Middle East
Unclaimed assets in United Arab Emirates
Estimated unclaimed
AED 3 billion+ (est.)
≈ $800M · AED
Who holds it
Central Bank holds, bank pays
Funds sit in an Unclaimed Balances Account at the CBUAE. Claims are always made through your bank.
Where to search
No public search
There is nothing to browse. The route is a documented claim to the account-holding institution.
Overview
Under the Central Bank of the UAE's Dormant Accounts and Unclaimed Funds Regulation, a customer classified as dormant for five years has their balances transferred to an Unclaimed Balances Account at the Central Bank. The regulation is explicit that this does not affect ownership: the money remains the property of the account holder, or their legal heirs, and can be reclaimed at any time. Dormancy is assessed at customer level, not account level — if a customer is dormant, all their accounts at that institution go together. The current regulation replaced Circular No. 1/2020 and was updated in 2026 to widen its scope beyond bank accounts.
How to search
- 1
Go to the bank that held the account
This is the only route. The Central Bank holds the money but does not deal with claimants directly, and there is no public register to search.
- Contact the licensed financial institution that held the account — directly or through a legal representative.
- Submit a claim supported by official documents proving identity and entitlement.
- The bank verifies, then requests the funds back from the Central Bank's Unclaimed Balances Account.
- Settlement is carried out once the bank has received the funds from the Central Bank.
The regulation sets a service standard: the institution should settle claims within one month, unless there are valid reasons for delay.
- 2
If you are an heir
Legal heirs have the same right of reclaim as the original holder. The regulation exists partly to enable exactly this.
- Establish the estate under the law applying to the deceased — Sharia succession, or the law of their home country where that applies.
- Obtain the succession or inheritance order from the relevant UAE court.
- Present it to the bank with the death certificate and your own identification.
For expatriates this is the longest step, and worth taking advice on which law will govern the estate before starting.
- 3
If the bank does not resolve it
There is a formal escalation path, and it is worth knowing it exists.
- Complain to the institution first, with specifics and evidence. Every licensed firm must operate a complaint channel.
- If unresolved, file with the CBUAE Consumer Protection Department through its online portal, attaching your correspondence.
Asset types held
Documents you'll typically need
- Emirates ID or passport
- Account details where you have them — account number, IBAN, or old statements
- Proof of entitlement, which for a straightforward personal claim is identity matching the account
- For heirs: the death certificate and a succession or inheritance order from the relevant court, plus identification for each heir
- A power of attorney where a legal representative is acting for you
Common mistakes
- • Assuming transferred balances are lost — ownership is expressly preserved
- • Approaching the Central Bank directly — claims start at the bank
- • Expecting a public search portal — there is none
- • Starting an heir claim before the succession order is in place
- • Not escalating to CBUAE Consumer Protection when a bank stalls
Success tips
- • Identify the institution first — old statements, salary transfers, standing instructions
- • Remember dormancy is at customer level, so one claim covers all accounts at that bank
- • Hold the bank to the one-month settlement standard in the regulation
- • For expatriate estates, settle which law governs before applying to court
- • Keep every piece of correspondence, in case you need to escalate
Frequently asked questions
Keep your own assets findable
LifeWyn records what you own and who should inherit it — so your family never has to hunt through United Arab Emirates's registries.