute to developing an innovative and secure financial environment that boosts the competitiveness of the national economy.”

The Board reviewed key projects, including the International Central Securities Depository and the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) System, and approved the Central Bank’s estimated budget for 2026.

The meeting also reviewed developments in Emiratisation, noting that the “Ithraa” Programme recruited 9,754 UAE nationals, achieving 95 per cent of its targets.

Updates were provided on the “Jisr” platform for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), interlinked with the UAE’s Instant Payment Interface (IPI) and domestic card scheme “Jaywan”, designed to facilitate cross-border payments and instant settlements.

The Board approved three new regulations, Insurance Licensing, Insurance Brokers, and Telemarketing, and discussed ongoing initiatives across financial infrastructure transformation, governance, international cooperation, and subsidiary operations to support the UAE’s financial sector and economic objectives.

Featured image credit: CBUAE