Securities and Commodities Authority
The Capital Market Authority (formerly Securities and Commodities Authority) is the UAE federal regulator for securities and commodities markets, headquartered in Abu Dhabi with a Dubai branch, overseeing exchanges, investment funds, public joint stock companies, and financial services firms through statutory regulatory powers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Securities and Commodities Authority does
The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), formally renamed the Capital Market Authority (هيئة سوق المال / CMA) effective 1 January 2026 under Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2025, is the UAE's federal regulatory authority for securities and commodities markets. Established in 2000 and headquartered in Abu Dhabi with a regional branch in Dubai, it exercises exclusive statutory authority over capital market supervision, investor protection, and market integrity across the federation. Its service portfolio spans commodity contract listing and delisting (serving exchanges such as Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange), investment fund registration, passporting, and liquidation, public joint stock company authentication, covered warrants and certificates of deposit management, and financial activity licensing. The authority also issues regulatory frameworks including a 2026 Virtual Assets Regulatory Framework with five main units and eight regulated activities, a fintech regulatory sandbox, and sustainable finance legislation, while maintaining active membership in IOSCO (where its CEO chairs the Africa and Middle East Regional Committee), the Union of Arab Securities Commissions, and the Islamic Financial Services Board.
The authority's technology infrastructure is built around the SCACore digital portal, which enables electronic submission, status tracking, and decision delivery for regulatory applications. Service delivery is multi-channel, combining the digital portal, the Abu Dhabi headquarters, the Dubai branch, department-specific email addresses, and integration with broader UAE federal government platforms such as 171, u.ae, and Tawasul. Service fees are nominal and transaction-based — for example, 100 AED per page for authenticated articles of association, 3,000 AED for covered warrants cancellation, and 10,000 AED for local investment fund liquidation study requests. As a federal government entity, the authority does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through the UAE federal budget and derives its operational mandate from statutory law rather than market-based revenue mechanics. Customer segments are mandatory rather than discretionary, comprising commodity exchanges, public joint stock companies, licensed financial services firms, investment funds, and financial market participants across the UAE.
Securities and Commodities Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Securities and Commodities Authority
- Legal name
- هيئة سوق المال (Capital Market Authority)
- Website
- https://sca.gov.ae
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The Capital Market Authority (formerly Securities and Commodities Authority) is the UAE federal regulator for securities and commodities markets, headquartered in Abu Dhabi with a Dubai branch, overseeing exchanges, investment funds, public joint stock companies, and financial services firms through statutory regulatory powers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Securities and Commodities Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Financial Market Regulation
- NAICS
- Securities and Commodity Exchanges (523210), Securities and Commodity Exchanges (52321), Commodity Contracts Intermediation (52316)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commodity Derivatives Exchanges (Futures & Options on Commodities) (FSAFAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commodities / Energy Clearing CCPs (FSAFAFAF), Commodity Electronic Trading Platforms (Energy/Metals/Agriculture) (FSAFANAF)
Keywords
Where Securities and Commodities Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Abu Dhabi
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices2 records
Markets served
Securities and Commodities Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Regulatory Service Fees: Government service fees for processing various regulatory applications including company registrations, fund liquidations, commodity listings, and financial activity licensing
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Authenticated Articles of Association Copies - 100 AED per page |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Local Investment Fund Liquidation Study Request - 10,000 AED |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Covered Warrants and Certificates of Deposit Cancellation - 3,000 AED |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Securities and Commodities Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Securities and Commodities Authority (renamed Capital Market Authority effective January 1, 2026) is the UAE federal regulatory authority overseeing securities and commodities markets. It provides regulated services including commodity contract listing/delistings, investment fund registration and liquidation, covered warrants and certificates of deposit management, authentication of public joint stock companies' articles of association, financial activity licensing, and complaint handling, all backed by Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and 33 of 2025.
Product overview
The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) operates as the UAE's regulatory body for securities and commodities markets. The organization offers a portfolio of core regulatory services including commodities contract listing, investment fund management (registration, passporting, cancellation), covered warrants and certificates of deposit services, and shareholding company governance documentation. SCA also maintains comprehensive regulatory frameworks through its Federal Decree-Laws, including the Capital Markets Law and Financial Markets Regulation Law, establishing an integrated regulatory system for virtual assets with five main units and eight regulated activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Listing of Commodities Contracts Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Record growth in 2025 with markets entering a new phase of development
Companies that use Securities and Commodities Authority
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Securities and Commodities Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Securities and Commodities Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)coreGlobal standard-setting body for securities regulation. SCA CEO re-elected as Chair of IOSCO Africa and Middle East Regional Committee, reinforcing UAE leadership in international financial regulation.
