Source : WAM
Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025 attracted more than 35,000 participants across a week of high-impact discussions, major announcements, and forward-looking collaboration, further cementing Abu Dhabi’s status as a leading global financial hub.
International delegates made up over 30 percent of attendees, representing 175 nationalities across 68 events and 394 specialised sessions. The programme brought together 819 prominent speakers and more than 69 global and regional partners, including Hanwha as a Strategic Partner.
For the first time since its inception, the total assets represented during ADFW exceeded $62 trillion – equivalent to 53 percent of global GDP – as global investors, regulators, policymakers, and innovators convened in Abu Dhabi to shape the future of international finance.
Commenting on ADFW’s most successful edition, Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said, “ADFW has been recognised as one of the world’s most influential financial gatherings. This record-breaking edition demonstrated Abu Dhabi’s ability to convene global capital at a meaningful scale, with decision makers representing more than $62 trillion in assets coming together to shape the future of finance.
“As the ‘Capital of Capital,’ Abu Dhabi is not only hosting global financial dialogue but actively engineering the architecture that will define the next decade of global growth,” he said.
This year’s edition also accelerated strategic momentum across the global financial sector. In the lead-up to and during the fourth and largest ADFW to date, ADGM welcomed 11 global financial institutions managing more than $9 trillion in assets under management, marking a historic influx of global capital into Abu Dhabi’s expanding financial ecosystem.
In a notable convergence of finance and philanthropy, a $1.9 billion global pledge to eradicate polio was announced during a high-level session convened by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, with participation from Bill Gates alongside global, regional, and local donors.
ADFW 2025 also saw the launch of the FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, aimed at accelerating innovation and economic diversification in key sectors.
Additionally, Mubadala and Aldar revealed a landmark AED60 billion (approximately $16.34 billion) joint venture to expand ADGM’s district on Al Maryah Island by 1.5 million square metres, further positioning Abu Dhabi as a premier international business and lifestyle destination.
During the week, the inaugural Financial Centres Competitiveness Index (FCCI), released by the Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi, ranked Abu Dhabi as the leading financial centre in the Middle East and North Africa and 12th globally.
The event also facilitated the signing of 82 memorandums of understanding and strategic partnerships among global, regional, and local organisations.
Building on the success of ADFW 2025, the next edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week is scheduled to take place from 7 to 10 December 2026, reinforcing its position as the region’s foremost global financial gathering.
