Table of Contents
Topic Summary
Choose Meydan Free Zone for Full Ownership
Setting up through Meydan Free Zone grants 100% foreign ownership and full profit repatriation. The fully digital licensing process makes it one of the fastest and most cost-effective routes into Dubai's financial services market.
Understand What This Licence Actually Covers
Activity code 6492.01 covers licensed loan-focused financial services delivered to retail, corporate, or institutional clients. It includes core operations, client engagement, back-office support, and regional market reach across Dubai and the wider UAE.
Know the Regulatory Bodies Involved
This activity operates under oversight from the Central Bank of the UAE and the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). A clear regulatory framework and strong regional capital flows make compliance straightforward for established financial operators.
Secure Third-Party Approval Before Licensing
This business activity requires third-party regulatory approval before a trade licence is issued. Your operational model, facility setup, and regulatory documentation must all be reviewed and cleared by the relevant authority first.
Identify the Right Audience for This Structure
This licence suits financial services firms, investment and holding structures, and international groups entering the MENA region. Global banks, asset managers, and fintech companies commonly use a Dubai entity as their regional base of operations.
Recognise Activities That Fall Outside This Code
Credit granting for house purchases by deposit-taking institutions and operational leasing are classified under separate activity codes. If your service falls into a related but distinct category, you will need to apply under the appropriate code instead.
Benefit from UAE's Strategic Financial Services Push
The UAE has designated financial services as a strategic pillar under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and We the UAE 2031. This policy backing translates into sustained government investment and strong enterprise and consumer demand for licensed financial activities.
How to Start a Financial service activities primarily concerned with making loans by institutions not involved Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
A licensed financial service activities primarily concerned with making loans by institutions not involved business serves the UAE's financial services market.¹
Regional demand, government investment in the sector, and strong enterprise and consumer need drive sustained demand for licensed financial service activities primarily concerned with making loans by institutions not involved businesses.²
For operators, this activity benefits from Central Bank of the UAE and SCA regulatory oversight, a clear regulatory framework, and strong regional distribution reach.³
That combination of financial-centre status, mature regulation, and strong regional capital flows is exactly where the opportunity lies.
The UAE has positioned financial services as a strategic pillar under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and We the UAE 2031, with explicit support for licensed financial activities.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Financial services firms | Businesses providing licensed financial services to retail, corporate, or institutional clients under the applicable UAE regulatory framework. |
| Investment, holding, and trust structures | Groups using UAE-licensed vehicles for investment, holding, and fund structuring. |
| International financial groups entering MENA | Global banks, asset managers, and fintech firms establishing a Dubai entity for MENA operations. |
Setting up through Meydan Free Zone means 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, full profit repatriation, and a fully digital licensing process, giving you a fast and cost-effective route into the Dubai financial-services market.
6492.01 - Financial service activities primarily concerned with making loans by institutions not involved
Under this activity, you are in the business of operating a licensed financial service activities primarily concerned with making loans by institutions not involved business.
Services are delivered under the relevant regulatory oversight with appropriate facilities, systems, and qualified personnel.¹
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Core Operations | Primary delivery. Financial service activities primarily concerned with making loans by institutions not involved core services provided to clients under the activity code. |
| Regulated Delivery | Compliance-led. Services delivered under the relevant regulatory framework, standards, and reporting obligations. |
| Client Engagement | Commercial scope. Onboarding, contracting, and ongoing service delivery to retail, corporate, or institutional clients as applicable. |
| Support and Operations | Operational back-office. Systems, staffing, documentation, and operational support needed to run the licensed activity. |
| Regional Reach | Market coverage. Delivery to clients across Dubai, the wider UAE, and regional markets within the scope of this activity. |
There are some things this activity does not cover. Activities such as credit granting for house purchase by specialized institutions that also take deposits; operational leasing, see division 77, according to type of goods leasedgrant; giving activities by membership organizations fall under separate codes.
Other related but distinct services are classified under their own activity codes and not under this one.
In short: if you are operating a licensed financial service activities primarily concerned with making loans by institutions not involved business, you are in. If you are delivering a related but distinct service that falls under another activity, you are not.
Third-Party Approval
This business activity requires third-party approval before the trade licence is issued. In practice, your operational model, facility, and regulatory documentation must be reviewed and cleared by the relevant authority before licensing.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
