Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has crossed a major global finance milestone: financial firms operating from the centre now manage $28.6 trillion in assets worldwide.

In just ten years, ADGM has evolved from a new entrant into the financial landscape into one of the most rapidly expanding financial centres globally, drawing some of the world's most influential asset managers, private equity houses, hedge funds and institutional investors to Abu Dhabi, according to the Alternative Investment Management Association(AIMA).

Since 2015, ADGM's trajectory has been defined by accelerated growth and rising international confidence. The number of financial firms based in ADGM has surged from just over 130 at the end of 2021 to more than 300 by mid-2025 - an increase of 135 per cent within a little over three years.

During the same period, ADGM hit the targets of its five-year growth strategy in just half the time, underscoring the scale of global capital and corporate migration toward Abu Dhabi.

As the centre marks its 10th anniversary, the numbers highlight a decade of compounding progress. Assets under management within ADGM have grown at an average annual rate of 123 per cent since inception.

Fund and asset-manager activity has expanded at 62 per cent annually, reflecting the district's rise as a preferred jurisdiction for global investment platforms. The total number of active licences has increased at 71 per cent per year, reaching 11,128 licences by mid-2025 - the highest among regulated financial districts in the region.

Today, more than 36,000 professionals work within ADGM's ecosystem, drawing globally mobile investment, legal, advisory, digital and fintech talent to Abu Dhabi.

This momentum has been anchored by credibility - the fundamental currency of financial centres. ADGM is the only jurisdiction in the region to directly apply English common law, the legal foundation underpinning stability, investor protection and commercial certainty across leading global markets.

Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth ecosystem, with an estimated $1.82 trillion in consolidated assets, further strengthens the value proposition: access to global capital, and proximity to the world's largest institutional investors, in one place.

The result is a concentration of global financial names that signals serious long-term commitment. BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors, PGIM, Nuveen, Apollo, Carlyle, HarbourVest, Davidson Kempner, Monroe Capital, Investindustrial, Seviora, PATRIZIA, Partners Capital and Kimmeridge are among the firms that have expanded into or anchored investment operations in ADGM.

In 2025 alone, more private credit and alternatives firms have chosen Abu Dhabi, confirming the shift of global capital strategy toward the Gulf.

ADGM's physical footprint reflects the ambition behind its rise. Its expansion onto Al Reem Island increased its jurisdiction tenfold to a total of 14.3 million square metres, making it one of the largest regulated financial districts in the world. The integrated district now spans commercial towers, residential neighbourhoods, hospitality offerings, educational institutions and advanced healthcare services such as Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi - a financial city designed to attract world-class talent.

The talent itself is growing fast. ADGM's professional community has expanded at a 23 per cent annual rate, with a deepening mix of financial specialists, digital asset innovators, legal and advisory professionals, and sustainable finance experts. ADGM's pioneering regulatory frameworks - from virtual assets and tokenisation to private credit and ESG disclosures - have positioned Abu Dhabi as a regulatory trend-setter rather than a follower.

Its innovation infrastructure, including the FinTech RegLab and digital sandbox, has become a proving ground for next-generation financial solutions. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Finance Week has rapidly become one of the most influential gatherings on the global financial calendar, drawing decision-makers and capital allocators from around the world.

Market watchers say as ADGM enters its second decade, it is on track to position Abu Dhabi among the world's top five international financial centres, standing alongside New York, London and Singapore. With rising global capital flows, expanding strategic partnerships, and accelerating institutional presence, the foundation for that next chapter is already firmly in place, they added.

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