The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has released an explainer guide for its Innovation Testing Licence (ITL), aimed at helping firms understand how to access the DFSA’s regulatory sandbox and progress from testing to full authorisation for innovative financial services in or from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The ITL is a restricted financial services licence that lets eligible firms test innovative products, services, and business models in a controlled environment under close supervisory oversight, with temporary modifications to existing regulatory requirements. The guide sets out the licence’s purpose, eligibility criteria, application process, and the obligations firms must meet during the testing phase. The guide’s launch precedes the Dubai FinTech Summit 2025 on 12–13 May 2025, where the DFSA plans to lead Regulatory Forum sessions and host a Cyber and AI Regulatory College, and to discuss initiatives including the ITL, Tokenisation Regulatory Sandbox, and its approach to crypto and digital assets. Applications for the ITL are open year-round, with decisions typically issued within 10–12 weeks of receiving a complete submission.

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