Marensa Advisory

UAE · Mauritius · Africa · Canada

Get Licensed. Stay Compliant. Operate Across Jurisdictions.

Marensa Advisory is a specialist GRC firm for fintechs, DNFBPs, family offices and regulated entities across the UAE, Mauritius, Africa and Canada. Deep expertise across CBUAE, DFSA, ADGM, FSC and 8 other jurisdictions — built to hold up under inspection, not just on paper.

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Who We Are

Where regulation meets day-to-day operations

Marensa Advisory FZ-LLC is a UAE-based governance, risk and compliance advisory firm working across the GCC, Africa, Europe and North America. We speak English and French.

We don’t drop a stack of documents on your desk. We help you build a control environment that actually runs inside your business: so that when a regulator, auditor or counterparty says “show me”, you can respond calmly.

“Compliance isn’t a finance thing. It’s a business thing.”

Regulatory and compliance advisory for financial and non-financial sectors
Company setup and market entry across the UAE and international centres
Outsourced roles: Resident Director, MLRO, Compliance Officer
Financial licensing from strategy through to readiness and approval
AML/CFT, conduct and privacy frameworks built to be tested

Who We Serve

Built for Regulated Businesses

From DNFBPs to digital asset firms — we work alongside the businesses that regulators watch most closely.

DNFBPs

Real estate brokers, legal practices, accountants, gold dealers and other designated non-financial businesses with AML/CFT obligations under CBUAE and FATF guidance.

Family Offices & HNW

Multi-generational wealth structures, private holding companies and family offices requiring discreet governance, succession planning and cross-border regulatory alignment.

Fintechs & VASPs

Payment service providers, digital asset firms and virtual asset service providers navigating VARA, DFSA, CBUAE and Mauritius FSC licensing and ongoing compliance.

Regulated Entities

Banks, insurance companies, asset managers and other regulated financial institutions requiring outsourced compliance officers, MLRO services and regulatory project support.

Africa-Gulf Corridor

Businesses and investors moving capital between Africa and the Gulf — including Mauritius GBC structures, holding companies and cross-border compliance frameworks.

Canadian MSBs

Money services businesses registered with FINTRAC requiring AML/CFT compliance programmes, policies, risk assessments and ongoing regulatory support under Canadian law.

Our Services

Customised Offerings

We don’t sell generic toolkits. We architect frameworks that match how your organisation really works.

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Regulatory & Compliance

AML/CFT frameworks, conduct risk, policy suites and compliance monitoring plans.

Financial Licensing

Full dossier preparation and regulator dialogue across UAE, Mauritius, EU and beyond.

Company Setup & Market Entry

End-to-end incorporation, free zone selection and banking across 350+ entities formed worldwide.

Outsourced Roles

Resident Director, MLRO and Outsourced Compliance Officer embedded into your structure.

Controls & Operating Model

Control frameworks, policies and three-lines-of-defence models built to operate in practice.

Risk Management

Risk appetite frameworks, registers, scenario modelling and board-level risk reporting.

Data Protection & Privacy

UAE PDPL, GDPR and DIFC/ADGM data protection frameworks built without the bureaucracy.

Testing & Internal Audit

Independent controls testing and assurance reviews before the regulator arrives.

Project Management

Regulatory and compliance projects delivered on time with full governance, from scoping to closure.

UAE Golden Visa

Investor, entrepreneur and professional pathways: full end-to-end support through to issuance.

Strategic Access

Jurisdictions We Work In

Deep relationships with regulators and service providers across the world’s most important financial centres.

Jurisdiction	Type	Regulator	Tax	Ideal For
UAE: RAKEZ / DIFC / ADGM	Free Zone	CBUAE · DFSA · FSRA	0–9% CT	Financial services, tech, trading, family offices
Mauritius: GBC	IFC	FSC Mauritius	3% effective	Africa / Asia holding, VC, funds, VASP
Seychelles	Offshore	FSA Seychelles	0%	Holding structures, VASP, crypto
United Kingdom	Regulated	FCA	25% CT	EMI, payment services, asset management
Canada	Regulated	FINTRAC / OSFI	26.5% CT	MSB, lending, asset management
EU (Malta / Luxembourg)	Regulated	MFSA · CSSF	Varies	MiCA, MiFID, AIFMD, fund management

Discuss Your Jurisdiction Strategy

Why Marensa

The Marensa Difference

Deep regulatory expertise combined with an unwavering commitment to outcomes: frameworks that are not merely compliant, but operational.

Bespoke by Design

Every mandate is unique. We build control environments calibrated to how your business actually operates: not off-the-shelf templates.

Multi-Jurisdictional Reach

Deep expertise across UAE, Mauritius, Seychelles, UK, Canada, USA, Africa and Asia-Pacific: through a single trusted relationship.

Absolute Discretion

The confidentiality of our clients is paramount. From initial consultation through ongoing governance, your information stays private.

End-to-End Partnership

From initial structuring through ongoing compliance: we remain engaged as your trusted advisor at every stage.

Regulatory Intelligence

Continuous monitoring across all major financial centres: keeping your frameworks optimised, compliant and future-ready.

Timely Execution

Established regulator relationships ensure efficient, precise execution: without compromising on quality or compliance.

AI Advisory

Meet Maya
by Marensa

Maya is Marensa’s AI compliance assistant: trained on UAE, Mauritius, UK and international regulatory frameworks. Get immediate, accurate guidance 24/7.

Ask Maya about licensing requirements, AML/CFT obligations, company setup, Golden Visa eligibility, or any regulatory question: in English or French.

✦ Ask Maya Now

Hello, I’m Maya: Marensa’s AI compliance assistant. I can help with licensing, AML/CFT, company setup, Golden Visa and more. What can I assist with today?

You

What licences do I need for a payment services company in the UAE?

For UAE payment services, you’ll typically need a CBUAE licence under the Payment Token Services Regulation, or DFSA/FSRA authorisation from DIFC/ADGM. The category depends on whether you’re processing, issuing or transmitting. Want me to walk through each option?

Start a Full Conversation →

Private Banking Platform

Your Own Bank.
Branded. Controlled.

Marensa Banq gives your business a fully operational digital banking platform — complete with IBANs, multi-currency accounts, debit cards, and a branded client portal — without the regulatory burden of building your own.

Explore Marensa Banq → View Plans

Multi-Currency IBANs

Issue dedicated IBANs to clients in USD, EUR, GBP and more.

Branded Debit Cards

Physical and virtual cards carrying your brand, deployable globally.

Built-in Compliance

KYC, AML screening and transaction monitoring embedded from day one.

Live in 4–8 Weeks

Go live faster than any in-house build with full white-label UX control.