TLDR
Abu Dhabi Global Market approved both USDT and USDC for regulated use under its stablecoin regime. See the regulators approvals summarized in this ADGM update.
- USDT was recognized as an Accepted Fiat Referenced Token across multiple chains inside ADGM, enabling regulated trading and custody by licensed firms, per an ADGM-focused report.
- USDC appears on the ADGM approved list, and Circle received a Financial Services Permission to operate as a Money Services Provider, per an ADGM license announcement.
- Dubais financial zone previously recognized USDC and EURC under its token regime, aligning the UAEs two hubs, as noted in the report above.
Deep Dive
1. USDT Approved in ADGM
The Abu Dhabi Global Markets regulator recognized Tethers USDT as an Accepted Fiat Referenced Token, enabling licensed institutions in ADGM to offer regulated activities involving USDT across additional chains beyond earlier approvals. This expands permissible networks and operational scope in a single regulatory framework, per an Abu Dhabi regulator update.
In ADGM, licensed firms can use USDT in regulated services such as custody and settlement, with clearer rules on eligible networks and compliance guardrails.
2. USDC Approved and Circle Licensed
USDC is included among ADGMs approved fiat-referenced tokens, and Circle obtained a Financial Services Permission to operate as a Money Services Provider, strengthening its ability to deliver regulated payments and settlement tools in the UAEs capital free zone, per an ADGM license announcement.
Institutional users in ADGM can access USDC within a regulated framework, while Circles local license supports compliant payment rails, treasury, and integration work for businesses.
3. Two-Hub UAE Alignment
Earlier in the year, Dubais financial center recognized USDC and EURC, creating a complementary posture with Abu Dhabis regime and giving stablecoin issuers a regulatory footing across the UAEs two major financial hubs, per the report above.
With both ADGM and Dubais DIFC providing stablecoin pathways, cross-border settlement, custody, and corporate payment use cases can scale under clearer, region-wide compliance expectations.
Conclusion
The venue that approved USDT and USDC is Abu Dhabi Global Market under its fiat?referenced token framework. Together with Dubais recognition of USDC and EURC, the UAE now offers a coherent, regulated path for stablecoin adoption, enabling licensed institutions to build payment, custody, and settlement services with clearer rules and broader chain coverage.
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