The Riffle Podcast

ADGM 2026 Commercial Legislation Amendments

In this episode of The Riffle, we examine the Abu Dhabi Global Market’s (ADGM) 2026 Commercial Legislation Amendments and their implications for companies, LLPs, professional service providers, compliance officers, legal advisors, and other market participants operating within the jurisdiction. The discussion explores key regulatory developments, including enhanced beneficial ownership and transparency requirements, trust information duties, nominee director and shareholder disclosures, and the introduction of Supplementary Operating Addresses (SOAs) to provide greater operational flexibility without establishing formal branches. Further, the episode analyses the harmonisation of LLP governance with the Companies Regulations 2020, covering business formalities, accounting and audit requirements, member protections, and the introduction of ESG reporting obligations for larger LLPs. It also examines new licensing conditions for legal, tax, accounting, and company service providers, including professional indemnity insurance requirements, fit and proper person assessments, independent MLRO obligations, and cash transaction restrictions designed to strengthen financial integrity. A concise briefing for Boards, senior executives, compliance professionals, legal advisors, company secretaries, professional service firms, and investors seeking to understand ADGM’s evolving regulatory framework and the practical implications of the 2026 commercial legislation reforms. 🎙️ Presented by 10 Leaves.

Environmental Crime Typologies and Money Laundering Risks

In this episode of The Riffle, we examine the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit’s strategic analysis on Environmental Crime Typologies and Money Laundering Risks and its implications for financial institutions, reporting entities, compliance professionals, MLROs, risk managers, and other stakeholders within the UAE’s AML/CFT framework. The discussion explores key environmental crime typologies identified by the UAEFIU, including Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT), the illicit trade of smuggled oil, illegal mining activities, and other environmental offences such as illegal logging, fisheries crime, and waste trafficking. It also examines the money laundering methods commonly associated with these crimes, including trade-based money laundering, shell and front companies, multi-jurisdictional layering arrangements, and the use of third-party intermediaries. Further, the episode highlights the sectors most vulnerable to environmental crime risks, including banking, logistics, energy, and trading, while analysing behavioural, transactional, geographic, and customs-related risk indicators that can support effective detection and reporting. The conversation also addresses current challenges faced by reporting entities, including limited understanding of environmental crime typologies, insufficient intelligence sharing, and the increasing importance of proactive risk-based monitoring frameworks. A concise briefing for compliance professionals, MLROs, financial institutions, legal advisors, internal auditors, risk managers, and reporting entities seeking to understand emerging environmental crime risks, money laundering typologies, and the broader implications for AML/CFT compliance and financial crime prevention in the UAE. 🎙️ Presented by 10 Leaves.

DFSA Personal Account Dealing Review

In this episode of The Riffle, we examine the Dubai Financial Services Authority’s (DFSA) thematic review on Personal Account Dealing (PAD) and its implications for brokerage firms, compliance officers, senior management, internal auditors, and other regulated entities operating within the DIFC. The discussion explores key supervisory findings, including risk-based PAD policies and procedures, governance and oversight expectations, management information requirements, independent monitoring mechanisms, and post-trade surveillance practices. It also addresses the importance of effective compliance assurance, tailored training programmes, comprehensive record-keeping obligations, and the role of technology in strengthening PAD controls. Further, the episode highlights common industry weaknesses identified by the DFSA, such as reliance on employee self-attestations, inadequate monitoring frameworks, policy gaps arising from business evolution, and insufficient oversight of digital assets and connected persons. The conversation also examines strategic considerations for firms, including conduct risk assessments, breach management processes, organisational culture, and the proportionality of monitoring arrangements. A concise briefing for compliance professionals, MLROs, senior executives, legal advisors, internal auditors, risk managers, and regulated firms seeking to understand the DFSA’s expectations for Personal Account Dealing frameworks and the broader implications for governance, market integrity, and conduct risk management within the DIFC. 🎙️ Presented by 10 Leaves.

UAEFIU Regulation No. (1) of 2026- Suspension of Suspicious Transactions & Freezing of Funds.

In this episode of The Riffle, we examine UAEFIU Regulation No. (1) of 2026 and its implications for financial institutions, Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), compliance professionals, and other Reporting Entities operating within the UAE’s AML/CFT framework. The discussion explores the key regulatory measures introduced by the Regulation, including the new Postponement Suspicious Transaction Report (PSTR) framework, enhanced reporting obligations, and the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit’s expanded powers to issue Suspension Orders, Freezing Orders, and Monitoring Orders. Topics include the circumstances requiring urgent reporting, transaction postponement requirements, operational timelines, and the responsibilities of Reporting Entities when responding to FIU directives. Further, the episode highlights customer due diligence considerations, restrictions on tipping-off, customer notification requirements for freezing orders, asset management obligations, recordkeeping standards, governance expectations, and the requirement for 24/7 operational readiness. Special attention is given to compliance officer responsibilities, internal controls, auditability requirements, and the sanctions that may arise from non-compliance under the UAE AML framework. A concise briefing for compliance officers, MLROs, financial institutions, DNFBPs, VASPs, legal advisors, risk professionals, internal auditors, and regulated entities seeking to understand the UAEFIU’s enhanced powers and the practical implications of the latest regulatory framework for suspicious transactions and fund freezing measures. 🎙️ Presented by 10 Leaves

AML/TFS Compliance Gaps Identified by ADGM RA in 2025

In this episode of The Riffle, we examine the key findings emerging from the ADGM Registration Authority’s 2025 DNFBP AML/TFS Onsite Assessments and their implications for Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) operating within ADGM. The discussion explores recurring compliance gaps identified across 35 onsite assessments, highlighting the difference between having documented AML/TFS frameworks and effectively implementing them in practice. Topics include deficiencies in Business Risk Assessments (BRAs), Customer Risk Assessments (CRAs), Enhanced Customer Due Diligence (ECDD), governance oversight, and the treatment of Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS) risks. Further, the episode examines regulatory expectations surrounding risk-based methodologies, ongoing customer monitoring, source of wealth and source of funds verification, senior management approvals for high-risk relationships, and the importance of substantive annual AML/TFS reviews. It also discusses the Registration Authority’s recommended good practices, including independent testing of AML controls, dynamic risk assessments, and strengthened governance frameworks. Special attention is given to the Registration Authority’s expectation that all DNFBPs conduct a risk-based self-assessment, implement remediation plans where necessary, and demonstrate active senior management oversight to address identified weaknesses. A concise briefing for compliance professionals, MLROs, risk officers, legal advisors, auditors, corporate service providers, real estate firms, accounting practices, and other ADGM-regulated DNFBPs seeking to understand the Registration Authority’s supervisory priorities and strengthen the effectiveness of their AML/TFS compliance frameworks. 🎙️ Presented by 10 Leaves.