In the first half of 2025, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) solidified its position as the leading and fastest-growing international financial center in the MENA region. It achieved record-breaking growth in licenses, assets under management, and market capitalization, while forming significant partnerships that highlighted Abu Dhabi’s emerging role as a global capital hub.
By June 2025, ADGM had issued 1,869 new licenses, marking the highest six-month total since its establishment, bringing the total active licenses to 11,128. The number of operational entities rose to 2,972, a 42% increase from the previous year, including 308 financial firms and 2,664 non-financial firms, showcasing ADGM’s appeal to both global financial institutions and a variety of businesses.
Assets under management jumped 42% compared to the first half of 2024, with 154 fund and asset managers and 209 funds now operating from the center. Major global entities like Nuveen, Fortress, Circle, Partners Group, Bitcoin Suisse, Skadden, and Patrizia either established or grew their presence in ADGM during this period. Nuveen alone manages $3 billion to $5 billion from ADGM and aims to double its regional AUM in three years.
Chairman Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi stated that ADGM’s continued momentum reflects Abu Dhabi’s rise as the ‘Capital of Capital.’ He remarked, “As we near a decade of operations, these record numbers are achieved through deep global, regional, and local strategic partnerships and a clear vision. ADGM’s growth is proof of increasing global confidence in Abu Dhabi as a financial powerhouse.”
The first half of 2025 also saw transformative partnerships with ADGM-based entities joining Abu Dhabi’s institutional heavyweights. Fortress Investment Group launched a permanent office in ADGM and entered a $1 billion co-investment partnership with Mubadala. US asset manager Kimmeridge opened its ADGM office and signed a MoU with Mubadala Energy to co-develop natural gas and LNG projects, creating a transatlantic energy corridor. Meanwhile, IHC, BlackRock, and ADGM-based Lunate launched an AI-driven reinsurance platform aiming to manage over $10 billion in liabilities, while Mubadala and Alpha Dhabi expanded their private credit joint venture to $2.5 billion.
These strategic initiatives reinforced ADGM’s role as a facilitator of large-scale investment flows, aligning global innovation with Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic diversification, where the non-oil economy grew by 9.1% in the first quarter of 2025.
ADGM reached another milestone by becoming the region’s largest financial center by market capitalization of listed entities. Companies registered in ADGM and listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange had a combined market value exceeding Dh500 billion by the end of June, emphasizing the center’s dual role as both a corporate jurisdiction and a driver of active capital markets.
The center’s international profile also expanded. 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 growth of ADGM’s ecosystem was matched by workforce expansion. With the completion of the Al Reem Island transition, ADGM’s workforce on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands grew to 35,964 professionals by mid-year, supporting Abu Dhabi’s wider demographic growth, which reached 4.14 million residents in 2024.
Regulatory leadership was central to ADGM’s achievements. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority issued 52 in-principle approvals, a 27% increase, and 45 financial services permissions, up 45% 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 facilitate 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% compared to the first half of 2024, demonstrating a commitment to governance and high compliance standards.
ADGM Courts furthered access to justice by launching a Pro Bono Mediators Panel to expand its Court-Annexed Mediation Scheme, and 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 license 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 center but also as a key bridge between global capital flows and Abu Dhabi’s economic ambitions.
