The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE).

As per the MoU, CBUAE becomes the lead regulator for Real-time Automated Payments in DIFC (‘Rapid’).

‘Rapid’ is a DIFC initiative to provide a real-time gross settlement (RTGS) payment systems infrastructure from within the DIFC to financial institutions operating within the centre and throughout the wider region.
 
“As a pioneering system that will greatly benefit those doing business, ‘Rapid’ looks set to revolutionise payment methods at the region’s leading financial centre. The CBUAE is committed to ensuring the reliability and integrity of all financial products and services available within the region and it is with great pleasure that we enter into this strategic alliance to actively ensure that Rapid complies with all of the regulations placed upon it,” said governor of CBUAE Sultan bin Nasser Al-Suwaidi.
 
As part of the agreement, CBUAE becomes the lead regulator for the payment systems implemented at ‘Rapid’ and has ultimate responsibility to ensure that ‘Rapid’ complies with the Core Principles for Systemically Important Payment Systems (CPSIPS) as issued by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

“By establishing ‘Rapid’, the DIFC is once again reaffirming its commitment to providing a comprehensive world-class financial infrastructure to encourage the development of the financial sector in the Middle East. As the world’s fastest growing financial centre and a hub for finance in the region, the DIFC recognises its responsibility to provide the latest, most innovative products and services to drive the growth of the banking and finance industry,” said governor of DIFC Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman.

As the lead regulator of ‘Rapid’, CBUAE’s overall responsibility is to ensure that ‘Rapid’’s payment systems and the regulatory regime for ‘Rapid’ comply with CPSIPS.

This will be undertaken by an initial and periodic assessment of ‘Rapid’ against the CPSIPS criteria and other international best practices. DIFC will undertake all steps to establish and maintain ‘Rapid’ legally and commercially. 

The DIFC will have the responsibility for establishing and maintaining appropriate governance powers and structures in compliance with CPSIPS and other best practices, so as to ensure that ‘Rapid’ has sufficient independence and clarity in its role and structure to conform with CPSIPS and other international best practices.

In addition, the CBUAE will undertake such other regulatory steps as appear reasonable and necessary to regulate ‘Rapid’, including, without limitation, periodic reporting by ‘Rapid’ to the CBUAE; supervision of ‘Rapid’ by the CBUAE by means of periodic meetings with ‘Rapid’ management; and field examinations where deemed desirable by CBUAE. 

CBUAE and DIFC coordinate contacts with foreign Central Banks, including those where ‘Rapid’ settles the currencies of those foreign Central Banks. – TradeArabia News Service