- Union of Arab Securities Commissions (UASA)coreRegional Arab organization for securities regulatory cooperation. Enables coordination on cross-border regulatory matters and harmonization of Arab capital markets standards.
- Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB)coreInternational standard-setting body for Islamic finance. Supports SCA in developing regulatory frameworks for Sharia-compliant financial products and services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Securities and Commodities Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA): The independent regulator of financial services conducted within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). DFSA is the most directly comparable peer as it regulates securities, derivatives, and fund activities within a major UAE free zone, operating in parallel geographic overlap with SCA's domestic jurisdiction.
- Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM: The regulator of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre in Abu Dhabi. FSRA oversees securities, derivatives, funds, and virtual assets within ADGM and competes directly with SCA for regulatory jurisdiction over UAE-based capital markets activity.
Regional players
- Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA): The sole regulatory and supervisory authority for the Saudi capital market, overseeing issuance, trading, and disclosure rules. CMA is a regional peer operating the largest GCC exchange (Tadawul) and shares similar GCC-focused mandates with SCA.
- Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB): The single regulator of Bahrain's financial sector, including banking, insurance, and capital markets. CBB is a GCC peer with integrated regulatory authority comparable to SCA's domestic UAE oversight role.
- Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA): The independent regulator of Qatar's financial markets, overseeing securities exchanges, brokers, and asset management. QFMA is a GCC peer with comparable structure and mandate to SCA for overseeing a national capital market.
Broad incumbents
- Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC): Hong Kong's independent securities and futures regulator with cross-border gatekeeping authority for listings and virtual asset trading platforms. SFC is a comparable Asian capital markets regulator with similar scope to SCA's expanded mandate.
- UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): The conduct regulator for financial services firms and markets in the UK. FCA is a global peer with broad jurisdiction over securities, derivatives, and fund activity, and a recognized IOSCO standard-setter.
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): The federal securities regulator of the United States with global influence over capital markets. SEC is the benchmark securities regulator against which smaller authorities like SCA benchmark their frameworks and IOSCO standards.
- Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS): Singapore's integrated central bank and financial regulator, overseeing securities, banking, insurance, and virtual assets. MAS is a leading global peer known for forward-looking frameworks in fintech and virtual assets, comparable to SCA's expanding scope.
Others
- Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX): A major regional commodities and currency derivatives exchange operating within DMCC free zone. DGCX is a regulated entity under SCA's domestic jurisdiction (outside DIFC) and is a primary subject of SCA's commodity contract listing and delisting services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Securities and Commodities Authority social profiles
Digital presenceSecurities and Commodities Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Securities and Commodities Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Securities and Commodities Authority subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Securities and Commodities Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Securities and Commodities Authority M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Securities and Commodities Authority
What does Securities and Commodities Authority do?
The Securities and Commodities Authority (renamed Capital Market Authority effective January 1, 2026) is the UAE federal regulatory authority overseeing securities and commodities markets. It provides regulated services including commodity contract listing/delistings, investment fund registration and liquidation, covered warrants and certificates of deposit management, authentication of public joint stock companies' articles of association, financial activity licensing, and complaint handling, all backed by Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and 33 of 2025.
Is Securities and Commodities Authority a public or private company?
Securities and Commodities Authority is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Securities and Commodities Authority founded?
Securities and Commodities Authority was founded in 2000. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Securities and Commodities Authority based?
Securities and Commodities Authority is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Securities and Commodities Authority make money?
One revenue line is on record: regulatory Service Fees.
Who are Securities and Commodities Authority's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM. Regional players are Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA), Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA). Broad incumbents are Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC), UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) is listed as an others.
Does Securities and Commodities Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for Securities and Commodities Authority.
What industry is Securities and Commodities Authority in?
Securities and Commodities Authority's product category is Financial Market Regulation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAFAMAG, Commodity Derivatives Exchanges (Futures & Options on Commodities), with a secondary code of FSAFAFAF, Commodities / Energy Clearing CCPs. Its NAICS code is 523210 and its SIC code is 6200.