As part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to enhance its national cybersecurity framework and support secure and sustainable digital transformation, the UAE Cybersecurity Council and the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) have announced a strategic partnership aimed at bolstering cybersecurity in the capital markets sector, in line with the highest global cyber standards.

The partnership focuses on developing regulatory frameworks and security standards to ensure the integrity of digital transactions and reinforce investor confidence. It also seeks to attract global digital asset companies, including virtual asset service providers, thereby supporting the UAE’s digital economy and advancing its position as a regional hub for financial and digital technologies, in alignment with the "We the UAE 2031" vision.

This strategic cooperation underscores the commitment and collaboration of national entities to secure all digital transactions for investors, shape the future of digital finance, and promote financial inclusion. It marks a significant milestone in enabling companies to operate within a secure digital environment that can effectively counter escalating cyber threats, safeguard the investment climate, and strengthen national capabilities in combating cyber fraud targeting corporate digital assets, ultimately fostering trust in every digital transaction and offering more secure and innovative financial experiences. This transformation is critical in the face of both rapid digital economic growth and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), emphasised that the partnership with the Cybersecurity Council reflects SCA’s commitment to supporting a secure and sustainable digital transformation, while strengthening cybersecurity across the capital markets sector.

This initiative is part of SCA’s ongoing efforts to develop regulatory frameworks and technical standards that ensure the safety of digital transactions, address growing cyber risks, and enhance investor confidence. These efforts align with the directives of the country’s wise leadership to position SCA among the world’s leading regulatory bodies and reinforce its role as a benchmark for regulatory authorities in regional and international financial markets.

On his behalf, Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, stated, "This strategic partnership between the Cybersecurity Council and the Securities and Commodities Authority is part of our continuous national effort to enhance cybersecurity across all levels of the financial sector. It aims to ensure secure, efficient financial transactions, protect sensitive data and digital assets, and significantly contribute to building a resilient digital economy. Strengthening investor confidence in the UAE’s financial ecosystem, particularly in the capital markets and exchanges, where trust in the security of financial transactions is paramount, is a core objective of this collaboration."

This partnership forms part of broader national efforts to unify and strengthen cybersecurity frameworks within the capital markets sector, ensuring compliance with regulatory and security standards. It reflects the UAE’s commitment to leadership in innovation and cybersecurity. The financial sector aims to provide a secure and trusted environment that enables sustainable growth by adapting to evolving business models, adopting advanced digital solutions, and integrating emerging technologies.

Amid this digital transformation, the cyber threat landscape targeting the financial sector has significantly evolved. There has been a noticeable increase in the frequency and sophistication of attacks by Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups, which deploy complex tools, techniques, and procedures to target the sector for various objectives. As a result, it has become essential for financial institutions to proactively strengthen their monitoring and threat detection capabilities to keep pace with evolving cyber threats and maintain readiness in the face of increasingly complex and dynamic cyberattacks.