Copper ME moves closer to expanded ADGM digital asset offering after FSRA in-principle approval

Copper Securities (ME) Limited, part of the Copper Group, has received In Principle Approval (IPA) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), marking a key regulatory step toward expanding its regulated digital asset activities in the UAE capital.

The approval relates to a Variation of Permission under ADGM’s regulatory framework and allows Copper ME to advance to the next stage of engagement with the regulator, including demonstrating full operational readiness ahead of final Financial Services Permission (FSP) approval.

The development builds on Copper ME’s December 2025 announcement outlining plans to broaden its regulated institutional offering from ADGM, as the region continues to position itself as a global hub for digital asset infrastructure and tokenized financial markets.

Abu Dhabi strengthens position as institutional digital asset hub

Abu Dhabi has increasingly emerged as one of the most active institutional digital asset centres in the Middle East, supported by the ADGM regulatory framework and growing interest from global financial institutions.

The IPA reflects the continued expansion of regulated infrastructure providers within the jurisdiction, where authorities have sought to create a framework covering custody, trading, tokenisation, and digital asset fund structures under a unified supervisory regime.

For Copper ME, the approval represents a step toward offering a broader suite of institutional-grade services, subject to final authorisation from the FSRA.

Institutional infrastructure expansion under ADGM framework

Following full approval, Copper ME plans to expand its ADGM-based platform to include a range of regulated digital asset services, including:

• Institutional-grade digital asset custody, designed with enhanced governance and risk controls

• Access to ClearLoop, Copper’s off-exchange collateral management system aimed at reducing counterparty risk and improving capital efficiency

• Structured rewards and yield-related programmes for institutional clients within compliant frameworks

• Brokerage services linked to tokenised money market fund (MMF) products, enabling access to digital financial instruments

The firm said these services will be supported by its proprietary technology stack and global institutional connectivity network.

ADGM positioned as institutional gateway

Amar Kuchinad, Chief Executive Officer of Copper Group, said the approval highlights ADGM’s role as a regulated gateway for institutional participation in blockchain-based markets.

“Copper provides financial market infrastructure and regulated financial services to institutions accessing the blockchain-based economy. This IPA reflects the strength of ADGM as a jurisdiction for global institutions seeking regulatory clarity and confidence as markets move on-chain,” he said.

“We see the Middle East, and ADGM in particular, as central to our global strategy.”

Charlotte Nedir, Senior Executive Officer of Copper ME, said the approval marks a structured progression in the firm’s ADGM roadmap.

“Receiving IPA from the FSRA is an important step in the evolution of our ADGM entity and a clear progression from our December announcement,” she said.

“ADGM’s multi-asset regulatory framework enables firms to support virtual assets, tokenised funds, and other blockchain-based instruments within a single institution-grade regime.”

She added that the firm will continue working with regulators toward full authorisation and operational launch.

ADGM sees continued inflow of global digital asset firms

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, said the approval reflects continued growth in the emirate’s digital asset ecosystem.

“This milestone underscores the strength of ADGM’s digital assets ecosystem and our progressive regulatory framework that supports responsible innovation across custody, trading, and tokenisation,” he said.

“We continue to see strong momentum from global and regional firms choosing ADGM as their platform for expansion.”

Digital asset adoption in MENA increasingly anchored in institutional use cases

The approval comes amid rising institutional adoption of digital assets across the Middle East, where demand from banks, asset managers, trading firms, and sovereign-linked entities is increasingly focused on regulated custody, capital efficiency, and compliant infrastructure.

Platforms such as Copper ME are positioning themselves within this shift, aiming to bridge traditional financial market infrastructure with blockchain-based settlement and collateral systems under regulated frameworks.

As ADGM continues to attract global infrastructure providers, the jurisdiction is increasingly competing to define the institutional architecture of tokenised and digital asset markets in the region.