ADGM Bolsters Role As Mena's Largest Financial Hub With Record Growth, Global Deals

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) reinforced its status as the largest and fastest-growing international financial centre in the Mena region during the first half of 2025, posting record growth in licences, assets under management and market capitalisation, while securing landmark partnerships that underscored Abu Dhabi's rising role as a global capital hub.

By the end of June 2025, ADGM had issued 1,869 new licences, the highest six-month tally since its inception, bringing total active licences to 11,128. The number of operational entities reached 2,972, representing a 42 per cent increase from a year earlier. This expansion included 308 financial firms and 2,664 non-financial firms, reflecting ADGM's ability to attract both global financial institutions and diverse businesses.

Assets under management surged 42 per cent compared to H1 2024, with 154 fund and asset managers and 209 funds now operating out of the centre. Major global players such as Nuveen, Fortress, Circle, Partners Group, Bitcoin Suisse, Skadden and Patrizia established or expanded their presence in ADGM during the period. Nuveen alone is managing $3 billion to $5 billion from ADGM and expects to double its regional AUM in three years.

Chairman Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi said ADGM's sustained momentum reflected Abu Dhabi's emergence as the 'Capital of Capital'. He noted:“As we approach a decade of operations, record numbers can only be achieved through the depth of our global, regional and local strategic partnerships and the clarity of our vision. ADGM's growth is a testament to the rising global confidence in Abu Dhabi as a financial powerhouse.”

The first half of 2025 also saw transformative deals linking ADGM-based entities with Abu Dhabi's institutional heavyweights. Fortress Investment Group launched a permanent office in ADGM and entered into a $1 billion co-investment partnership with Mubadala. US asset manager Kimmeridge opened its ADGM office and signed an MoU with Mubadala Energy to co-develop natural gas and LNG ventures, creating a transatlantic energy corridor. Meanwhile, IHC, BlackRock and ADGM-based Lunate unveiled an AI-native reinsurance platform with ambitions to manage over $10 billion in liabilities, while Mubadala and Alpha Dhabi scaled up their private credit joint venture to $2.5 billion.

These strategic moves reinforced ADGM's status as an enabler of institutional-scale investment flows. They also demonstrated the centre's ability to align global innovation with Abu Dhabi's long-term economic diversification agenda, where the non-oil economy expanded by 9.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2025.

ADGM achieved another milestone by becoming the region's largest financial centre by market capitalisation of listed entities. Companies registered in ADGM and listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange had a combined market value exceeding Dh500 billion at the end of June. This underlined the centre's dual role as both a corporate jurisdiction and a driver of active capital markets.

The centre's international profile also grew. ADGM representatives participated in the CityWeek 2025 conference in London and joined Abu Dhabi roadshows in China and Japan, promoting Abu Dhabi as a hub for private banking, wealth management and family offices.

The expansion of ADGM's ecosystem was matched by workforce growth. With the completion of the Al Reem Island transition, ADGM's workforce on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands rose to 35,964 professionals at mid-year. This expansion supports Abu Dhabi's wider demographic growth, which reached 4.14 million residents in 2024.

Regulatory leadership remained central to ADGM's achievements. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority issued 52 in-principle approvals, up 27 per cent, and 45 financial services permissions, up 45 per cent year-on-year. It also signed new MoUs with counterparts in Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Hong Kong and Sweden, while issuing updated guidance on sanctions compliance, cybercrime prevention and cybersecurity.

The Registration Authority introduced new measures to ease business operations, including AccessRP, a digital tool for property interest verification, and the Commercial Permits Regulations to enhance flexibility for non-financial firms. Updated fees were also introduced to lower market entry costs. The RA increased supervisory assessments by 223 per cent compared to H1 2024, demonstrating a commitment to governance and high compliance standards.

ADGM Courts also advanced access to justice, launching a Pro Bono Mediators Panel to expand its Court-Annexed Mediation Scheme, while the International Bar Association confirmed that its flagship Arbitration Day will be hosted in Abu Dhabi in 2026 at ADGM.

As ADGM prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary in October 2025, its achievements in the first half of the year reflect its growing influence as a financial ecosystem. From record licence issuances and assets under management to multi-billion-dollar partnerships and global recognition, ADGM has established itself not only as the region's largest international financial centre but also as a key bridge between global capital flows and Abu Dhabi's economic ambitions.

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