News

The ADGM Registration Authority (“RA”) has published the Administrative Regulations 2025 (the “Admin Regulations”) and consequential amendments to the relevant commercial legislation. 

The Admin Regulations, together with the enhancements to the commercial legislation, provide a clear and properly calibrated root-and-branch solution which enhances the RA’s statutory framework concerning contraventions, sanctions and enforcement procedures, which improves and simplifies the previous framework and promotes consistency across the existing ADGM commercial legislation.

A summary of some of the key features of the Admin Regulations is as follows:

• Consolidation and enhancement of the RA’s investigation powers and information gathering powers
• Updated fine levels and administrative sanctions to more accurately reflect the nature and severity of contraventions
• Introduction of a two-fold tiered approach to contraventions with different enforcement processes and procedures based on the severity of the contravention
• Enhanced supervisory and enforcement powers to support the RA in bringing its supervisory/enforcement actions to conclusion in a transparent, efficient, and fair manner
• Introduction of a statutory emergency process that the RA CEO can deploy in cases of exceptional urgency.
• Introduction of a statutory power to provide the RA with the ability to enter into settlement agreements, with a settlement process that is clearly prescribed.  

Enactment of the Admin Regulations and amendments to the relevant ADGM Regulations, and repeal and replacement of the Commercial Licensing Regulations and the relevant ADGM Rules are effective upon publication.

The enacted versions of the Admin Regulations and the relevant commercial legislation are publicly available and can be viewed here:

• Administrative Regulations 2025
• ADGM Commercial Legislations