Abu Dhabi boasts first-class infrastructure and unparalleled global connectivity, making it a premier international destination. Its exceptional qualities make it an ideal location to live, work, and conduct business.
A financial centre that provides transparency, efficiency, and integrity, through its progressive frameworks, future focused infrastructure, all within a familiar independent legal jurisdiction – ADGM is the perfect platform for success.
ADGM, the centre for a transparent and thriving sustainable finance ecosystem.
Our community of business professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors can depend on ADGM to provide timely news and reliable insights.
At ADGM, we offer various support options, including contact details, FAQs, enquiry forms, and a whistleblowing form.
Legal Entity Identifier
A Legal Entity Identity (LEI) number is a unique 20-character alphanumeric string (i.e. 529900T8BM49AURSDO55) used to distinctly represent a legal entity (company, organisation, firm, government body, trust, fund, others) on a worldwide basis. Once issued, the LEI number can be used to represent the entity in financial transactions or organisation identity assurance use cases. LEIs are required by all parties participating in regulated transactions and provide a publicly available verifiable source of ‘who is who’ (organisation identity) and ‘who owns whom’ (organisation group structures).
The LEI is based on the ISO 17442 standard and assigned only to a single legal entity on a global basis. The system is maintained and operated by the Global LEI Foundation (GLEIF), and the ability to issue LEIs is only awarded to a limited number of organisations passing a stringent accreditation process who then become LEI issuers.
A registered legal entity with valid registration can apply for an LEI. This can be for profit, or non profits organisations, sole proprietors (who have a distinct identity within a business register), branches of foreign entities (provided the head office already has a LEI; only one LEI per country can be issued), funds, trusts and others.
The legal entity’s status does not need to be, but is preferred to be, in good standing, but must not be struck off, de-registered, merged, withdrawn, or any other inactive status.
An LEI may not be requested by any of the following:
- Individuals
- Operating divisions
- Branch offices within the same country as a head office already having an LEI. These entity types should all utilize the LEI of their parent or Head Office organization.
What do I need to do in order to apply for LEI number?
- Email lei.services@adgm.com requesting a LEI number.
- Provide a copy of your legal entity’s certificate of incorporation or similar document (eg commercial licence).
- Pay the required fees using the ADGM Online Registry Solution ‘Corporate Services” menu item.
- Allow us to verify the data, check and confirm if we need further information.
- Sign a letter of authorisation and send it to us by email to lei.services@adgm.com. The letter must be signed by the person authorised to do so (either one of the directors or an authorised signatory).
- If you want to report the parent entity, please provide copy of consolidated accounts (Legal entities must provide both Level 1 and, where possible, Level 2 data). PDF format is the preferred format. Legal entities must provide both Level 1 and, where possible, Level 2 data.
- Submit, and we will do the rest and issue your LEI.
If a firm is subject to obligations under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (2014/65/EU) (‘MiFID II’) and the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (EU/600/2014) (‘MiFIR’), the European Securities and Markets Authority (‘ESMA’) now mandates the use of LEI. The use of the LEI generates tangible benefits for businesses including simplified regulatory reporting, database management free of charge, improved risk management and increased operational efficiencies.
All prices for single LEI, new, transfer & renewal and renewal are shown in US dollars:
| Term (years) | New | Transfer & Renewal | Renewal |
| 1 | USD 100 | USD 100 | USD 100 |
| 2 | USD 180 | USD 180 | USD 180 |
| 3 | USD 240 | USD 240 | USD 240 |
| 4 | USD 280 | USD 280 | USD 280 |
| 5 | USD 300 | USD 300 | USD 300 |
ADGM can help with you new, renewals and transferring LEIs. Renewals can only be processed if they are already being managed by our LEI Issuer Partner RapidLEI. If the LEI is under management by a different LEI Issuer you must first Transfer the LEI to RapidLEI management. We can assist you with that. Once under RapidLEI management, we can process your renewal and your LEI will be looked after by us.
ADGM Registration Authority is a Registered Agent of RapidLEI
Ubisecure’s LEI data can be accessed here: https://search.gleif.org/#/record/529900T8BM49AURSDO55
Any LEI data can be accessed here: https://search.gleif.org/
RapidLEI is Ubisecure's LEI issuance and management service. Ubisecure is a GLEIF accredited LOU (Legal Operating Unit). Ubisecure created automation technology in the LEI application process workflows to make registering, issuing and publishing LEIs extremely easy and very rapid. RapidLEI’s algorithms do the heavy lifting for the LEI registration – the systems connect directly to the business registries to provide automated workflows and improve data accuracy. RapidLEI modernizes the LEI process to lower the costs associated with issuing and managing LEIs.
RapidLEI is positively disrupting the LEI ecosystem thanks to their investments in automation, extended partner ecosystem, new use cases, enterprise & banking LEI solution, and their modern LEI API. Quarter after quarter the GLEIF cites RapidLEI/Ubisecure as the fastest growing LEI issuer.
ADGM Registration Authority is a RapidLEI’s registration agent from whom you can buy LEI numbers. RapidLEI has a partner-first approach, only working with registration agent partners who add local expertise such as language support, regulatory understanding, currency support and more.
