ADX 2025 Achievements Reinforce Global Standing And Market Growth

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group closed 2025 with strong growth indicators as it marked 25 years of operations. The group consolidated its status as the region’s second-largest exchange by market value, while trading activity, profitability of listed companies and investor participation all increased, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s role in regional and global capital markets.

Listed companies on ADX generated approximately AED140 billion in combined net profit during the first nine months of 2025. This represented a 19 percent rise compared with the same period a year earlier. Cash dividends reached AED74 billion during 2025, highlighting the market’s income characteristics and supporting long-term wealth creation for both regional and international investors.

Since January 2020, the main ADX index has delivered continuous gains, outperforming both the MSCI Emerging Markets Index and the FTSE Emerging Markets Index. This sustained outperformance signals deeper liquidity, broader sector representation and growing confidence among international investors seeking exposure to Abu Dhabi’s expanding non-oil economy.

Total market capitalisation on ADX surpassed AED3.1 trillion in 2025, underlining the exchange’s role in capital formation. The platform enabled companies to raise funding for regional and overseas expansion plans. More than 1.2 million investors from over 200 nationalities were able to access opportunities linked to the emirate’s broader economic development.

Trading indicators also strengthened during the year. Overall trading value exceeded AED385 billion, an increase of 12.6 percent compared with 2024. Average daily trading value reached AED1.52 billion, up 12.1 percent year-on-year, reflecting deeper participation from both institutional and retail investors and a more resilient secondary market structure.

ETF activity advanced notably in 2025. ADX became the first exchange in the Arab world to cross-list two US-domiciled ETFs from the New York Stock Exchange, together holding around US$10 billion in assets under management. The exchange also listed five new ETFs during the year, bringing the total to 20 and reinforcing its status as the region’s most active ETF market.

The exchange also introduced the region’s first thematic ETFs focused on quantum computing and artificial intelligence. In parallel, ADX listed the MENA region’s first digital bond using distributed ledger technology. These product launches expanded the range of instruments available, enabling investors to gain targeted exposure to technology themes and new fixed income structures.

The group’s dividend profile remained a key feature of the market. Launched in December 2025, the FTSE ADX Dividend Stars Index became the region’s first income-focused benchmark. It includes 17 highly liquid stocks that distributed more than AED52 billion in dividends during 2025. These securities represented over 70 percent of total market dividends and delivered an average yield of 5.28 percent, above many global peers.

ADX Group technology, global connectivity and education

ADX Group advanced its digital infrastructure and investor access strategy throughout 2025. Integration with TAMM, Abu Dhabi’s unified government services platform, allowed more than 11 million users across the UAE to register for and access capital markets. This integration simplified onboarding and aligned with the emirate’s wider digital government objectives.

The group deployed AI-driven tools to support investor empowerment and transparency. These solutions translated complex company disclosures into accessible insights, helping investors understand risk and opportunity more easily. Retail participation continued to grow in both size and sophistication, supported by this technology and the expansion of accessible digital channels.

Global connectivity widened through multiple partnerships. ADX Group worked with platforms including eToro, Thndr, WIO Bank, X Cube and Interactive Brokers, broadening international access to Abu Dhabi securities. The Tabadul platform also extended cross-border reach, as two additional exchanges joined and two memorandums of understanding were signed with peer exchanges to support cross-listings, joint product development and multi-market access.

ADX welcomed its first remote retail trading member and its first general clearing member during 2025. These steps helped deepen market depth and improved post-trade risk management. Together, they enhanced accessibility for international clients and strengthened Abu Dhabi’s position in regional trading flows, supported by a more diverse intermediary community.

Education and financial literacy remained a priority. ADX Group launched the Market Intelligence Lab at Liwa University, the second initiative under its financial literacy programme. This complements the upgraded Virtual Trading Platform, agreements with academic institutions and focused education campaigns designed to link classroom learning with practical experience in capital markets.

ADX Group outlook for Abu Dhabi capital markets

The establishment of ADX Group during 2025 brought Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, Abu Dhabi Clear and Abu Dhabi Central Securities Depository into a single structure. This integration delivered a high-performance trading, clearing and settlement framework that supports multiple asset classes, including equities, ETFs, debt instruments and derivatives, on one unified platform.

The enhanced structure is designed to align ADX with developed market standards. It also sits within a wider macroeconomic backdrop of strong UAE fundamentals, continued diversification and rising foreign direct investment. The exchange operates alongside an expanding non-oil economy, where companies seek capital to support regional and global growth plans.

Building on the progress of 2025, ADX Group plans to deepen value creation by upgrading digital market infrastructure, further improving transparency and supporting sustainable growth. The group aims to ensure regulations, governance frameworks and post-trade capabilities remain aligned with international practice, reinforcing its role in capital market development for Abu Dhabi and the wider region.

With inputs from WAM