14 firms managing $5 trillion set up offices in ADGM in H1 2026

20/10/2026 02:28 AST

Fourteen major financial institutions, collectively managing over $5 trillion in assets under management, have made plans during the first half of 2026 to set up in Abu Dhabi Global Market, its chairman said.

The emirate's economy grew by 7 per cent in 2025, with non-oil economy increasing by 8 per cent and contributing more than half of the total GDP, Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said during the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum in London on Thursday.

Previously, ADGM reported that firms which established operations during the same period collectively oversaw more than $2.1 trillion in global assets.

"Abu Dhabi has long-term capital, competitive energy, world-class, infrastructure, and access to some of the world's fastest-growing markets," the chairman said during his speech. "We have the capacity to invest for decades and the agility to act today."

Al Zaabi added that ADGM operates under the direct application of English Common Law, making it the first jurisdiction in the region to adopt a similar approach to that of Singapore and Hong Kong.

ADGM assets rise 54%
During that same period, ADGM's assets under management jumped 54 per cent year on year, extending an uninterrupted growth trend since 2022, the centre announced in September.

The number of fund and asset managers operating from the financial centre increased to 190 from 154 a year earlier, while the number of funds managed from ADGM climbed 32 per cent to 276.

The growth in business activity was accompanied by an expansion of the workforce across Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island, where ADGM operates, which reached 49,027 professionals at the end of June. This represented an increase of 4,688 people during the first half alone and a 34 per cent rise compared with the same period in 2025.

Business activity also accelerated, with the number of active licences reaching 13,974 by the end of June. ADGM issued 1,814 licences during the first half, while the number of operational entities rose 34 per cent year on year to 3,986.

Khaleej Times