The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) witnessed notable growth across its key indicators in the first half of 2025, compared to the same timeframe in 2024. According to ADX data, foreign net investment experienced an impressive 99.5 percent surge, climbing from approximately AED6.84 billion ($1.86 billion) in H1 2024 to over AED13.6 billion ($3.7 billion) in H1 2025.
Total trading value also saw a significant increase of 33.5 percent, reaching around AED179.5 billion in the first half of 2025, up from AED134.4 billion during the same period last year. The average daily trading value rose by 31.4 percent, from nearly AED1.1 billion to approximately AED1.45 billion.
In February, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange launched its new ADX Group market infrastructure along with two new subsidiaries, Abu Dhabi Clear (AD Clear) and Abu Dhabi Central Securities Depository (AD CSD). This milestone aligns with Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic vision and enhances ADX’s efforts toward becoming a developed market.
Unlocking investment opportunities and market liquidity
The ADX Group’s new business model is designed to transform and future-proof its thriving capital market. Empowered by advanced post-trade capabilities and services, a state-of-the-art trading system, and new clearing and settlement platforms, the group aims to unlock more investment opportunities and deepen market liquidity. It also seeks to provide investors and industry participants with faster and greater access to market activities and growth sectors in Abu Dhabi.
These advancements will enable the ADX Group to introduce a wider range of product offerings and services to meet the evolving needs of institutional and retail investors, issuers, and businesses in the UAE and the broader Middle East region.
The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange continued to reinforce its position as a leading financial market both regionally and globally in 2024, achieving significant milestones in global rankings, trading activity, listings, digital transformation, and international expansion. The exchange ranked among the top five globally in terms of initial public offering (IPO) proceeds, with IPOs raising approximately $3.35 billion. ADX captured 38 percent of the total IPO proceeds in the Middle East and 80 percent of the proceeds within the UAE.
Ranking among world’s top 20 stock exchanges
Last year, the exchange maintained its status as the second-largest bourse in the region and solidified its ranking among the world’s top 20 stock exchanges. It also ranked eighth among emerging markets, with a total market capitalization reaching $799 billion.
Trading activity on ADX saw notable growth in 2024, with the total value of trades increasing by 7 percent compared to 2023, reaching $93.11 billion. Notably, net foreign investment amounted to $6.53 billion, showcasing the market’s strong appeal to international investors. Foreign investors accounted for approximately 40 percent of total trading activity, with combined buying and selling transactions totaling $71.33 billion. Institutional investors dominated 80 percent of the trading volume, while the derivatives market experienced significant expansion, with the number of transactions soaring by 154 percent.
In terms of listings, ADX welcomed 28 new securities in 2024, bringing the total number of listed securities to 187. The exchange also strengthened its leadership in the exchange-traded fund (ETF) sector, with the number of listed ETFs rising to 15, including five introduced in 2024. The total trading value of these ETFs reached $544.5 million.
Furthermore, the exchange was the first in the Gulf region to list a bond ETF, setting a new benchmark for fixed-income investments. Market indices displayed robust growth, with the ADX General Index climbing by 85 percent since January 2020, outperforming the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. ADX also launched the FTSE ADX 15 Index (FADX 15) to address the growing demand for Sharia-compliant investments, with the market capitalization of Sharia-compliant financial instruments listed on ADX exceeding $707.8 billion.
