Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Marking its tenth year of operations, ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre (IFC), delivered another year of solid growth and strategic milestones, reinforcing its role in advancing Abu Dhabi’s status as the ‘Capital of Capital’.
Building on the strong momentum of recent years, ADGM continued to attract substantial international capital, world-class talent and leading institutions to Abu Dhabi. At the end of 2025, the number of active licences in ADGM was more than 12,000, while the number of individuals working within the financial centre increased by 51% to 44,339.
Meanwhile, Assets Under Management (AUM) rose 36%, underscoring the sustained confidence in Abu Dhabi as a trusted hub for global asset and wealth managers.
His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said, “2025 marked a defining chapter in ADGM’s milestones. We achieved another year of significant growth in our AUMs, reflecting both the confidence of our partners and the strength of our investment strategies. Equally important was our success in attracting leading global players to ADGM, reinforcing our position as a gateway for world‑class talent, capital, and innovation. This progress demonstrates the power of a thriving ecosystem, one built on partnerships, long‑term value creation, and a solid commitment to excellence.
And as we continue to align closely with Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision, we remain focused on driving sustainable growth and elevating our competitive advantage to become one of the top five international financial centres in the world.”
The significant growth of Abu Dhabi’s financial sector is reflected in the surge of new licences within ADGM, with top global firms choosing the financial centre as their regional hub. The number of total active licences across ADGM rose 30 per cent to reach 12,671 at the end of 2025, further strengthening its position as the largest IFC in the Middle East and Africa region by this measure.
Meanwhile, the growth in business activity across the IFC continued to attract a diverse and highly skilled talent pool across Al Reem and Al Maryah Islands. This led to ADGM’s total workforce increasing by 51 per cent to 44,339 individuals in 2025 up from 29,338 in 2024.
During the year, several leading fintech, digital assets, banking, infrastructure investment, sustainability advisory, global legal services and tech-enabled financial platforms, including Circle, Carta, Bitcoin Suisse, Tradition, Bitgrit, Stacks Asia DLT Foundation, Hidden Roads, Skadden, and Digital Climate Middle East (DCME), Olive Gaea, TON, Animoca Brands, BBVA, Arab Bank (Switzerland) Gulf, Galaxy Digital, Halo Investing, Eurasian Development Bank, iCapital, ERM, and DLA Piper announced setting up offices in ADGM.
In a global regulatory first, Binance became the first crypto exchange to secure a formal global licence from ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in December 2025. The licence enables Binance to operate from Abu Dhabi under a comprehensive, world-class regulatory framework, reinforcing ADGM’s position at the forefront of compliant and progressive digital asset ecosystems worldwide.
At the end of 2025, ADGM hosted 171 asset and fund managers, which collectively manage 244 funds. A total of 347 financial institutions are now based in ADGM, 80 of which were licensed last year.
Some of the top financial entities that set up offices during that period include Kimmeridge, Fortress, Polen Capital, Adams Street, Arcapita, Aquila Group, Cantor Fitzgerald, Davidson Kempner, DWS, Galaxy (asset management arm alongside digital assets), GMB Limited, HarbourVest, Harrison Street, Investindustrial, KKR, Monroe Capital, NewVest, Oryx Global Partners, PATRIZIA, Partners Group, Plenary ME Infrastructure Partners Ltd., Seviora, UBS Group, and Julius Baer.
Meanwhile, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) issued a total of 120 In-Principle Approvals (IPAs), up almost 32 per cent year-on-year, while 94 new Financial Services Permissions (FSPs) were secured by entities in 2025.
Throughout the year, ADGM’s wider ecosystem welcomed 3,495 operational entities, almost a 40 per cent increase from a year earlier, underscoring the range of businesses choosing the financial centre as their regional base.
Abu Dhabi’s growing global stature as a leading financial centre was further affirmed in December through its recognition in the inaugural Financial Centre Competitiveness Index (FCCI) published by NYU Stern School of Business. The index ranked the UAE capital as the number one financial centre in the MENA region and 12th globally, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s strong institutional foundations, progressive regulatory environment and future-ready ecosystem.
