A number of UAE‑based banks are starting to eliminate traditional handwritten customer signatures, adopting fully digital signatures via the country’s national digital identity system, banking insiders said.
This change affects transactions needing client authorisation and confirmation of account data shared between institutions, with paperwork then validated through the Central Bank’s official system.
A senior banking insider, speaking anonymously, noted that numerous banking forms have historically needed customers to sign at branch locations—a practice that has often been slow and cumbersome for both banks and their clients, Emarat Al Youm reported.
“Today, documents are routed to the digital identity platform for customers to sign electronically, and then authenticated via the central bank’s system. Handwritten signatures and in‑person visits are no longer necessary,” the source explained.
The insider also said that state‑supported systems might be extended to cover more banking services, backed by efforts like open finance and blockchain adoption, which can lower mistakes, accelerate processing, strengthen identity checks and cut fraud.
