Prime Highlight
- Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has emerged as the region’s largest financial hub, hosting over 11,000 active licences and recording 42% AUM growth in early 2025.
- Major global firms, including BlackRock, Fortress, Kimmeridge, and Circle have established operations at ADGM, driving billion-dollar deals in reinsurance, credit, and property co-investments.
Key Facts
- ADGM issued 1,869 licences in 2025, a 47% annual increase, with 2,972 operational firms, including 308 financial services companies.
- The hub strengthened international ties with Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Hong Kong, and Sweden, while introducing new cybersecurity and sanctions compliance regulations.
Background
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) emerged in early 2025 as the region’s biggest financial hub and continued to record the fastest pace of growth across MENA. The financial hub now hosts more than 11,000 active licences and reported a 42% growth in assets under management (AUM) compared to the same period last year.
The number of registered operational firms rose to 2,972, which includes 308 financial services companies and 2,664 non-financial businesses. A total of 1,869 licences were granted by ADGM, representing a 47% annual increase. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) granted 52 In-Principle Approvals and 45 new Financial Services Permissions, signaling a steady boost in financial services activity.
Asset management at ADGM continued to expand, with 154 funds and managers registered and an overall fund count of 209. Nuveen, a top investment firm with a manageable range of between $3 billion $5 billion at ADGM, estimates that the assets under management in the region will increase twofold or even threefold in three years.
Major international companies like Fortress Investment Group, Kimmeridge, BlackRock, and Circle are also based at ADGM. Among the notable deals are the launch of a $1 billion AI-powered reinsurance platform by IHC, BlackRock, and Lunate, and a $1 billion credit and property co-investment involving Fortress and Mubadala.
ADGM also focused on regulatory processes, concluding agreements with Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Hong Kong, and Sweden, and declaring regulations concerning cybersecurity and sanction compliance. The new services include Property verification through AccessRP.
As the centre approaches its 10th anniversary in October, ADGM continues to focus on enabling a resilient and innovative financial ecosystem supporting Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification.
