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UAE CMA (formerly SCA) Regulated Forex Brokers 2026

Tier 2 - Well Regulated

Capital Market Authority (formerly the Securities and Commodities Authority) · United Arab Emirates (Mainland) · Est. 2000

The Capital Market Authority (CMA) is the federal financial regulator of the United Arab Emirates for the UAE mainland, outside the DIFC and ADGM financial free zones. It replaced the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) on 1 January 2026 under Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and No. 33 of 2025, and took over all of the SCA's rights, obligations and licences as its legal successor. The SCA itself had regulated the mainland market since 2000. For traders in Dubai (outside the DIFC), Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates, the CMA is the federal regulator for financial services offered locally. Brokers and documents may still refer to an "SCA licence"; those licences now sit with the CMA.

Regulator Type

Federal statutory authority (UAE Mainland)

Previous Name

Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), until 31 December 2025

Compensation Scheme

No specific retail compensation fund

Jurisdiction

UAE mainland (all emirates except DIFC/ADGM)

Client Fund Segregation

Required for licensed entities

Regulatory Powers

Licensing, supervision, enforcement, fines

Regulatory Register

Licensed entities search at uaecma.gov.ae

Forex Brokers Regulated by UAE CMA (formerly SCA)

No brokers currently listed with UAE CMA (formerly SCA) regulation. Browse all brokers.

What Is the Capital Market Authority (formerly the Securities and Commodities Authority)?

How to Verify UAE CMA (formerly SCA) Regulation

Before depositing funds with any broker, verify their regulatory status directly on the UAE CMA (formerly SCA) official register. Do not rely solely on licence numbers displayed on a broker's website - always cross-check the number against the public register. The official website is listed in the key facts above. Be wary of clone firms that use the names and registration numbers of legitimate brokers to deceive traders. For a full breakdown of all GCC and international regulators, see our GCC Forex Regulation Complete Guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the SCA now the CMA?

Yes. On 1 January 2026 the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) was reconstituted as the Capital Market Authority (CMA) under Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and No. 33 of 2025. The CMA is the SCA's legal successor, so licences issued by the SCA continue under the CMA. The old sca.gov.ae website now redirects to uaecma.gov.ae.

Is the UAE CMA the same as Saudi Arabia's CMA?

No. They share a name but are separate regulators. The UAE Capital Market Authority regulates the UAE mainland; the Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia regulates the Saudi market. A broker licensed by one is not licensed by the other.

Is the UAE CMA the same as the DFSA?

No. The CMA regulates financial services on the UAE mainland (all seven emirates outside the DIFC and ADGM). The DFSA regulates firms inside the Dubai International Financial Centre, and the FSRA regulates firms inside Abu Dhabi Global Market. They are separate regulators with separate jurisdictions.

How do I check whether a broker is licensed in the UAE?

Search the licensed entities register on the CMA website at uaecma.gov.ae for mainland firms, or the DFSA public register for firms in the DIFC. A legitimate licensed broker will show an active licence with its permitted activities. Many international brokers serve UAE residents through entities licensed abroad instead, so also check which entity your account is opened with.

Other Regulators

← All Regulators FCA (UK) ASIC (AU) CySEC (EU) DFSA (UAE) FSRA (ADGM) CMA (SA) CMA (KW) CBB (BH) QFCRA (QA) MAS (SG) NFA (US) BaFin (DE) FSCA (ZA) FMA (NZ) FSA (SC) FSC (MU) VFSC (VU) CIMA (KY)