Abu Dhabi sets sights New York, London and Singapore
Over the last decade, Abu Dhabi has attracted more than 300 financial firms, with a combined $28.6 trillion in assets globally, as the city positions itself as a global “capital of capital.”
ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre, revealed it has experienced rapid growth from financial firms over the last three years, increasing from 131 at the end of 2021 to 308 as of H1 2025.
The financial firms that the region has attracted include BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors, PGIM, Nuveen, Carlyle, Apollo, and UBS. The 135 per cent growth over 42 months has made ADGM one of the world’s fastest-growing financial hubs in recent years.
ADGM, which celebrated its 10th anniversary, noted that it had a record H1 2025, with a 42 per cent year-on-year increase in assets under management and a total of 154 fund and asset managers overseeing 209 funds.
The chairman of ADGM, His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, said, “Aligned with the vision and guidance of Abu Dhabi’s strategic leadership, ADGM has seen unprecedented growth within its short history and matured into a global financial powerhouse, attracting some of the world’s leading financial institutions.”
City sets sights on top five
This comes as Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aims to become one of the top five international financial centres globally over the next decade, on par with New York, London, and Singapore.
The government department is focused on key emerging areas in finance, including digital assets and regulation, AI, sustainable finance, and ESG, while also building a robust regulatory framework. It is the only jurisdiction in the region to apply English common law directly.
The city is also pulling out all the stops to lure investors and ultra-high-net-worth individuals to relocate, offering private members’ clubs, boarding schools, and revamped private banking services.
Speaking to City PM back in December, His Excellency Hareb Al Mheiri, Executive Director of the Investor Growth Sector at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), stated that he is creating a ‘one-stop shop’ for investors, particularly high-net-worth individuals.
“As we look at the next decade, our ambition to make ADGM one of the top five international financial centres globally is stronger than ever. Given what we’ve achieved so far, what we can build in the next ten years will be even greater,” Jasim Al Zaabi added.
Figures from the world of finance are set to attend Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), which kicks off on 8 December in Al Maryah Island.