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.
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Abu Dhabi is recognised as the top FinTech hub in MENA region with ADGM actively championing the development of a sustainable and vibrant FinTech ecosystem, setting many 'firsts' for the MENA region, including the first FinTech Regulatory regime and the first FinTech RegLab which today is the world's second most active FinTech sandbox after London.
ADGM recognises the importance of technological innovation in the financial services industry. We play a meaningful role in supporting innovation and growth in FinTech while promoting systemic safety and consumer protection. As a centre of connectivity located halfway between the European and Asian markets, Abu Dhabi is a crossroads of the world where ADGM's strategic partnerships with other regulators and the private sector underpin a vibrant FinTech ecosystem.
ADGM is the first in the region to pioneer financial innovation and offer a platform for a vibrant FinTech ecosystem, while providing the opportunity to collaborate with a progressive and award-winning regulator. We continue to reach out to all relevant stakeholders in the FinTech industry, both locally and globally, in pursuit of achieving our goals in building the industry in Abu Dhabi. These partnerships provide a framework for parties to harness each other’s expertise and knowledge, and to create shared initiatives that strategically support the development and growth of the FinTech ecosystem in ADGM, Abu Dhabi, and beyond.
Established FinTech entities setting up in ADGM find a business friendly and enabling ecosystem with access to some of the world's most underserved FinTech markets, while FinTech Startups can apply to the ADGM RegLab, the first RegLab in the region providing a controlled environment for participants to explore and develop innovative FinTech solutions in a risk appropriate and cost-effective environment.
ADGM is partner in and home to the recently launched global tech ecosystem Hub71. Over a billion dirhams of this programme is committed to driving tech transformation through Hub71. For the first time, through Hub71, we will be bringing together three key pillars that are essential for the success of Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem – capital providers, business enablers and strategic partners. Mubadala Investment Company is leading this initiative, and our partners Microsoft and SoftBank Vision Fund are some of the world’s most powerful technology investors and companies.
Financial services entities are required to meet specific resource requirements, either designated as Controlled Functions, which require approval by the FSRA, or as Recognised Functions, which are appointed by the entity itself and notified to the FSRA. For more information refer to Chapters 5.3 and 5.4 in the ADGM General Rulebook (GEN).
Read the MENA Fintech Venture Report 2019
A MAGNiTT report in collaboration with ADGM
ADGM recognises the importance of technological innovation in the financial services industry. Globally, financial technology (FinTech) has enhanced efficiency of financial markets and systems, and the overall customer experience. At ADGM, we can play a meaningful role in supporting innovation and growth in the industry, while promoting systemic safety and consumer protection.
Why set up your FinTech business in ADGM
FinTech hub
ADGM is rated to be one of the world's leading FinTech jurisdictions with the world's second most active FinTech regulatory sandbox. Abu Dhabi is committed to promoting technology innovation and encouraging competition within the FinTech sector.
Full ecosystem
ADGM offers a full ecosystem of legal, accounting and servicing firms and enables the optimisation of businesses.
Collaboration
By providing a Digital Sandbox environment, a cloud-hosted platform for start-ups, ADGM encourages collaborative growth alongside institutional partners, in addition to providing an opportunity to integrate FinTech solutions with banking data and functionality, to test for scalability and robustness.
Growth potential
ADGM hosts world-leading fund managers with a strong technology focus, such as SoftBank, in addition to more traditional asset managers including Aberdeen Asset Management, and BNP Paribas.
Global Financial Innovation Network
With the Global Financial Innovation Network, ADGM facilitates an international regulators' group that allows FinTechs to test their products in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously, with interaction from each country's financial regulators.
Business friendly
ADGM tailors its regulatory frameworks to encourage responsible investment through for example its Venture Capital Fund regime.
Other fintech solutions
RegLab
The ADGM RegLab is a specially-tailored regulatory framework which provides a controlled environment for FinTech participants to develop and test innovative FinTech solutions.
As the first RegLab in the region and the world’s second most active FinTech sandbox, the RegLab is designed to foster innovation within the UAE financial services market for both new market entrants and existing financial institutions.
ADGM FinTech Digital Lab
The ADGM FinTech Digital Lab supports and enables the creation of APIs, System Virtual Machines, data and applications that connect legacy systems of Financial Institutions to FinTechs, more established technology providers and other relevant parties in a cost-effective and scalable manner, hosted securely on the cloud.
To promote industry adoption, interoperability, financial inclusion and convergence to higher standards, ADGM is developing tools and guidance on the standards and IT security requirements for open APIs and cloud adoption.
Global Financial Innovation Network
The Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN) was formerly launched in January 2019 by an international group of financial regulators and related organisations, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This built on the FCA’s early 2018 proposal to create a global sandbox. The GFIN is a network of 29 organisations committed to supporting financial innovation in the interests of consumers.
The ADGM RegLab is a specially-tailored regulatory framework which provides a controlled environment for FinTech participants to develop and test innovative FinTech solutions.
As the first RegLab in the region and the world’s second most active FinTech sandbox, the RegLab is designed to foster innovation within the UAE financial services market for both new market entrants and existing financial institutions.
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