UAE central bank examines Banque Misr branches after $1.8 billion FinCEN allegation

  • The CBUAE launched an urgent forensic examination of Banque Misr’s five UAE branches after FinCEN’s proposed restriction.
  • FinCEN alleges the branches processed roughly $1.8 billion for 103 companies between January 2024 and June 2026.
  • The proposed rule would restrict U.S. correspondent accounts for the UAE operations, with a 30-day comment period and no direct application to other branches.

The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) launched a special, urgent forensic examination of Banque Misr’s five UAE branches after the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed restricting their access to the American financial system. FinCEN alleges the branches processed roughly $1.8 billion for 103 companies potentially connected to Iranian shadow-banking networks between January 2024 and June 2026. The proposed rule, subject to a 30-day public comment period, would bar U.S. financial institutions from opening or maintaining correspondent accounts for the UAE operations, while Banque Misr’s Cairo headquarters and branches in France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia would remain unaffected. The CBUAE is assessing possible regulatory measures while requiring customer obligations in the UAE to continue being met.

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