Circle Lands Full ADGM License: Now Offering Regulated USDC Services in UAE
Stablecoin giant Circle just unlocked a major gateway to Middle Eastern capital.
The Regulatory Green Light
Forget sandbox experiments. Circle secured a full Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority. This isn't a trial run—it's a full-throated endorsement to operate as a regulated virtual asset service provider. The move lets Circle offer its suite of USDC and treasury services directly to institutions in the region, backed by one of the world's most progressive crypto frameworks.
Why the UAE, Why Now?
The UAE has been methodically positioning itself as a global crypto hub, with ADGM at the forefront. For Circle, this license is a strategic beachhead. It provides a compliant on-ramp for regional wealth funds, banks, and enterprises looking to touch digital dollars without the regulatory fog that chokes innovation elsewhere. It's a direct line to petrodollar liquidity searching for a digital yield—a classic case of following the money, just with a blockchain ledger.
The Bigger Picture: A Regulated On-Ramp
This isn't just about adding another jurisdiction to the map. It's a signal that major stablecoin operators are done waiting for clarity in legacy financial centers. They're building the regulated rails where regulators are actually building back. The license allows Circle to issue USDC and provide custody and management services, effectively creating a sanctioned dollar corridor into the Middle East's financial system. One cynical take? While traditional finance debates stablecoin rules for another five years, the future is being cemented in deserts, not on Capitol Hill.
The race to tokenize the world's assets is on, and Circle just secured a prime position at the starting line in a region that's all-in. Watch for capital flows to follow the regulatory certainty.
Circle Collaborates with FSRA for Clearer Regulations
With ADGM leading the way in attracting companies seeking clarity in the regulations of fiat-backed tokens and tokenized financial services, this action will position the UAE as a leading regulator of digital assets. Circle has also hired Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as the Managing Director of the Middle East and Africa as part of its expansion.
Circle expands its regulatory footprint in the UAE
Announced at Abu Dhabi Finance Week:
→ Secured an @ADGlobalMarket FSRA Financial Services Permission to operate as a Money Services Provider
This milestone builds on USDC and EURC being the first stablecoins recognized by… pic.twitter.com/BCSDOpo3mb
Dr. Jaffar is a senior executive of Visa currently serving the GCC region. She will come to Circle to spearhead its strategy and develop regional relations. She will focus on increasing the use of USDC in the business payment and financial infrastructure within the UAE and beyond.
A clearer regulatory environment is a precondition of a more transparent and effective internet financial system. It is an honor to work in collaboration with FSRA in ADGM, said Circle co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire.
The new license will see Circle grow regulated usage of USDC in corporate payments, settlement rails, and developer infrastructure regionally. This comes after Dubai acknowledged USDC and EURC under the crypto token framework of the DFSA, which is instituting Circle as a regulatory entity in both of the major financial hubs of the UAE.
Tether USDT Approved for Regulated Operations on Multiple Blockchains
Stablecoins have seen major mainstream adoption following the signing of the GENIUS Act by President Donald TRUMP in July, establishing a federal system to issue and regulate these currencies. With the passage of the law, large financial institutions like Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Robinhood started new initiatives related to stablecoins.
Tether’s USDT stablecoin now holds a fiat-backed status and has received approval across various blockchains within ADGM.
Tether announced that licensed participants of the ADGM financial free zone could now carry out regulated operations with USDT in blockchains such as Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON, and TRON. The approvals are based on prior USDT approvals on Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche.
On Monday, Binance disclosed that it obtained complete permission to run its flagship Binance.com platform under the supervision of ADGM. This has been after years of regulatory scrutiny.
Major milestone 🏁#Binance is the first-ever digital assets trading platform to secure a full suite of licenses from FSRA under @ADGlobalMarket.
This marks a breakthrough moment that raises global standards for regulation, security, and trust.
It reflects our commitment to… pic.twitter.com/ItRofJoAOC
Binance will be managed using three separate legal entities in the zone: an exchange, a clearinghouse, and a broker-dealer, which follows a classic financial market layout of regulated trading, custody, settlement, and off-exchange capabilities.