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), recognized by the LEI 984500B5A6C3E3I0D571, is a leading International Financial centre situated on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. Established by a UAE Federal Decree, ADGM operates across Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island, an area of 1,438 hectares, making it one of the largest financial districts in the world.
Ubisecure, identified by the LEI 529900T8BM49AURSDO55 is a technology innovator, identity assurance specialist and accredited LEI Issuer (LOU) with offices in London, Boston and throughout Europe. The Ubisecure management team also have decades of experience in the Certification Authority Industry yielding a best of breed accurate and above all rapid LEI issuance experience.
The Global LEI Foundation (GLEIF) is a not for profit body tasked with managing the Global LEI System (GLEIS). They are tasked with running the system on a global basis ensuring consistency and accuracy through data quality programs, reporting and their open data policy which allows mistakes to be spotted and updated through their challenge process.
There are three tiers in the LEI ecosystem:
*Reproduced from GLEIF Global LEI System
Frequently Asked Questions
Difference between Renewal and Transfer
ADGM can help with your new, renewals and transferring LEIs. Renewals can only be processed if they are already being managed by our LEI Issuer Partner RapidLEI. If the LEI is under management by a different LEI Issuer you must first Transfer the LEI to RapidLEI management. We can assist you with that. Once under RapidLEI management, we can process your renewal and your LEI will be looked after by us.
Refund Policy
Legal Entities are eligible for a refund within the first 60 days of the contract. The refund period as detailed under the GLEIF RA Governance Framework will be honoured appropriately.
GLEIF Consolidated Reporting Exceptions
The previously existing nine opt-out reasons can be summarized in three broad categories:
- Non-consolidating, whenever the accounting consolidation definition for parent relationship does not apply. This category includes cases where the entity is controlled by a natural person(s) without any intermediate legal entity (“Natural Person(s)”); the entity is controlled by legal entities not subject to consolidation (“Non-Consolidating”); and where there is no known person(s) controlling the entity (“No Known Person” e.g.; the entity is controlled by diverse shareholders).
- Non-Public, whenever the relationship information is non-public and therefore creates obstacles to releasing this information. This category includes cases where there are obstacles in the laws or regulations of a jurisdiction restricting the reporting (“Binding Legal Constraint”); the existence of other legal constraints such as articles governing the legal entity or a contract (“Legal Obstacles”); where disclosure of the information would be detrimental to the legal entity or the relevant parent (“Disclosure Detrimental” and “Detriment Not Excluded”); and where the consent to disclose the parent LEI was not obtained (“Consent Not Obtained”). An entity is not required to provide non-public relationship information in order to register or renew an LEI.
- No LEI, when the parent does not consent to obtain an LEI or to authorize its “child entity” to obtain an LEI on its behalf.
The GLEIF consolidated reporting exceptions to three categories as per https://www.gleif.org/en/about-lei/common-data-file-format/current-versions/level-2-data-reporting-exceptions-2-1-format
Level 2 Reporting
All Legal Entities SHALL report relationship data for both direct and ultimate accounting consolidating parent. Each relationship SHALL be reported by either a Relationship Record or a Reporting Exception Record.
All LEI applications must confirm if the Legal Entity has a Direct and Ultimate Parent. If not, Legal Entities must select a valid reporting exception reason.
For example:
Does the legal entity have a parent they consolidate to?
- If Yes, capture the information about the parent(s).
- If No, present the Reporting Exception Explanations.
There are three reporting exceptions categories (as per https://www.gleif.org/en/about-lei/common-data-file-format/current-versions/level-2-data-reporting-exceptions-2-1-format )
Category 1
- Non-consolidating, whenever the accounting consolidating definition for parent relationship does not apply. This category includes cases where the entity is controlled by a natural person(s) without any intermediate legal entity (“Natural Person(s)”);
- The entity is controlled by legal entities not subject to consolidation (“Non-Consolidating”);
- And where there is no known person(s) controlling the entity (“No Known Person” eg. the entity is controlled by diverse shareholders).
Category 2
- Non-Public, whenever the relationship information is non-public and therefore creates obstacles to releasing this information. This category includes cases where there are obstacles in the laws or regulations of a jurisdiction restricting the reporting (“Binding Legal Constraint”);
- The existence of other legal constraints such as articles governing the legal entity or a contract (“Legal Obstacles”);
- Where disclosure of the information would be detrimental to the legal entity or to the relevant parent (“Disclosure Detrimental” and “Detriment Not Excluded”); and
- Where the consent to disclose the parent LEI was not obtained (“Consent Not Obtained”). And entity is not required to provide non-public relationship information in order to register or renew an LEI.
Category 3
- No LEI, when the parent does not consent to obtain an LEI or to authorize its “child entity” to obtain an LEI on its behalf.
If you have questions or need any assistance, we're here to help
Contact Us
Place your vision in safe hands
Privacy notice: we will not disclose your name, e-mail address or contact number to any third parties, and we will only use your personal details for the purpose of dealing with your enquiry. For more information on how we handle your personal data, please refer to our Privacy Policy