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Find out moreWelcome to this edition of Law Update, where we focus on the ever-evolving landscape of financial services regulation across the region. As the financial markets in the region continue to grow and diversify, this issue provides timely insights into the key regulatory developments shaping banking, investment, insolvency, and emerging technologies.
2025 is set to be a game-changer for the MENA region, with legal and regulatory shifts from 2024 continuing to reshape its economic landscape. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, and Bahrain are all implementing groundbreaking reforms in sustainable financing, investment laws, labor regulations, and dispute resolution. As the region positions itself for deeper global integration, businesses must adapt to a rapidly evolving legal environment.
Our Eyes on 2025 publication provides essential insights and practical guidance on the key legal updates shaping the year ahead—equipping you with the knowledge to stay ahead in this dynamic market.
Anna Robinson - Senior PSL (Consultant) - Corporate / Mergers and Acquisitions / Venture Capital and Emerging Companies
In an event held by the Securities & Commodities Authority (‘SCA‘) under the title “The Role of Financial Markets Institutions in Motivating Investment in Securities” H.E. Dr. Obaid Al Zaabi launched the “Investors Rights in Capital Market” guidelines (‘Guidelines’) The Guidelines summarise investors’ rights and the standard of conduct that they should expect from financial service providers. It is helpful for both investors to understand their rights and persons licensed by the SCA to understand the SCA’s expectations of them in the provision of financial services.
The Guidelines list 20 rights to which all investors are entitled when dealing with SCA licenced providers including but not limited to brokerage, trading, investment management, promotion and introductions service providers. In short, the Guidelines provide that a licenced service provider shall:
The Guidelines do not impose new obligations on financial service providers as their obligations are already contained in regulations issued by the SCA. However, the codification of investors’ rights, in an easily accessible and comprehensible document, should motivate investment by establishing trust in the market between licenced providers and investors. Increased trust in the market should lead to increased investments because:
The SCA is also taking further steps to make the market more attractive to investors and increase the access investors have to material by providing information and guidance on a number of social media platforms including Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These steps should assist in making the market more accessible to the modern investor. This move, by the SCA, demonstrates the steps it is taking to achieve its mandate of safeguarding the rights of investors, promoting sound practices, and creating a capital-attractive environment.
Al Tamimi & Company’s Equity Capital Markets team regularly advises on investors’ rights in Capital Markets. For further information please contact Anna Robinson (a.robinson@tamimi.com) or Yousef Al Amly (y.alamly@tamimi.com).
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