Abu Dhabi Global Market's Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) granted six licence approvals in October 2026, three full Financial Services Permissions and three in-principle approvals, as eight global asset managers secured licences or opened offices in the financial centre.
Capital Group, which reports about US$3.6tn in assets under management, received its permission on 7 October to operate as a regulated investment manager; its Abu Dhabi office is led by Benno Klingenberg-Timm, Head of Abu Dhabi Office and Head of Institutional for Europe and Asia. Artha Bharat Investment Managers ME, led by Founder and Group CEO Sachin Sawrikar, holds a permission dated 14 October for fund and asset management, arranging and advice to professional clients; the group says it manages more than US$800m across four funds. On the same day, Zodia Custody said its ADGM subsidiary, Tungsten Custody Solutions, may now hold digital securities in custody, starting with tokenised money market products.
Three firms received in-principle approval, a step towards a full permission rather than a grant of one. Bhutan's DK Bank (8 October) plans a subsidiary offering brokerage, custody, payments and advisory services. 3iQ Middle East, sister company of the Toronto digital asset manager 3iQ, was approved in principle for a Category 4 licence on 12 October; its Head of Middle East is Rachel Pether, formerly of Mubadala. Alpaca said on 25 October that its Middle East unit, led by Chief Executive Hatem ElAraby, intends to offer brokerage and virtual asset custody once fully permitted.
Eurazeo opened its first Middle East office in ADGM on 1 October, led by Adrien Pinelli, Managing Director in Investor Relations. New Mountain Capital, with about US$60bn in assets, opened an office led by Managing Director Shehreyar Hameed, and real estate investor Pretium, with about US$70bn and licensed since August, announced its Abu Dhabi office on 14 October. Goanna Capital opened its first international office under Middle East head Hussain Al Alawi, and Advent followed on 21 October with a team led by Mehdi Iraqi, Managing Director for Limited Partner Services. Citywire Middle East also reported that Arada Capital, the funds platform of developer Arada, has completed its ADGM incorporation.
The arrivals build on strong first-half growth. ADGM Chairman Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi said fund and asset managers in the centre rose to 190 from 154 a year earlier, Khaleej Times reported on 19 October.
