Circle gains full ADGM approval to offer regulated USDC payment services

The ADGM license allows Circle to offer fully regulated USDC stablecoin services in the UAE.
Circle is expanding its reach with institutional payment and settlement rails.
UAE has strengthened its position as a hub for compliant digital-asset activity.

Circle has secured a major foothold in the Middle East after receiving full regulatory approval from Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to operate USDC services under comprehensive oversight.

The approval marks one of the company’s most significant international expansions and reinforces the UAE’s fast-growing role as a hub for regulated digital assets.

A strategic license with wide reach

Circle’s new Financial Services Permission, granted by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority, authorises the company to operate as a fully regulated Money Services Provider within Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone.

The approval provides Circle with a formal operating base in one of the world’s most active jurisdictions for digital asset regulation.

The license allows Circle to offer payment, settlement, and digital-asset services tied to USDC directly to businesses and financial institutions.

By operating under a clear regulatory framework, Circle can now support wholesale payments, cross-border settlement rails, and custody-linked services with institutional-grade compliance standards.

This also deepens ADGM’s growing reputation as a safe and predictable regulatory environment for digital-asset firms.

A boost for the UAE’s digital-asset ambitions

The UAE has been pushing to attract companies building fiat-referenced tokens, tokenised financial services, and enterprise-grade payment infrastructure, and Abu Dhabi, in particular, has positioned itself as a leading centre for compliant crypto activity, and Circle’s arrival reinforces that strategy.

The UAE has carved out a reputation for offering clear rules for stablecoins and digital-finance companies, which has become a major draw for global platforms seeking regulatory certainty.

Circle’s expansion also arrives as stablecoins gain more formal regulatory footing worldwide since the passage of the GENIUS Act in the United States, which created a federal framework for the issuance and supervision of fiat-backed tokens.

The GENIUS Act triggered a wave of stablecoin initiatives from major US financial institutions, creating renewed demand for licensed, enterprise-ready providers such as Circle.

The UAE’s dual financial zones are also aligning around stablecoin oversight.

Earlier this year, Dubai recognised USDC and EURC under the Dubai Financial Services Authority’s crypto token regime, giving Circle regulatory support across the country’s two main jurisdictions.

Tether’s USDT has also been recognised as an approved fiat-referenced token across multiple blockchains, while Binance recently obtained full authorisation to operate its flagship platform under ADGM oversight.

These approvals reflect a deliberate shift toward a more organised and transparent digital-asset market in the UAE.

Circle strengthens regional strategy with senior leadership appointment

Circle sees immediate opportunities in enabling faster corporate payments, treasury operations, and trade settlements since it can now provide these services to regional businesses under a recognised regulatory structure.

For companies in the Middle East, this means the ability to settle transactions in seconds instead of days and do so through a trusted, licensed issuer.

And as part of its regional push, Circle has appointed Dr Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa.

Dr Jaffar, currently serving as a senior executive at Visa, will guide Circle’s strategy, develop institutional partnerships, and work to expand the use of USDC in business payments and financial infrastructure.