Finances Glossary

Decode the buzzwords of the finances space
THE LANGUAGE OF FINANCES
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Startup Glossary  | Finanshels

Glossary

Running a business in the UAE means navigating a financial vocabulary that can feel overwhelming — especially if accounting is not your background. This glossary has been built specifically for UAE business owners, startup founders, and entrepreneurs. Every definition is written in plain English, tied to UAE regulations, and linked to deeper guides where relevant. Bookmark this page. You will come back to it.

Trade debtors

Trade debtors are businesses or individuals that owe money to a company for goods or services that have been supplied on credit.

Read More

Trial balance

A trial balance is a list of a company's accounts and their balances at a specific point in time.

Read More

Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO)

The natural person(s) who ultimately own or control a UAE company — typically any individual holding 25% or more of shares or voting rights.

Read More

Variable cost

A variable cost is a type of cost that varies in proportion to the volume of goods or services produced.

Read More

VAT De-Registration

The formal process of cancelling a UAE business's VAT registration with the FTA when it no longer meets the registration criteria.

Read More

VAT Exemption

A category of UAE supplies on which no VAT is charged — and for which input VAT on related costs cannot be reclaimed.

Read More

VAT Grouping

A UAE provision allowing two or more related businesses under common control to register as a single VAT entity, filing one combined return.

Read More

VAT Refund

A repayment from the FTA when a business has paid more input VAT than it has collected in output VAT during a return period.

Read More

VAT Return

The periodic declaration filed by a UAE VAT-registered business showing total output VAT collected, input VAT paid, and the net amount owed to or refundable from the FTA.

Read More

VAT - Value Added Tax

A consumption tax introduced in the UAE in January 2018 at a standard rate of 5%. Businesses with taxable supplies exceeding AED 375,000 per annum are required to register for VAT. VAT returns are typically filed quarterly, and late filing incurs a penalty of AED 1,000 for the first offence.

Read More

Venture Capital Associate

A venture capital associate is a professional who works for a venture capital firm, helping to identify and evaluate potential investments in startup companies.

Read More

Venture Capital Partner

A venture capital partner is a professional who works for a venture capital firm, helping to identify and evaluate potential investments in startup companies.

Read More

Think Finance...
Think Finanshels!

We're here to make your business's financial life easier one webinar, one insight, and one smart decision at a time. Talk to our experts today.