J. awan & partners

J. awan & partners Governance, Risk & Compliance

The value of an off-the-record briefing comes down to who is around the table.Three voices on 17 June, each with a diffe...
11/06/2026

The value of an off-the-record briefing comes down to who is around the table.

Three voices on 17 June, each with a different angle on the GCC:

Jehanzeb Awan, Founder and CEO, j. awan & partners. Over a decade advising global firms on regulatory and operating presence in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC.

Azfar Saeed, Head of Channel Partnerships, DIFC. The view from inside the financial centre that most global managers pass through when they enter the region.

James Delaney, Managing Director, Asset Management Regulation, AIMA. The global asset management perspective, and how AIMA's members weigh the GCC against the rest of the regulatory landscape.

One hour. A small room. A candid read on what is actually happening in the region, behind the headlines.

Tuesday 17 June, 116 Pall Mall. Co-hosted with AIMA and the DIFC.

The headlines on the GCC and the reality on the ground are not the same thing.That gap is the reason we are co-hosting a...
09/06/2026

The headlines on the GCC and the reality on the ground are not the same thing.

That gap is the reason we are co-hosting a senior breakfast briefing with AIMA and the DIFC in London on 17 June.

A small group of allocators, managers and institutional leaders. One hour. A candid, off-the-record conversation about what is actually happening in the region: how the UAE and Saudi regulators are operating in practice, what the dynamic between the two is coming to mean for licensed entities, and where the genuine opportunities and pitfalls sit for global firms scaling into the GCC.

Tuesday 17 June. Breakfast briefing at 116 Pall Mall.

Register here: https://www.aima.org/event/setting-up-in-the-gcc--what-to-expect-next.html
Request the code by commenting this post or reach out to [email protected]

Stablecoins are moving fast. The regulatory frameworks are finally catching up.Today at 5:00 PM (Dubai) | 2:00 PM (Londo...
03/06/2026

Stablecoins are moving fast. The regulatory frameworks are finally catching up.

Today at 5:00 PM (Dubai) | 2:00 PM (London) | 9:00 AM (New York), j. awan & partners and Winston Taylor are hosting Stable. A webinar on what it actually takes to issue stablecoins across the US and the UAE.

If you work in digital assets, compliance, or financial services, this one is worth your time.

Register here: https://luma.com/1mknqjn1

FATCA and CRS obligations do not end at filing. They run on a cycle, and every cycle carries risk.j. awan & partners sup...
02/06/2026

FATCA and CRS obligations do not end at filing. They run on a cycle, and every cycle carries risk.

j. awan & partners supports ADGM and DIFC firms end-to-end, from self-assessment through GIIN, M*F registration, reporting and annual filings. We also support equivalent obligations across other jurisdictions.

Our scope includes:
✔ Financial entity self-classifications
✔ GIIN requirements
✔ Deemed compliant status
✔ M*F registration and reporting
✔ NIL return obligations
✔ SPV self-classifications

Banks, asset managers, fintechs, holding companies and SPVs all fall in scope. The earlier the classification is right, the cleaner every cycle after it.

Speak to our team about your next filing cycle.

🔗 https://www.jawanpartners.com/contact-us

Eid Al Adha Mubarak from all of us at j. awan & partners.This occasion is a reminder of what sits at the heart of everyt...
27/05/2026

Eid Al Adha Mubarak from all of us at j. awan & partners.

This occasion is a reminder of what sits at the heart of everything we do: sacrifice, integrity and service to others. Across nine offices and four continents, our team pauses today to reflect on those values and to wish our clients, partners and communities a blessed and joyful Eid.

Eid Mubarak.

US and UAE stablecoin regulation, in one conversation.j. awan & partners and Winston & Strawn LLP are convening a live w...
19/05/2026

US and UAE stablecoin regulation, in one conversation.

j. awan & partners and Winston & Strawn LLP are convening a live webinar on the practical reality of stablecoin regulation across the US and the UAE. The frameworks are in place. The GENIUS Act is law. The UAE's three stablecoin regimes are live. The question now is what they actually require, and what that means for firms making real decisions on issuance, structure, and cross-border operation.

The speakers:
Jehanzeb Awan, Founder and CEO, j. awan & partners and azakaw
Yulia Makarova, Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP
Thania Charmani, Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP
Konstantinos Adamos, Of Counsel, Winston & Strawn LLP

What we will cover: the US dual federal and state regime in practice under the GENIUS Act, the OCC national trust bank charter race, and the yield prohibition. The three live UAE regimes (CBUAE, VARA, ADGM and FSRA) and what drives the domicile decision beyond the headline reserve rules. The AED stablecoin market: what has moved, what has not, and where regulatory attention is focused. Live Q&A.

