Operational entities within ADGM grew to 2 972, a 42 per cent year-on-year increase, comprising 308 financial and 2 664 non-financial firms. The centre also issued 1 869 new licences in the first half, the highest count for a six-month period since its inception—representing a 47 per cent rise from the same period the previous year.
Underpinning these figures were transformative partnerships forged during the period, reinforcing ADGM’s role as a regional enabler of institutional-scale investment. Fortress Investment Group established a permanent office and entered a USD 1 billion co-investment agreement with Mubadala, while Kimmeridge opened its ADGM office and signed a memorandum with Mubadala Energy to develop natural gas and LNG projects—creating a transatlantic energy corridor.
Investment innovation continued as IHC, BlackRock, and ADGM-based Lunate launched an AI-native reinsurance platform within the centre, aiming to manage liabilities in excess of USD 10 billion. Meanwhile, Mubadala and Alpha Dhabi expanded their private credit joint venture to USD 2.5 billion.
ADGM also solidified its financial ecosystem: assets under management rose by 42 per cent, supported by 154 fund and asset managers overseeing 209 funds. New entrants such as Nuveen—managing between USD 3 billion and USD 5 billion from ADGM—expect to double their regional AUM in the coming three years.
Regulatory momentum accompanied business expansion. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority granted 52 in-principle approvals and 45 full permissions. ADGM signed memoranda of understanding with regulators in Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Hong Kong, and Sweden, while updating guidelines on sanctions compliance, cybersecurity, and fund reporting in line with international standards.
The Registration Authority introduced AccessRP, a digital tool to streamline property interest verification, launched Commercial Permits Regulations to offer greater operational flexibility, and reduced fees to ease market entry. Supervision efforts intensified, with a 223 per cent jump in supervisory assessments versus the first half of 2024.
Workforce expansion mirrored institutional growth, with 35 964 professionals now employed across Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands—reflecting ADGM’s growing attractiveness to global talent.
As ADGM approaches its tenth anniversary in October, ADGM Surpasses 11 000 Active Licences, Delivers Robust H1 Growth captures the scale of progress in six months. Its ability to attract global capital, forge strategic partnerships, and strengthen regulatory capabilities signals that the centre is not merely growing, but thriving as an international financial hub.
Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy expanded to 9.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, bolstered by ADGM’s performance and its role in diversifying the emirate’s economic base.
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