The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) reinforced its status as the region’s fastest-growing international financial centre in the first half of 2025, with 11,128 active licences and a 42% surge in assets under management (AUM) compared to a year earlier.
ADGM also became the largest IFC in MENA by market capitalisation of listed entities, as firms registered in the centre reached a combined value of over AED 500 billion on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. The milestone reflects Abu Dhabi’s efforts to deepen the role of financial services in its non-oil economy, which expanded 9.1% in Q1 2025.
Key Growth Highlights
- Licensing Momentum: 1,869 new licences were issued in H1, the highest ever for a six-month period, marking a 47% year-on-year increase.
- Operational Entities: Total firms operating in ADGM reached 2,972, including 308 financial and 2,664 non-financial companies.
- Asset Management: The number of ADGM-based funds and asset managers rose to 154, overseeing 209 funds. AUM climbed 42% year-on-year.
- Regulatory Activity: The Financial Services Regulatory Authority granted 45 new Financial Services Permissions (up 45%) and 52 In-Principle Approvals.
Global players such as Fortress, Circle, Partners Group, Harrison Street, Kimmeridge, Carta, and Polen Capital strengthened ADGM’s ecosystem during the period, while landmark partnerships – including Mubadala’s USD 1 billion global credit and real estate co-investment with Fortress, and the launch of an AI-native reinsurance platform by IHC, BlackRock, and Lunate – underscored Abu Dhabi’s rising profile as a financial powerhouse.
Strategic Significance
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said the results highlight “the rising global confidence in Abu Dhabi’s role as a financial powerhouse and the ‘Capital of Capital’.”
ADGM’s success is also linked to broader demographic and economic growth, with Abu Dhabi’s population expanding by 7.5% in 2024. The ADGM workforce reached nearly 36,000 professionals by mid-2025, as demand for financial and business services continues to grow.
Outlook
As ADGM approaches its 10th anniversary in October 2025, its growth trajectory is expected to continue, supported by regulatory innovation, strategic partnerships, and Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a magnet for global capital.
–Input WAM
