Overview - Reporting Suspicious Transactions

The obligation to submit a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) and/or Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) to the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (UAE FIU) arises under UAE Federal Law No. 20 of 2018, UAE Federal Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019, and Section 13 of the AML Module. Federal Anti-Money Laundering legislation applies directly in the DIFC under Articles 70 and 71 of the Regulatory Law.

All suspicious transactions and activities must be reported electronically to the UAE FIU via the GoAML portal. Registration on the GoAML platform is mandatory for all Relevant Persons.

Purpose of the GoAML Portal

The GoAML portal was developed to enhance the UAE’s capacity to combat financial crime and terrorism financing. It allows the FIU to:

• Strengthen and broaden its capability to discharge its legislative objectives and functions;
• Ensure the UAE financial system remains effective in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing;
• Enhance cooperation among reporting entities, supervisory bodies, and law enforcement agencies;
• Standardise and streamline reporting to align with FATF Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing standards.

ASMEC’s Role

As the competent authority for administering Federal AML Legislation within the DIFC, ASMEC (formerly DFSA) is responsible for:

• Accepting pre-registrations that allow Relevant Persons to access the GoAML portal;
• Approving registrations for all Relevant Persons post pre-registration formalities.

Relevant Persons should contact ASMEC through the Supervised Firm Contact Form for assistance with GoAML registration.