ABU DHABI, 20th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has launched the Financial Health Innovation Challenge to identify ready-to-implement solutions that improve the financial health of individuals and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the UAE, with applications open until 30th November 2026.
The challenge is organised in collaboration with the Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR), the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and the Emirates Institute of Finance.
The initiative is aligned with the UAE National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2026–2030 and the UAE National Financial Literacy Strategy 2027–2031, which aim to advance inclusive finance and strengthen financial capabilities.
It provides financial institutions and innovators with opportunities to test market-ready solutions and generate evidence on their effectiveness in improving financial health.
The challenge focuses on four areas: managing day-to-day finances, including payments, remittances, cash flow and meeting current obligations; absorbing financial shocks through emergency savings, income smoothing and insurance; pursuing longer-term goals through savings for investment and retirement and supporting MSME growth; and making financial decisions with confidence through financial literacy, clear disclosures and fraud prevention.
Priority segments include low-income earners, Emirati families, investors, women, MSMEs, young individuals and children, People of Determination, and older individuals and pensioners.
Eligible solutions must address one of the four financial health areas, have progressed beyond the idea or prototype stage, be deployable and testable in the UAE, and meet applicable data-protection and information-security requirements.
Qualified applicants will benefit from readiness clinics, guidance from specialised experts, facilitated engagement with financial institutions, pilot-design support and grants for eligible applicants.
The review, matching and pilot-design phase will run from December 2026 to March 2027, followed by pilot implementation and the sharing of outcomes from April to August 2027.
Selection of a solution does not guarantee pilot implementation. Applications are open to organisations in the UAE and internationally.