UAE Banks Shift to Digital Signatures

Dubai: Several UAE banks are phasing out handwritten customer signatures, moving to fully electronic signatures via the national digital identity platform. Transactions requiring customer approval and account verification are now signed digitally and authenticated through the central bank, eliminating the need for physical signatures or branch visits.

Sources said government-backed platforms may expand to other banking services, leveraging initiatives like open finance and blockchain to reduce errors, speed up transactions, improve identity verification and curb fraud. Traditionally, in-person signatures were time-consuming for both banks and clients.