Saudi Arabia has imposed tighter scrutiny and controls on bank transfers to the United Arab Emirates, causing delays in some transactions between the two countries and the return of others, according to businesspeople. Reuters reported on August 18, 2026 that the Saudi central bank instructed several major banks to conduct additional checks on UAE-bound payments.

The Saudi central bank said no direct sanctions had been imposed on any specific country. Several businesspeople said their transfers to the UAE had recently been held up or delayed, with some transactions that previously took days now requiring weeks. Sources said Saudi banks are asked to apply extra caution to high-risk countries or regions to prevent money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes, and claimed similar enhanced monitoring had been introduced for the UAE.

A UAE official said authorities had received no private-sector complaints about unusual delays in banking transactions and stressed the countries' longstanding trade and investment ties. Competition between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi has increased in recent years over oil production, regional influence, foreign investment and regional headquarters. Regional financial-sector sources said the scrutiny could signal rising tensions, though analysts considered a major economic split unlikely because of close commercial links.