Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)

In just a few generations, Abu Dhabi has transformed itself from a desert landscape into a thriving business hub surrounded by lush residential communities. The capital of the UAE, and home to many talented and skilled professionals, Abu Dhabi is a dynamic and modern city, rich with impressive architecture, pioneering global green initiatives and ambitious plans for the next generation’s transformation.

Abu Dhabi has a robust and sophisticated financial services sector with highly capitalized banks, a large concentration of institutional and private wealth, and several of the world’s largest Sovereign Wealth Funds.

Over four decades, Abu Dhabi-based institutions, such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, International Petroleum Investment Company, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Mubadala, have earned their position as major players in the global financial services arena, managing substantial assets and pursuing international growth strategies.

Currently, Abu Dhabi accounts for two-thirds of the approximate $400 billion UAE economy and owns 9% and 5% of the world's proven oil and gas reserves respectively. Abu Dhabi also accounts for 60% of UAE’s investible wealth and 75% of UAE’s total assets under management.

ADGM has cultivated an ecosystem supporting the growth of its funds' management, institutional asset management, and private wealth management industries. The English common law environment and the sophisticated regulatory regime have provided the ideal platform for the growth of Asset Servicing Providers (ASPs), providing a home at ADGM for the full lifecycle of asset servicing. Assets Under Management (AUM) currently stand at USD$26 billion.

With the increasingly sophisticated needs of institutional and private asset managers across traditional asset classes, alternatives, and digital assets, the demand for effective and efficient asset services continues to grow. ADGM is committed to providing an effective platform for these services in a tax-efficient location and with access to skilled resources and technology innovators.

Asset Servicing is one of three Wealth and Asset Management focused areas at ADGM. The other areas include Investment Management and Funds and Fund Management.

Furthermore, as an International Financial Centre and Financial Services Regulator, ADGM recognizes the importance of fostering greater regulatory collaboration, bolstering connectivity and creating new opportunities among like-minded economies. One of ADGM’s commitments is working with the relevant authorities in China and Abu Dhabi to support the RMB internationalization strategy and build a robust RMB center serving the MENA region via ADGM.

ADGM’s multiple authorities facilitate a comprehensive portfolio of services for its institutions.

Registration Authority:

The Registration Authority supports companies through the application and set-up of ADGM-registered entities and provides a range of services to facilitate market entry, growth and the emergence of a vibrant and sustainable business community.

Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA):

The FSRA was established to advocate a progressive financial services environment and uphold the integrity of the whole international financial center by managing any potential risks exposure and undesirable impact.

ADGM Courts

The unique fully-digital Abu Dhabi Global Market courts deliver an end-to-end seamless experience that transforms the way judicial services are provided. The direct application of English Common Law makes ADGM the first jurisdiction in the Middle East to adopt a similar approach to that of Singapore and Hong Kong.

ADGM Arbitration Centre:

ADGM’s arbitration hearing facility in Abu Dhabi commenced operations in October 2018. The center caters to a strong demand for arbitration as parties’ preferred form of dispute resolution for their commercial or civil disputes.

Abu Dhabi has recently been recognized as the top FinTech hub in the MENA region with ADGM actively championing the development of a sustainable and vibrant FinTech ecosystem. ADGM has set many 'firsts' for the MENA region, including the first FinTech Regulatory regime and the first FinTech RegLab which today is the world's second most active FinTech sandbox after London.

Similarly, ADGM’s Digital Sandbox (DSB) is a virtual environment hosted by ADGM, in which FinTechs, Financial Institutions and a financial services regulator, represented by ADGM's FSRA, can seamlessly connect, experiment and develop innovative solutions, creating new products, and testing prototypes in a safe environment. Furthermore, as part of its holistic approach to the regulation of digital assets, ADGM’s Digital Securities Guidance provides clarity and transparency to market participants seeking to conduct digital asset activities.

In real estate, ADGM’s Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) regime offers investors exposure to income-generating real estate with the advantages of investment in manageable amounts and better liquidity compared with direct investment in property.

And in the banking sector, digital banks play a pivotal role in advancing the innovation and financial agenda of Abu Dhabi and of the UAE. As such, ADGM’s Digital Banking Framework focuses on conventional banks seeking to establish digital banks or branches of digital banks, as well as for firms with innovative value propositions.