Exchange houses have a narrower margin for error on branding than most retail businesses, because signage and receipts are tied to a Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) licence. This guide walks through the main choices when ordering signage, stamps and receipt books for a branch.
Signage: What Belongs on the Main Sign
CBUAE guidance requires the full legal/trade name of the licensed entity to be clearly and prominently displayed on the branch's main signage — and specifically excludes correspondent bank or remittance partner names from that main signage. In practice, this means keeping the primary wall sign or storefront sticker focused on the licensed trade name alone, with any partner or service branding kept to secondary, clearly separate materials.
Wayfinding Signage: Worth the Extra Sign?
For a single-counter branch, additional wayfinding signage is often unnecessary. For branches with separate cash, remittance and currency-purchase counters, a simple directional sign reduces the number of times staff redirect walk-in customers — worth the modest extra cost once a branch has more than one service point.
Stamps: Self-Inking vs Traditional
A self-inking company stamp is faster for high transaction volumes than a traditional stamp-and-pad, which matters at a busy teller counter. A dater stamp is worth adding separately if receipts or vouchers need a transaction date endorsed independently of the company stamp.
Receipt Books: What to Decide Before Ordering
Carbonless receipt and voucher books should be ordered with sequential numbering that matches your internal reconciliation process, since the CBUAE branding requirement extends to transaction receipts as well as signage. Decide the copy count (duplicate or triplicate) based on how many parties — customer, branch file, head office — need a physical copy.
A Simple Starting Order
For a branch opening from scratch, main signage and the first receipt book batch are worth finalising first, since both are directly tied to licence compliance. Stamps and wayfinding signage can follow once the counter is running.