For legal, compliance, and regulatory professionals at financial institutions, fintechs, and crypto-asset businesses operating across the GCC, the US, and the UK.

Register today. Submit your questions at registration and we will work through them during the session.

Register here: https://luma.com/1mknqjn1

VARA published the most detailed virtual asset derivatives rulebook in the region. Here's what it requires from your co...
14/05/2026

VARA published the most detailed virtual asset derivatives rulebook in the region. Here's what it requires from your compliance function.

Part V of the Exchange Services Rulebook, Version 2.1, is effective immediately. It establishes a purpose-built framework for Exchange-Traded Derivatives — eleven obligation areas, prescriptive requirements, and no grandfathering for firms operating under pilot arrangements.

Most VASPs in this space know the framework dropped. Fewer have mapped their current operations against what it actually requires.

Dowload our Guide to learn what this means in practice and what your compliance function should be doing now.

🔗 https://www.jawanpartners.com/vara-etd-framework

CBUAE's new AML guidance just expanded your compliance obligations — here's what changed On 16 April, the CBUAE issued u...
14/05/2026

CBUAE's new AML guidance just expanded your compliance obligations — here's what changed

On 16 April, the CBUAE issued updated AML/CFT/CPF guidance covering three areas that most compliance teams are not yet set up for:

1. Proliferation Finance — dynamic risk intelligence beyond static sanctions lists
2. Trade-Based Money Laundering — integrating AML with trade, logistics, and customs data
3. Enhanced KYC under FATF alignment — raising the bar on customer due diligence

This isn't a future obligation. It's live.

For CBUAE-regulated entities — payment firms, finance companies, exchange houses — this means your AML programme likely needs updating before your next inspection.

At j. awan & partners, our outsourced MLROs and Compliance Officers are already incorporating these changes into client programmes.

If your MLRO hasn't flagged this guidance to you yet, that's a signal worth paying attention to.

Contact us and request a a CBUAE AML health check → https://www.jawanpartners.com/contact-us

j. awan & partners × Winston & Strawn LLPThe stablecoin frameworks are no longer forthcoming. They are here.The GENIUS A...
13/05/2026

j. awan & partners × Winston & Strawn LLP

The stablecoin frameworks are no longer forthcoming. They are here.
The GENIUS Act is law. The UAE's three regimes, CBUAE, VARA, and ADGM/FSRA are live. The question now is what they actually require, and what that means for firms making real decisions.

On 3 June, we are hosting a practitioner-level session with Winston & Strawn LLP on exactly that.

Stable. Issuing Stablecoins Across the US and the UAE: What the Frameworks Demand in Practice

📅 Tuesday, 3 June 2026
🕔 5:00 PM Dubai · 2:00 PM London · 9:00 AM New York
⏱ 45 minutes · Zoom
🎟 Complimentary

Register now: https://luma.com/1mknqjn1

May 2026 brings a wave of regulatory activity across the GCC.Here are the updates across UAE regulators that should be o...
12/05/2026

May 2026 brings a wave of regulatory activity across the GCC.

Here are the updates across UAE regulators that should be on every compliance team's radar:

• CBUAE
- Updated AML/CFT/CPF guidance now covers Proliferation Finance, Trade-Based ML, and enhanced KYC under FATF alignment

• VARA
- All Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) are required to incorporate the findings of the most recent UAE National Risk Assessment, as well as the provisions of the updated AML/CFT Law and relevant Cabinet Decisions (No. 10 of 2025 and No. 134 of 2025), into their AML/CFT framework and broader operational compliance framework.

• ADGM
- The maintenance of its Cybersecurity Framework following the update to the FSRA Cyber Risk Management rules and the mandatory requirement for the implementation of a cybersecurity framework applicable to all ADGM entities (FSRA & RA).
- FSRA Digital Asset Regulatory Framework amendments + staking framework now live.
- Consideration and adherence to the Guidance on the AML Business Risk Assessment (BRA) for an effective and robust and well-documented AML Business Risk Assessment framework.

• DFSA
- CP171 miscellaneous amendments published

Each of these creates obligations, and deadlines.

At j. awan & partners, our compliance teams work across all GCC regulators. We help regulated firms stay ahead of these changes, not react to them.

Address

C610 Burj Daman, DIFC
Dubai

Telephone

+97143271020

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when J. awan & partners posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to J. awan & partners:

Shortcuts

Share

Category