SKU-07UAE8 weeksNew
Issuer architecture and reserves design
Prepare a dirham payment token licence with an architecture, reserve model and governance the Central Bank can approve.
The outcome you can measure
Three numbers at the end of week 8
01 · A dateYour licence application dateWith the steps, owners and evidence to get there.
02 · A gap countReserve and governance gapsAgainst the issuer rules, ranked.
03 · A money figureCapital and reserve planFrom AED 15M, plus a share of tokens outstanding and a matching bank guarantee.
Why now
- Sep 2026Several dirham stablecoins were licensed or approved by the Central Bank.
- CapitalIssuers need AED 15M, plus 0.5% of tokens outstanding (2% on the alternative reserve route), plus a bank guarantee equal to paid-up capital.
- Who can issueDirham payment tokens can be issued only by UAE-incorporated firms outside ADGM and DIFC, and only to UAE residents.
- DirectionZand and Circle’s AED–USD corridor and HSBC’s tokenized deposits show where bank-grade digital money is heading.
Sources: Cryptoverse Lawyers on capital; CMS; DLA Piper (October 2026). Not legal advice.
Who it’s for
A good fit
- Banks planning a dirham stablecoin or tokenized deposit
- Well-capitalized fintechs and payment groups
- Treasury, risk and compliance leads
Not the right start
- Using someone else’s stablecoin: see payment token readiness
- Tokenizing assets other than money: see the tokenization blueprint
What you get, and how it runs
- Issuer architecture: minting, redemption, wallets and controls
- Reserve-of-assets model and safekeeping design
- Governance, risk and reporting framework
- Capital and liquidity plan
- A licence application plan and board pack
- Weeks 1–2Business model, token design and current state
- Weeks 3–4Issuer architecture and reserve model
- Weeks 5–6Governance, risk and reporting
- Weeks 7–8Capital plan, application plan and board pack
What I need from you
- Treasury and compliance sponsors
- Your legal counsel for the application
- Intended use cases and volumes
Where it leads
Oversight through application and launch, and settlement and reconciliation design for minting and redemption flows.
How we’d work
Fixed feeQuoted after a 30-minute scoping call, paid in two milestones.
In DubaiBased in Dubai; on site with your treasury, risk and technology teams.
IndependentI don’t resell issuance or custody platforms. fazeZERO, which I contract through, won’t bid on build work from my advice without your written consent.
Not legal adviceYour counsel leads the application; I lead the architecture and operating evidence.
Next step
Tell me what your dirham token is for.
A 30-minute call is enough to confirm the fit, the fee and a start date.