/PRNewswire/ — The 2025 edition of Abu Dhabi Financial Week, organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, concluded with dynamic discussions, memorable announcements and visionary collaborations that consolidated Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global financial center plan.
Organized by the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) with ADQ as main partner, ADFW is Abu Dhabi’s flagship event for finance and investment, and this year attracted unprecedented attendance exceeding 35,000 participantsincluding more than 30% international participants representing 175nationalitésin its 68events et 394 thematic meetings. The event brought together 819eminent speakers and more than 69global and regional partnersnotably Hanwha as a strategic partner.
For the first time in the history of the event, the total assets represented during the week exceeded 62 trillion US dollars, or 53% of global GDPas international capital leaders, investors, regulators and innovators converged in Abu Dhabi to shape the future of global finance.
Commenting on the most successful edition of ADFW, His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, President of ADGMsaid: “ADFW is recognized as one of the most influential financial meetings in the world. This record-breaking edition demonstrated Abu Dhabi’s ability to attract global capital on a significant scale, bringing together decision-makers representing more than US$62 trillion in assets to build the future of finance. ADFW has evolved into Abu Dhabi’s own global platform, enabling deal-making and capital formation through a combination of capital provision, strategy and innovation built on trust and precision. “The capital of capital,” Abu Dhabi is not only hosting the global financial dialogue, but actively contributing to shaping the architecture that will define the next decade of global growth.”
Impactful dialogue and transformative announcements
This year’s edition catalyzed strategic advancements across global finance. Among the major developments, before and during the fourth and largest edition of the ADFW, the ADGM welcomed 11 new global financial institutions managing over US$9 trillion in assets: an unprecedented presence of global capital in Abu Dhabi’s thriving financial ecosystem. In 2025, in the run-up to ADFW, global giants such as UBS Group, KKR, Julius Baer, HarbourVest, Madison Realty Capital, Partners Group, DWS or Monroe Capital have announced their move to the ADGM territory. Furthermore, during these four days, entities like Cantor Fitzgerald, Circle Internet MEA, BBVA, Arab Bank (Switzerland) Middle East Ltd.Gulf, Plenary ME Infrastructure Partners, iCapital or the Eurasian Development Bank announced the opening of offices in the international financial center of Abu Dhabi.
In a formidable synergy of finance and philanthropy, US$1.9 billion pledged to eradicate polio at a high-level meeting organized by the Mohammed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, with the participation of BillGates as well as global, regional and local donors.
A real regulatory turning pointBinance became the very first cryptocurrency exchange to obtain a global license in accordance with cadre regulatory framework of the ADGM, and thus establishes a new global benchmark for the supervision of digital assets which reinforces Abu Dhabi’s leadership in financial innovation. ERM, the world’s largest consulting firm specializing in sustainable development, revealed the opening of a new office within ADGM, underscoring the financial hub’s growing role in advancing the global sustainable development agenda.
Abu Dhabi, the leading financial center in the MENA region
The very recent Financial Center Competitiveness Index (FCCI), unveiled during ADFW by the Stern School of Business de l’université de New York à Abou Dabiranked Abu Dhabi as the number one financial center in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and 12th globally. This achievement reinforces the reputation of the UAE capital as one of the most prestigious financial centers in the world thanks to ADGM.
ADFW2025 or the creation of the capital network
The record edition of ADFW2025, focused on the theme of “creation of the capital network”demonstrated the lasting emergence of Abu Dhabi as a global financial epicenter as well as the role of the ADGM in defining the future architecture of global finance through a new and transformative connection between capital, technology and strategy.
The event was an opportunity to announce memorandums of understanding and strategic collaborations between global, regional and local entities. This year, 82memorandums of understanding and partnerships were signed during ADFW to consolidate cross-border alliances and innovation reservoirs for the coming year. Key entities that have leveraged ADFW’s strategic platform to go public include BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Mubadala, Mastercard, Hanwha, Swiss Re, RIQ, Kitopi Global, Kresus, Zelo, MarcyPen Capital Partners, Tether, Crypto.com, Zodia, Presto, PCP, Warner Bros. Discovery, Global World Gold Council and Bain Capital.
The next edition of Abu Dhabi Financial Week will take place from December 7 to 10, 2026. Building on the momentum of ADFW2025, it should establish the position of this event as the main global financial gathering in the region.
To learn more, visit www.adfw.com
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2550581/5072851/ADGM_Logo.jpg