During the first half of 2025, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) solidified its status as the largest and most rapidly expanding financial center in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), with over 11,000 active licenses and a remarkable 42% increase in assets under management (AUM).
Furthermore, ADGM emerged as the foremost International Financial Centre (IFC) in the region in terms of market capitalization of its entities listed on stock exchanges, highlighting its essential role in bolstering Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy, which grew to 9.1% in Q1 2025.
According to Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, chairman of ADGM, “As we near our tenth year of operations, ADGM’s unwavering dedication to excellence is evident not only in our growth metrics but also in the increasing global trust in Abu Dhabi as a financial powerhouse and the ‘Capital of Capital.’”
The number of operational entities at ADGM rose to 2,972 in the first half of the year, a 42% year-on-year increase, comprising 308 financial organizations and 2,664 non-financial entities.
ADGM granted 1,869 new licenses, reflecting a 47% increase and bringing the total active licenses to 11,128.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) approved 52 In-Principle Approvals (IPAs) for financial service providers, marking a 27% increase from the previous year, while also issuing 45 new Financial Services Permissions (FSPs), which is an uptick of 45%.
Notable global and regional firms that established operations at the financial center include Kimmeridge, Fortress, Circle, Oryx Global Partners, GMB Limited, Partners Group, Carta, Bitcoin Suisse, and many others.
The asset management sector within ADGM experienced a 42% growth in AUM compared to the first half of 2024. A total of 154 registered fund and asset managers were recorded, with the number of funds reaching 209.
Nuveen, a US-based firm managing between $3 billion and $5 billion from ADGM, anticipates that regional AUM will double within three years.
ADX: Key Partnerships and Achievements
- Fortress Investment Group established a permanent office in ADGM and initiated a $1 billion global credit and real estate co-investment with Mubadala.
- Kimmeridge opened its office in ADGM and signed a memorandum of understanding with Mubadala Energy to jointly explore natural gas and LNG projects.
- IHC, BlackRock, and Lunate collaborated to launch a reinsurance platform exceeding $1 billion, driven by AI technology.
- Mubadala and Alpha Dhabi expanded their ADGM-based private credit joint venture to $2.5 billion.
- ADGM secured its position as the largest IFC in the region by market capitalization, with listed entities on ADX exceeding AED 500 billion.
The financial center ensured global presence by participating in London’s CityWeek 2025 and conducting roadshows in China and Japan in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
Workforce growth continued, with 35,964 professionals working in Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands, and Abu Dhabi’s population increased by 7.5% in 2024, reaching 4.14 million residents.
Regulatory and Operational Developments
- FSRA successfully concluded memorandums of understanding with Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Hong Kong, and Sweden.
- The authority introduced guidance on compliance with sanctions, cybercrime, and cybersecurity, along with legislative updates aligning with the Basel Core Principles for fund regime reporting.
- The Regulatory Authority launched AccessRP for property verification, updated the Commercial Permits Regulations, and signed a memorandum with the Astana International Financial Centre.
- The Regulatory Authority conducted 223% more supervision assessments compared to H1 2024.
- ADGM Courts introduced the Pro Bono Mediators Panel.
- IBA announced plans for IBA Arbitration Day 2026 to be held in Abu Dhabi at ADGM.
ADGM Academy provided 100 training sessions to over 2,600 attendees, hosted 49 specialized events, facilitated over 900 job placements for Emiratis, and published eight research reports on topics such as AI, cybersecurity, financial crimes, and digital asset custody.
As ADGM nears its tenth anniversary in October, it remains committed to fostering long-term impact through innovative regulations, strategic partnerships, and a robust ecosystem for global finance.