ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
ADGM recorded strong growth in the first half of 2026, with Assets Under Management (AUM) rising 54% year on year, its workforce reaching 49,027 professionals and the number of active licences climbing to nearly 14,000.
The number of fund and asset managers based in the Abu Dhabi international financial centre rose 23% to 190 from 154 a year earlier, while the number of funds managed from ADGM increased 32% to 276 from 209, according to a statement issued by ADGM. Eleven asset managers were added during the second quarter alone, its strongest quarterly increase, the statement said.
ADGM noted that asset managers establishing operations during the first half collectively oversee over $2.1 trillion in global assets. This figure reflects the total worldwide assets managed by these parent institutions, not the volume of AUM within ADGM itself. The release did not provide a specific figure for local AUM.
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said the results reflected growing international confidence in Abu Dhabi as a financial centre.
“ADGM is championing Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic vision and cementing its growing influence as the centre of global capital flows. The scale of growth we are witnessing across capital, institutions, businesses and talent demonstrates sustained international confidence in Abu Dhabi as a stable, trusted and globally connected financial hub,” Al Zaabi said.
“Whether it is capital, opportunity or ambition, Abu Dhabi is increasingly becoming the place where all these factors converge seamlessly and meaningfully. Through ADGM, we are building on this momentum, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as the Capital of Capital and advancing our ambition to become among the world’s top five leading international financial centres.”
The total number of active licences reached 13,974 during the first half, including 1,814 licences issued during the six-month period. ADGM said this made it the largest international financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region by number of active licences.
The number of operational entities rose 34% to 3,986 from 2,972 at the end of the first half of 2025. These include operating companies and financial institutions as well as holding and investment structures established in the jurisdiction, the statement said.
Financial services entities operating in ADGM increased 27% to 392 from 308 a year earlier. During the period, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority issued 50 In-Principle Approvals to financial services firms and granted 45 new Financial Services Permissions.
The combined workforce across ADGM’s jurisdiction on Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island reached 49,027 at the end of June, up 34% year on year. The workforce increased by 4,688 professionals during the first six months of 2026 alone.
ADGM Academy trained 1,607 Emirati nationals during the period. Its national development initiatives included graduating a third cohort of 28 young Emiratis and selecting 15 UAE nationals for the World Bank Group Explorers Program. The academy’s Wealth Management Institute School of AI offered more than 19 courses and trained more than 544 UAE nationals in agentic AI, the statement said.
ADGM also said more than $100 billion in AI-focused investment is now held by institutions established in the financial centre. It cited MGX, which focuses on investment in AI infrastructure and advanced technologies, among entities contributing to Abu Dhabi’s growing role as a hub for AI-related capital.
ADGM itself deployed AI across 25 business functions covering areas including licensing, supervision and customer service during the first half. The financial centre said the rollout reduced manual workload by more than 5,000 staff hours annually and allowed about 25% of customer enquiries to be resolved immediately through digital channels.
Under a technology roadmap running through 2029, ADGM plans to invest more than Dh400 million to expand its AI capabilities, strengthen digital infrastructure and modernise regulatory and operational systems.
ADGM Courts also reported a sharp rise in activity, with its caseload by July 1 already exceeding the total number of cases recorded during the whole of 2025. ADGM said the courts were on track to handle more than twice last year’s caseload in 2026.