Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) marked its 25th anniversary with its leaders recalling its achievements since its inception in 2000.
Speaking at the Silver Jubilee celebration, Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the ADX Group, said the exchange had grown from a small domestic marketplace into one of the world’s top exchanges, playing a central role in Abu Dhabi’s economic transformation. He described the anniversary as a moment to recognise the exchange’s early architects and to reaffirm its mission of supporting the emirate’s diversified, sustainable and knowledge-based economic vision.
Al Mazrouei reflected on the exchange’s launch in November 2000, recalling the excitement as the ADX “went live” with just 12 listed companies and only local investors, before expanding into a marketplace with over 200 listed securities, serving investors from more than 200 nationalities and consistently achieving over Dh1 billion in daily trading value.
He noted that Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategic direction had positioned the exchange among the largest globally. “Under the wise guidance and support of Abu Dhabi leadership, the ADX has thrived to become the second largest exchange in the region based on market capitalisation and ranked as one of the top 20 largest exchanges in the world,” he said.
Al Mazrouei said the launch of the new ADX Group earlier this year marked a critical step in building a fully digital, modern market infrastructure designed to drive the next phase of innovation and growth. The enhanced structure aims to strengthen ADX’s position as a global listing and investment hub, attract more issuers and deepen liquidity.
He paid tribute to the founders, former leaders and generations of staff who built the exchange from the ground up. “You planted the seed of ‘ambition’ 25 years ago… that seed has now flourished into a robust ‘Tree of Opportunities’,” he said, emphasising that the ADX Group remains committed to the UAE’s long-term vision of a diversified and sustainable economy.
Following the Chairman’s address, Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group CEO of ADX Group, highlighted the exchange’s achievements over the past quarter century and outlined future priorities for growth, innovation and investor empowerment.
Alnuaimi said the 25-year journey reflected “resilience, innovation and progress,” pointing out that the ADX had evolved into a global marketplace linking Abu Dhabi with international capital and diverse investment opportunities. He said the focus now was on expanding products, deepening liquidity, embracing technology and creating long-term value for all stakeholders.
The CEO noted that the exchange had grown from 12 listed companies in its early years into a market of more than 200 securities with market cap exceeding Dh3 trillion, becoming an essential pillar of Abu Dhabi’s economic architecture.
He highlighted structural reforms undertaken earlier in the year, including the establishment of the ADX Group, consisting of Abu Dhabi Clear (AD Clear) and the Abu Dhabi Central Securities Depository (AD CSD), which enhance market efficiency and strengthen the post-trade environment.
Alnuaimi outlined the transformation of Abu Dhabi’s capital markets in recent years. Since 2020, IPOs on the ADX have raised approximately Dh59 billion, supported by strong investor appetite. In 2023, the ADX generated around Dh18 billion in IPO proceeds — among the highest globally — and followed this with nearly Dh12.8 billion raised in 2024.
He said listed companies had contributed significantly to national prosperity, distributing more than Dh320 billion in cash dividends since 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of over 33%, underscoring the strength of Abu Dhabi’s corporates and the role of capital markets in creating sustainable wealth.
To commemorate the occasion, the ADX will launch the FTSE ADX Dividend Stars Index, spotlighting companies with robust and sustainable dividend profiles.
Alnuaimi emphasised the ADX’s increasing relevance to global investors, noting that the exchange hosts investments from the world’s top 25 global asset management funds. With a broad product suite — equities, debt instruments, ETFs, derivatives and diversified yield instruments — the exchange enables investors to build resilient portfolios.
Since 2020, UAE nationals have traded more than Dh2.5 trillion, while foreign investors have traded over Dh1.2 trillion. Since ADX’s inclusion in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index in 2014, foreign net investment has exceeded Dh134 billion. Institutional investors alone contributed more than Dh3 trillion in trading activity since 2020, with a CAGR above 35% and net inflows surpassing Dh40 billion.
Alnuaimi said ADX continues to expand its global and regional reach through cross-border initiatives, including the Tabadul platform, which links six regional markets and deepens connectivity for issuers and investors.
On the innovation front, he highlighted multiple regional firsts introduced by the ADX, including exchange-traded funds, foreign sovereign bonds, blockchain-enabled eVoting, and the region’s first blockchain-based digital bond. Today, the exchange continues to build digital market infrastructure and next-generation trading technologies.
As the ADX enters its next 25 years, Alnuaimi said the exchange will focus on deepening liquidity, enhancing digital infrastructure, expanding investment opportunities, and empowering future generations — aligning with Abu Dhabi’s ambition to build a world-class financial ecosystem.
Beyond the capital markets, the ADX also highlighted community-focused initiatives supporting financial literacy and inclusion. These include the ADX Intelligence Lab at Liwa University, programmes to empower female investors, and the planting of Ghaf trees to commemorate past and present employees in a symbolic nod to sustainability.
