Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group recorded a number of landmark achievements and market-first initiatives in 2025, a pivotal year that also coincided with the exchange’s 25th anniversary.
Over the course of the year, ADX consolidated its position as the region’s second-largest exchange while strengthening its international profile through the formation of ADX Group, unifying Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, Abu Dhabi Clear and Abu Dhabi Central Securities Depository under a single organisational framework.
This strategic transformation accelerated the exchange’s progression towards developed market standards, supported by the launch of a high-performance, fully integrated trading, clearing and settlement infrastructure. The platform enables multi-asset trading, spanning equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), debt securities and derivatives within a single ecosystem.
The enhanced infrastructure expanded market accessibility, improved cross-market linkages and supported stronger investment inflows, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s status as a prominent global investment hub.
ADX became the first exchange in the Arab world to cross-list two US-domiciled ETFs listed on the New York Stock Exchange, collectively representing approximately US$10 billion in assets under management. It also introduced the region’s first thematic ETFs focused on quantum computing and artificial intelligence, alongside the MENA region’s first digital bond built on distributed ledger technology.
At the same time, ADX strengthened its international connectivity by onboarding its first remote retail trading member and its first general clearing member, further enhancing market depth, accessibility and global reach.
Since January 2020, the ADX index has demonstrated consistent growth, outperforming both the MSCI Emerging Markets Index and the FTSE Emerging Markets Index, underscoring the exchange’s liquidity, resilience and sustained attractiveness to international investors.
Total market capitalisation exceeded AED3.1 trillion, as ADX Group continued to broaden capital-raising channels, enabling corporates to support domestic and international expansion while providing more than 1.2 million investors from over 200 nationalities access to Abu Dhabi’s economic growth story.
Listed companies delivered around AED140 billion in combined net profit during the first nine months of the year, marking a 19 percent year-on-year increase. In addition, AED74 billion in cash dividends were distributed in 2025, highlighting the exchange’s strong income-generating profile.
