ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre, is entering its second decade with accelerating momentum — and digital assets are increasingly at the heart of that growth. The centre announced the addition of 11 major global financial institutions representing more than USD 9 trillion in assets under management, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s rising influence across both traditional finance and next-generation financial infrastructure.
The jump is striking. Assets represented at ADGM stood at USD 450 billion in 2023 and USD 635 billion last year, making this one of the most significant expansions by any international financial center globally in 2025. Beyond scale, the shift signals a deeper structural evolution, with digital assets, tokenization, fintech, and regulated innovation becoming core pillars of ADGM’s growth strategy.
Abu Dhabi Finance Week Reinforces the “Capital of Capital” Narrative
The announcements, made in the run-up to and during the fourth and largest edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), reinforce Abu Dhabi’s positioning as the “Capital of Capital” — and ADFW’s emergence as a global platform where capital markets, digital assets, and regulatory innovation increasingly intersect.
Broad-Based Growth Beyond Traditional Asset Management
While asset management remains a major driver, ADGM’s next growth phase is defined by breadth. Alongside traditional banking and investment firms, a growing cohort of fintech, blockchain, and digital-asset-native players are anchoring operations within the centre, drawn by ADGM’s progressive yet robust regulatory framework.
During ADFW, institutions including Cantor Fitzgerald, BBVA, Arab Bank Switzerland Gulf Ltd., Plenary ME Infrastructure Partners, Eurasian Development Bank, ERM, and DLA Piper announced plans to establish a presence in ADGM. These moves build on a strong pipeline of commitments from UBS, KKR, Julius Baer, HarbourVest, Partners Group, DWS, and Monroe Capital — reflecting confidence not only in Abu Dhabi’s capital base, but in its ability to support increasingly sophisticated and technology-driven financial activity.
Binance License Marks a Global First for Digital Asset Regulation
A defining moment for ADGM’s digital asset ambitions came with the announcement that Binance became the first global crypto exchange to secure a comprehensive global license from ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) — a world first for the digital asset industry. The license allows Binance to operate under a fully regulated framework from Abu Dhabi, reinforcing ADGM’s aim to be the world’s most progressive and compliant digital asset jurisdiction.
“Securing this global licence under the ADGM framework marks a milestone not just for Binance, but for the industry,” said Richard Teng, Co-CEO of Binance. “It reflects a compliance-first approach and a shared commitment to transparency, security, and long-term ecosystem growth.”
Digital Asset and Fintech Firms Deepen Their Abu Dhabi Footprint
Beyond exchanges, ADGM is attracting a growing roster of digital asset and fintech firms expanding regional and global operations from Abu Dhabi. Circle Internet MEA, Galaxy Digital, Animoca Asset Management, Hashed Global Management, and iCapital — which opened its first Middle East office in Abu Dhabi — are among those deepening their footprint within the centre.
The ecosystem is also moving up the value chain. IHC-owned RIQ announced plans to partner with Swiss Re to develop AI-driven reinsurance and risk solutions from ADGM, highlighting how data, digital infrastructure, and financial innovation are converging within the jurisdiction.
Global Banks Expand Advanced Payments and Treasury Operations
Global banks are following suit. JPMorgan confirmed the expansion of its payments and treasury services from ADGM, enabling advanced liquidity management and multi-currency payment capabilities — a sign that Abu Dhabi is increasingly being used as a base for sophisticated transaction banking and capital flows.
Tokenization and Market Infrastructure Take Shape
Alongside global players, local platforms are shaping market infrastructure for the digital era. During ADFW, 82 Memorandums of Understanding were signed between regional entities such as Finstreet and the ADI DLT Foundation and global asset managers including BlackRock and Franklin Templeton, pointing to growing institutional engagement with tokenisation, structured products, and digital market architecture.
Aligning Capital, Regulation, and Technology for the Next Decade
Commenting on the momentum, H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said the USD 9 trillion in newly represented assets reflects more than scale. It signals trust in Abu Dhabi’s vision of a globally connected financial centre where capital, technology, and regulation are deliberately aligned.
As ADGM enters its next decade, digital assets, tokenization, sustainable finance, and advanced private wealth services are no longer peripheral themes — they are central to how Abu Dhabi is redefining what an international financial center can be in an increasingly on-chain and interconnected global economy.
