Finances Glossary

Decode the buzzwords of the finances space
THE LANGUAGE OF FINANCES
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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.

Double-Entry Bookkeeping

An accounting system where every transaction is recorded twice — as both a debit in one account and a credit in another — so the books always balance.

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Double-Trigger Acceleration

Double-Trigger Acceleration is a provision in a contract that allows for the acceleration of vesting of stock options or other equity-based compensation in the event of certain specified events.

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EBITDA

EBITDA is an acronym that stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization.

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Economic Substance Regulations (ESR)

UAE rules requiring businesses in certain high-value sectors to prove they have real, active operations in the UAE — not just a registered address.

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Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR)

An Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) is a position within a company or organization that is typically held by an experienced entrepreneur who has been brought in to help the organization develop new products or services, or to improve its existing ones.

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Equity

The net value of a business — what remains after subtracting all liabilities from total assets. Also called shareholders' equity or net worth.

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Expense

An expense is a cost that a company incurs in order to generate revenue.

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Expense Claim

A request by an employee to be reimbursed for business costs they paid personally — such as travel, meals, or equipment.

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Fair Market Value (FMV)

Fair market value (FMV) is the estimated price at which an asset would be bought or sold in a transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts.

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Federal Tax Authority (FTA)

The UAE government body responsible for administering, collecting, and enforcing VAT and corporate tax.

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Financial management

Financial management is the process of planning, organizing, controlling, and monitoring a company's financial resources in order to achieve its business objectives and maximize its value.

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Financial reporting

Financial reporting is the process of preparing and publishing financial statements that provide information about a company's financial performance and position.

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