Abu Dhabi’s growing influence within the global financial system was highlighted when the emirate hosted the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) annual meeting in November 2025. The event brought together leading sovereign wealth funds representing significant long-term institutional capital. The gathering reaffirmed Abu Dhabi’s position as a trusted convenor of global capital flows and a platform for strategic dialogue and partnerships.
Throughout 2025, ADGM increased international engagements to reinforce its role as a bridge between global capital markets and Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem.
During the first half of the year, ADGM joined the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and a wider Abu Dhabi delegation on a series of roadshows to China and Japan, as well as roadshows to London, New York, Singapore and India in the second half of the year. During these trips, ADGM and other leading UAE entities signed several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and hosted a series of events to promote business and investment opportunities across the emirate’s high-growth sectors.
Meanwhile, in September, the FSRA of ADGM and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) co-hosted a high-level roundtable in Hong Kong to discuss opportunities for Hong Kong asset managers within ADGM.
As the only IFC in the region with the direct application of English Common Law, ADGM strengthened its regulatory ecosystem during 2025 to reinforce market integrity, enhance transparency and improve consumer protection.
The FSRA implemented key legislative updates aligned with international standards, including BCBS and IOSCO principles. It also introduced a new Funds Reporting Regime to enhance transparency, data quality and regulatory oversight across the asset management sector.
In alignment with broader UAE regulatory priorities and coordination with the Central Bank, the FSRA issued a Consultation Paper on Transition Planning Principles, advancing high-level expectations for financial institutions to strengthen resilience and long-term preparedness. It also transitioned to an accepted Virtual Assets notification regime and published updated guidance, strengthening regulatory clarity while maintaining robust oversight of digital asset activities within ADGM.
With a focus on strengthening cross-border cooperation, the FSRA concluded six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with international regulators during 2025, including strategic engagements with key global and regional authorities, reinforcing supervisory collaboration and international market connectivity.
Meanwhile, the Registration Authority (RA) of ADGM introduced several new regulations throughout the year, including regulations around commercial permits, consumer protection, data protection and amendments to the Single-Family Office framework. The RA also published updated fees rules, new employment regulations and strengthened controls for service providers such as law firms, corporate service providers and tax advisors.
During 2025, ADGM started to fully operate its expanded real estate jurisdiction, following the successful integration of Al Reem Island under ADGM. With the transition phase completed at the end of 2024, the RA focused on delivering end-to-end real estate operations, including real property transactions, licensing, work permits and temporary work permits, commercial permits, and licence renewals issued under incentivised schemes. This marked a critical step in embedding ADGM’s regulatory, legal and service framework.
The RA also launched more than 70 services for Real Property across buy & sell, leasing, renewals, project registrations, etc. in 2025. These enhancements were supported by regulatory updates and the introduction of a unified digital platform, enabling faster, more transparent and fully remote real estate transactions.
In a landmark announcement in December 2025, Mubadala and Aldar unveiled a joint venture valued at more than AED60 billion to expand Al Maryah Island, unlocking the next phase of growth for one of the world’s largest financial districts. The project will comprise 1.5million square metres of new office, residential, retail, and hospitality space, further elevating Al Maryah Island’s distinctive blend of international business and luxury living.
Together, these initiatives reinforce ADGM’s commitment to delivering a secure, technology-enabled real estate framework that supports investor confidence, market efficiency and sustainable growth across Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone.
In 2025, ADGM continued to prioritise human capital development through the ADGM Academy. Throughout the year, ADGMA supported 9,500 individuals through professional and academic training programmes, enabled 6,000 job opportunities, and supported 3,000 graduates to complete soft skills and employability programmes aligned with private sector needs.
Collaboration with leading global and regional institutions remained a key focus for ADGMA. It signed 20 MoUs with partners, including PGIM, Columbia Business School, ADIO, ADI Foundation and federal government entities such as the Federal Tax Authority.
