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Circle secured a financial services license from Abu Dhabi’s banking regulator, allowing the USDC issuer to operate as a regulated money services provider in the UAE.
The approval from ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority lets Circle offer stablecoin payments, settlements and corporate treasury services to companies in the emirate’s financial free zone.
With the ADGM license now in hand, Circle can legally offer regulated payment, settlement, and digital-asset services tied to USDC inside Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre.
That means companies operating in the UAE — from fintech firms to traditional financial institutions — can integrate USDC for business payments, corporate treasury, cross-border transfers, and developer infrastructure, backed by a regulatory framework.
The approval signals rising global confidence in stablecoins when issued under a clear regulatory license.
For Circle, the ADGM license brings legal footing and legitimacy. For the UAE, it strengthens its ambition to become a global hub for regulated digital finance and stablecoin activity.
It sets a high bar for transparency, risk management, and consumer protection — standards that enable trusted stablecoins to power real-world payments and finance at internet scale, said Jeremy Allaire, co-founder & CEO of Circle, in the company press release.
In tandem with the regulatory milestone, Circle announced the appointment of Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for Middle East and Africa (MEA).
Dr. Jaffar, previously a senior executive at Visa overseeing the GCC region — will spearhead Circle’s regional push, forge partnerships with banks and enterprises, and drive USDC adoption across the UAE and wider MEA markets.
With ADGM license clearance and a strong regional team, Circle aims to embed USDC into business payments, corporate finance, and on-chain rails — establishing stablecoins as a core part of enterprise infrastructure in the region.
The ADGM license awarded to Circle underlines the growing maturity of the UAE’s approach to digital assets.
Regulators and market participants increasingly recognise the value of stablecoins backed by compliance, oversight, and transparency.
At the same time, the market receives a strong signal that fiat-referenced tokens can operate within mainstream financial systems when under regulated frameworks.
Circle’s regulated presence in ADGM reinforces our ambition to build a trusted, institutional-grade digital asset ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, said Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM.
This regulatory-first environment may entice other stablecoin issuers, fintech firms, and financial institutions to seek similar licenses — potentially making the UAE a leading hub for regulated digital finance globally.
With ADGM license approval, Circle intends to rollout USDC services for corporate payments, settlement rails, and developer infrastructure across the UAE and MEA.
For enterprises and fintech players, this could mean access to low-friction, on-chain dollar-linked payments, faster cross-border remittances, and programmable finance tools — all under the umbrella of compliance and regulatory clarity.
At the same time, regulatory approval may attract fresh institutional interest, accelerate stablecoin-driven innovation, and reinforce confidence among users who prefer transparent, regulated digital asset platforms over unregulated alternatives.
As Circle solidifies its regional presence under the ADGM license, the UAE moves one step closer to positioning itself as a global center for regulated digital assets — potentially reshaping the financial landscape for stablecoins in MEA and beyond.
