The legal framework to regulate, license and supervise these financial institutions is UNTAET Regulation No. 2000/8 on Bank Licensing and Supervision, UNTAET Regulation No. 2000/5 on the establishment of Currency Exchange Bureaux, RDTL’s Law No.6/2005 Regime for the Licensing, Supervision, and Regulation of Insurance Companies and Insurance Intermediaries and its relevant Instructions for the licensing of general and life insurance companies and insurance intermediaries, Public Instruction No. 6/2020 on the Licensing and Supervision of Other Deposit Taking Institutions, and Instruction No.01/2013 On the Licensing and Supervision of Money Transfer Operators.

The provisions contained in those legislations were adopted the International best practice standards. The leading financial institution in the country is the BCTL that license, supervise, and regulate those financial institutions activities.

As a new nation, Timor-Leste is in the right direction to develop its national financial system that, at an initial stage, comprised exclusively the banking sector and currency exchange activities.

At this stage, the financial institution in Timor-Leste composed of Banco Central de Timor-Leste (BCTL), four branches of foreign banks, one local stated own commercial bank, two general insurance companies, one life insurance company, four foreign currency exchange bureau, two other deposit taking institutions, and one credit corporation finance.

In addition two micro finance institutions namely Tuba Rai Metin (TRM) and Moris Rasik in process to obtain license as Other Deposit Taking Institutions as per Public Instruction No. 06/2010 on the Licensing and Supervision of Other Deposit Taking Institutions.