Authorization

If your company is going to be engaged in regulated financial or market activities within the AIFC, it must undergo two distinct procedures:

• Authorisation (obtaining a license from the regulator, AFSA);
• Registration.

To provide regulated financial, market, or professional (ancillary) services within the AIFC, your company must initially obtain a license from the regulator, AFSA. This license enables AFSA to identify and prevent significant misconduct or harm, ensuring that companies and individuals adhere to predefined criteria before offering financial, market or professional (ancillary) services within the AIFC.

There are several ways to establish your company or branch in the AIFC:

• Incorporate a new entity in the AIFC;
• Register a Foreign Company/Partnership incorporated in any jurisdiction other than the
  AIFC as a Recognised Company or
  Recognised Partnership;
• Redomicile legal entity incorporated in another jurisdiction.

Once your company secures a license (applicable to selected industries) and registers its
legal entity in the AIFC, it may start conducting its business operations. It’s crucial to note that AIFC Participants must regularly provide specific information, such as annual filings, and promptly notify the AIFC of any changes in their registered details (event-driven notification). Post-registration procedures entail ongoing compliance and reporting obligations to ensure adherence to regulatory standards within the AIFC jurisdiction.