Circle obtains ADGM license and appoints head for the Middle East

ADGM regulator approves Circle’s operations in Abu Dhabi, and the company appoints a new director for business development in the region

Circle receives ADGM license and enters the Middle East market

09.12.2025 - 09:55

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3 min

Key points:

Circle receives ADGM license to provide regulated financial services.
The company has appointed former Visa executive Saeeda Jaffar to lead its Middle East and Africa operations.

Circle Internet Group has obtained a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority. The license allows the company to provide regulated financial services in Abu Dhabi’s international financial center.

At the same time, Circle announced the appointment of Saeeda Jaffar as managing director for the Middle East and Africa. She previously held senior positions at Visa and oversaw payment initiatives in the Gulf countries.

US banks have come out against issuing Circle and Ripple banking licenses anytime soon

The industry associations emphasized that the crypto firms’ applications lacked sufficient information about their business plans

Expanding presence in the region

The license allows Circle to develop on-chain payments and solutions based on USDC and EURC stablecoins for businesses, fintech companies, and banks in the UAE. The ADGM regulator noted that Circle’s presence strengthens the development of institutional digital infrastructure in Abu Dhabi.

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire emphasized that ADGM sets a “high bar for transparency, risk management, and consumer protection standards” necessary for scaling stablecoins in real payment systems. In turn, ADGM stated that Circle’s regulated activities strengthen the UAE’s role as a digital finance hub.

The day before, ADGM approved a full suite of licenses for Binance, allowing the crypto exchange to operate in Abu Dhabi under a comprehensive regulated model for the first time. The regulator divided Binance’s activities into three structures under the Nest brand — an exchange, a clearing center, and broker-dealer services — ensuring separate oversight for each area. Binance.com is scheduled to launch in regulated mode on January 5, 2026.

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