The United Arab Emirates banking sector has positioned itself as a global leader in digital banking security, combining heavy investments in artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and advanced analytics with robust regulatory frameworks to protect customers and enhance services.
Cybersecurity said that UAE banks are undergoing a major transformation, rolling out digital channels while strengthening fraud detection and customer protection.
This shift is supported by modern infrastructure, flexible legislation, and strong collaboration between regulators, banks, and technology partners.
Richard Cassidy, Chief Information Security Officer for EMEA at Rubrik, said UAE banks are entering a new phase of digital transformation, where AI and big data play central roles in cybersecurity strategies.
AI-powered systems now monitor real-time activity, detect anomalies, and learn from past incidents, making fraud prevention systems smarter and more adaptive. Multi-factor authentication, biometric verification, and app-based login systems are also widely deployed to secure accounts.
Zeid Shubailat, Director at cloud communications firm Infobip, noted that UAE banks have made a qualitative leap in security, moving from traditional protection models to advanced intelligence-driven systems. The rapid adoption of online and mobile-first services has accelerated threats, prompting banks to introduce real-time fraud detection, secure multi-channel communication, and automated digital assistants to handle common fraud scenarios.
Experts emphasized that regulatory support has been crucial, pushing banks to replace outdated authentication methods like SMS codes with app-based verification and biometrics. The next phase, they added, will see wider use of behavioral biometrics, unified cross-channel alerts, and interactive customer engagement for faster fraud response.
Since 2017, the UAE Banks Federation has operated “Tasharuk,” a cyber threat intelligence-sharing platform that enables banks to exchange data on cyberattacks and investigation findings, bolstering resilience across the sector.
