ADGM Setup — Abu Dhabi Global Market, English Common Law

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) is the UAE’s premier financial Free Zone built on English Common Law. The natural home for financial services, fintech, family offices, SPVs and funds. Starting from 30,000 AED depending on activity.

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What is ADGM?

The Abu Dhabi Global Market is an international financial centre established on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. Established in 2015 and operating under English Common Law, ADGM has its own civil and commercial courts, a regulator (the FSRA) and a registration authority (the RA).

ADGM grants 100% foreign ownership, 0% personal income tax, full profit repatriation and one of the strongest banking-access profiles in the UAE. It is the jurisdiction of choice for regulated financial firms, holding structures and family wealth.

ADGM Activities

ADGM serves four major activity verticals.

Financial Services (Cat 1-4)

Banking, asset management, custodianship, advisory, fund management, brokerage. FSRA-regulated and capitalised per category.

Family Offices

Single & multi-family office structures, private wealth management, succession planning, philanthropy vehicles.

SPVs & Funds

Special Purpose Vehicles for investments, IP holding, transactions. ADGM Funds for private equity, venture capital and real estate.

Fintech & RegTech

ADGM RegLab — a leading regulatory sandbox for digital banks, payment service providers, robo-advisors and digital assets.

ADGM Cost Overview

ADGM pricing depends on whether your activity is non-regulated (holding, SPV) or regulated (Cat 1-4 financial services).

SPV / Holding company — Starting from 30,000 AED setup + Starting from 10,000 AED annual.
Non-financial activities (Tech, consulting) — Starting from 40,000 AED first-year.
Cat 4 financial advisor — Starting from 80,000 AED first-year + capital requirements.
Cat 3 asset manager — Starting from 150,000 AED first-year + USD 250,000-500,000 capital.
Cat 1 bank / dealer-broker — multi-million USD capital, bespoke setup.
Visa quotas — per substance and office size, scalable.

Banking Access & Best Fit

ADGM’s English Common Law framework and FSRA regulation deliver the highest tier of banking access.

Banking access — excellent. All tier-1 banks onboard ADGM entities readily. International banks (HSBC, Citi, Standard Chartered) also active.
Best for — regulated financial firms, family offices, holding companies, fintech sandbox graduates, sophisticated investors needing English Common Law contracts.
Not ideal for — trading SMEs (DMCC, JAFZA fit better) or solo consultants (cost-prohibitive).
Compliance — audited accounts mandatory annually. AML, KYC and economic substance compliance audited by FSRA.

ADGM FAQ

ADGM or DIFC?

Both are English Common Law financial centres. ADGM is Abu Dhabi-based and slightly cheaper. DIFC is Dubai-based, larger and slightly more expensive. Both have strong reputations — the choice often comes down to where your team and clients are located.

How long does ADGM setup take?

SPV / holding setup: 2-4 weeks. Non-regulated commercial entity: 4-6 weeks. Regulated financial firm: 4-9 months including FSRA approval.

Is ADGM only for finance?

No. ADGM also welcomes tech, consulting, legal, professional services and holding structures. However the price point makes it cost-effective mainly when you need the financial regulator credibility or English Common Law structuring.

Can an ADGM company claim the 0% QFZP rate?

QFZP status attaches to the company, not to the Free Zone. An ADGM company qualifies if it derives qualifying income from a qualifying activity, maintains adequate substance in the UAE, meets the de minimis and transfer pricing requirements, and files audited financial statements. “Designated Zone” is a separate VAT classification and does not by itself determine QFZP eligibility. Our accounting team handles the QFZP framework alongside ADGM filings.

Compare with other zones on our Free Zones hub or see the Free Zone formation process.