Saudi Arabia tightens rules on financial transfers to UAE

Saudi Arabia tightens rules on financial transfers to UAE Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 08/18/2026 - 13:49 Move appears to be latest sign of rising tensions between two Gulf nations Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bidding farewell to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 3 September 2025 (Abdulla al-Bedwawi/AFP) Off Saudi Arabia has tightened its oversight of financial transfers to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the latest sign of growing tensions between the two countries. The extra layers of regulatory oversight are normally reserved for countries considered high-risk for illicit money flows, according to Reuters. Three people with direct knowledge of the matter told the news agency that the measures, which have not been announced publicly, put the UAE among more than a half dozen countries in the region deemed high risk in Saudi Arabia for financial crime.