ADGM is an Abu Dhabi international financial centre and free zone with its own English-common-law courts and regulator (FSRA), used for fund management, fintech, and holding structures.
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) is a financial free zone established in 2013 on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. ADGM has three independent authorities: the Registration Authority (companies registry), the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), and ADGM Courts, which apply English common law directly.
This makes ADGM one of only a handful of jurisdictions outside the UK that import the English common-law system, including Companies Regulations modeled closely on the UK Companies Act 2006.
ADGM is widely used for asset managers, hedge funds, family offices, fintechs (including the RegLab sandbox), virtual asset service providers under the FSRA, holding companies, and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs). Companies enjoy 100 percent foreign ownership, 0 percent personal income tax, and Qualifying Free Zone Person treatment under UAE corporate tax for qualifying activities.
ADGM also operates a Foundation regime used for succession planning and wealth structuring. ADGM Foundations can hold shares, IP, and real estate, and they are increasingly used as orphan vehicles in cross-border structures involving the GCC and Asia.
You will encounter ADGM when comparing financial centres for fund management, regulated fintech, family wealth structures, or holding companies in the Middle East. ADGM is also a default jurisdiction for digital asset businesses needing a clear regulatory regime, and for SPVs and Foundations used in succession or estate planning.
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