Circle Secures Full ADGM License to Expand USDC in the UAE

Circle has achieved a significant regulatory milestone in the United Arab Emirates, successfully obtaining a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

Key Takeaways:

Circle has gained an ADGM license, enabling regulated USDC services.
This approval enhances Abu Dhabi's ambition to be a global center for regulated digital assets.
Circle has appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar to spearhead regional expansion and promote USDC adoption.

With this license, Circle becomes a fully regulated Money Services Provider within the UAE's capital market free zone, as announced in a press release on Tuesday.

Circle Wins Full ADGM License to Expand USDC Across the UAE

Circle Enters UAE’s Growing Crypto Hub with Full Regulatory Approval

The new license allows Circle to provide regulated payment, settlement, and digital asset services linked to USDC. This marks Circle's formal entry into one of the world's most rapidly developing hubs for compliant cryptocurrency activity.

The UAE is actively establishing itself as a worldwide center for digital asset regulation, with ADGM at the forefront of attracting businesses that seek clear guidelines for fiat-referenced tokens and tokenized financial services.

To aid its expansion, Circle has appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa. Currently a senior executive at Visa overseeing the GCC region, Dr. Jaffar will lead Circle’s strategic initiatives, forge regional partnerships, and advocate for the broader use of USDC in business payments and infrastructure throughout the UAE and beyond.

"Regulatory clarity is essential for building a more open and efficient internet financial system. We are privileged to collaborate with the FSRA in ADGM,” said Jeremy Allaire, co-founder and CEO of Circle.

Now equipped with the license, Circle plans to broaden the application of regulated USDC in corporate payments, settlement networks, and developer infrastructure across the area.

This announcement follows Dubai’s prior recognition of USDC and EURC under the Dubai Financial Services Authority’s (DFSA) crypto token framework, providing Circle with a regulatory foundation in both of the UAE’s significant financial zones.

The adoption of stablecoins has increased significantly in mainstream finance since former President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July. This legislation establishes a federal framework for the issuance and regulation of stablecoins.

The act's approval has prompted financial institutions like Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Robinhood to initiate new stablecoin projects.

Tether and Binance Also Gain Regulatory Approval in ADGM

As previously reported, Tether's USDT stablecoin has received regulatory recognition as a compliant fiat-referenced token across numerous blockchains within the ADGM. Tether announced that ADGM now allows licensed institutions in the financial free zone to perform regulated activities involving USDT across platforms such as Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON, and TRON, building on earlier approvals for USDT on Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche.

On Monday, Binance revealed that it has also obtained full approval to operate its primary platform, Binance.com, under ADGM regulations. This achievement comes after a long period of regulatory scrutiny. In ADGM, Binance will function through three legal entities: an exchange, a clearing house, and a broker-dealer. This structure is aligned with traditional financial markets, allowing for regulated trading, custody, settlement, and off-exchange services.