UAE's ADGM to sign MOU with Israel's securities authority

Dubai: Abu Dhabi's financial centre, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), will sign a memorandum of understanding with Israel Securities Authority and Israel's biggest lender, Bank Hapoalim, to support financial technology, ADGM chairman Ahmed Ali al-Sayegh said on Wednesday.

After the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel agreed to normalise relations in August, the two countries have signed a host of accords to boost economic and business ties.

Last month, the two countries signed an agreement that would give incentives and protection to investors who make investments in each other's countries.

Abdulhamid Saeed Alahmadi, governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, said at the same conference the central bank will issue a series of regulations over the coming months on fintech.

These would cover areas such as licensing and supervisory requirements for the stored value facility used for payment of goods or services, large-value payment system regulation and retail payment system regulation.

The central bank is also looking at a common regulatory framework for fintech solution providers and an evaluation of the distribution and use of digital currency, he said.

Last year the central bank said the UAE was working with Saudi Arabias central bank to issue a digital currency that would be accepted in cross-border transactions between the two countries.