Apply by 30 November 2026 at 23:30 GST
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), in collaboration with the Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR), has opened applications for the Financial Health Innovation Challenge, an initiative seeking market-ready solutions that can measurably improve financial health for individuals and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the UAE.
The Challenge is designed to identify and support innovative solutions that can help individuals and MSMEs manage their finances more effectively, build resilience against financial shocks, pursue longer-term financial goals and make financial decisions with confidence.
Selected applicants will have opportunities to work with participating UAE-licensed financial institutions to adapt, test and demonstrate their solutions in the UAE. These institutions offer banking, savings, remittance and investment products and services, and may serve as pilot hosts and/or provide targeted expertise and other support to applicants and the Challenge.
Focus on Financial Health Innovation
The Financial Health Innovation Challenge focuses on four dimensions of financial health:
- Helping individuals and MSMEs manage day-to-day finances
- Helping them absorb financial shocks
- Supporting the pursuit of longer-term financial goals
- Enabling people and businesses to make financial decisions with confidence
The Challenge is looking for innovation in its broadest sense. This includes new or improved financial products, services and technologies, as well as new delivery models and approaches for reaching and serving communities.
The initiative is rooted in the UAE National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030 and the UAE National Financial Literacy Strategy 2027-2031, which set the national direction for advancing inclusive finance and strengthening financial capability.
Why Apply?
The Challenge offers selected applicants a structured opportunity to strengthen, test and demonstrate market-ready solutions in the UAE.
Strengthen your UAE proposition: Gain insight into local needs, institutional priorities and deployment requirements.
Explore partnerships and potential pilots: Engage with participating UAE-licensed financial institutions and, where there is a suitable match, develop a focused pilot.
Access tailored support and funding: Receive readiness, mentoring and pilot-design support, with grants available to eligible selected applicants.
Build evidence for growth: Demonstrate financial health impact and operational feasibility to support wider adoption or scale.
Contribute to a national priority: Help advance the UAE’s financial health ambitions.
The opportunities available will depend on the stage reached.
Grant Support
Up to seven shortlisted applicants will each receive an AED 30,000 participation grant to contribute towards the time and costs of taking part in the Challenge, including any required travel.
Applicants progressing to the pilot stage may receive up to an additional AED 90,000 to support pilot design and implementation.
All grants are subject to the applicable funding, selection, approval, due-diligence and grant-agreement requirements.
Challenge grants are made possible by the support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.
Key Dates*
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Challenge launch / applications open | 1 October 2026 |
| Applications close | 30 November 2026 at 23:30 GST (UTC+4) |
| Applicant review and clarification | December 2026 to January 2027 |
| Shortlisted applicants announced | January 2027 |
| Institutional matching | February to March 2027 |
| Pilot design | March 2027 |
| Pilot implementation period | April 2027 to August 2027 |
| Challenge outcomes / learning shared | August 2027 |
* Dates are subject to change.
About the Challenge
The Financial Health Innovation Challenge is led by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and delivered in collaboration with the Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) and ecosystem partner, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.
The initiative provides selected applicants with an opportunity to engage with UAE-licensed financial institutions and develop, test and demonstrate solutions aimed at improving financial health across the UAE.
Apply Now
Organisations with a market-ready solution that could improve financial health for individuals or MSMEs in the UAE are invited to explore the Challenge areas and eligibility requirements and submit an application.
Applications close 30 November 2026 at 23:30 GST.
