Emirates NBD, working through the Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) system managed by the Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation (DBLC), has reduced SME onboarding time by 35%, and automated updates for over 4,000 business customer records in just two months. This integration gives the bank direct, verified access to trade licences and investor data, eliminating manual inputs from both clients and staff.
Launched in 2023 as part of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the emirate’s economy by 2033, the DUL provides businesses a unified digital identity, consolidating licence data across mainland and free zones through a central registry.
The system has allowed Emirates NBD to streamline account openings for SMEs, simplify regulatory checks and speed access to banking services. This aligns with D33’s focus on innovation, economic diversification and business-friendly reforms.
Last May, Emirates NBD also partnered with Appro, a digital onboarding platform, to reduce onboarding steps from hours to under three minutes through standardised checks.
