IEMS And VASPs: VARAs' Next Step In AML Enforcement

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• In May 2025, VARA mandated all VASPs to be fully registered and responsive on the FIU's Integrated Enquiry Management System portal.
• The IEMS platform will serve as a secure digital channel of communication amongst FIU, law enforcement agencies and VASPs.
• VASPs must maintain 24/7 monitoring, escalation chains, and case-management systems to respond instantly to FIU orders.
• While goAML handled outbound suspicious reporting, IEMS introduced inbound oversight.
• While the U.S., U.K., and Singapore have introduced systems for rapid regulatory access, the UAE's IEMS stands apart by combining information requests and enforceable directives on a single
• This directive, coupled with the recent VARA Rulebook amendments, reflects a coordinated effort to entrench stronger AML/CFT controls across the virtual asset sector.