Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025 concluded after a landmark week that reinforced the UAE capital’s standing as a leading global financial hub, bringing together policymakers, investors and innovators to shape the future of global finance.
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the event underscored Abu Dhabi’s growing influence in global capital markets and financial innovation.
As Abu Dhabi’s flagship financial and investment event, organised by Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) with ADQ as Headline Partner, ADFW 2025 welcomed more than 35,000 attendees.
Over 30 per cent were international participants, representing 175 nationalities across 68 events and 394 thematic sessions.
The programme featured 819 influential speakers and more than 69 global and regional partners, including Hanwha as Strategic Partner.
Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025
For the first time in the event’s history, total assets represented during the week exceeded $62tn — equivalent to 53 per cent of global GDP — highlighting the scale of international capital engagement in Abu Dhabi.
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said: “ADFW has been recognised as one of the world’s most influential financial gatherings. This record-breaking edition has firmly positioned ADFW as Abu Dhabi’s own global platform enabling deal-making and capital formation, with confidence and precision.
“As the Capital of Capital, Abu Dhabi is not only hosting global financial dialogue but actively engineering the architecture that will define the next decade of global growth.”
Among the most significant outcomes of ADFW 2025, ADGM welcomed 11 global financial institutions managing more than $9tn in assets under management in the lead-up to and during the event.
Firms including Cantor Fitzgerald, BBVA, Arab Bank Switzerland, Middle East Ltd, Plenary ME Infrastructure Partners, iCapital and Eurasian Development Bank announced the opening of offices in Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre.
Finance meets philanthropy
In a major convergence of finance and philanthropy, a $1.9bn global commitment to eradicate polio was pledged during a high-level session convened by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, with the participation of Bill Gates and global donors.
In a landmark regulatory development, Binance became the first crypto exchange globally to be licensed under ADGM’s regulatory framework.
Meanwhile, ERM, the world’s largest specialist sustainability consultancy, announced the opening of a new office within ADGM.
The week also saw the launch of the FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
In a major real estate and infrastructure announcement, Mubadala and Aldar revealed a AED60bn ($16.3bn) joint venture to expand ADGM’s district on Al Maryah Island by 1.5 million square metres.
Halo Investing and ADGM also introduced Majarra, a new capital markets ecosystem designed to enable protective investment solutions originating from the UAE to reach global markets.
Global rankings and partnerships
An inaugural Financial Centres Competitiveness Index, unveiled by the Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi, ranked Abu Dhabi as the leading financial centre in the Middle East and North Africa and 12th globally.
ADFW 2025 also delivered concrete outcomes, with 82 memorandums of understanding and strategic partnerships signed during the week. Organisations announcing collaborations included BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Mastercard, Swiss Re, Crypto.com, Bain Capital and many others across finance, technology and investment.
Anchored by the theme Engineering the Capital Network, the record-breaking edition highlighted Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a global financial epicentre and ADGM’s role in shaping the future architecture of global finance.
The next edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week will take place from December 7 to 10, 2026.
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