Circle has secured a major regulatory win in the United Arab Emirates, gaining a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA).
Key Takeaways:
- Circle obtained an ADGM license to operate USDC services under full regulatory oversight.
- The approval strengthens Abu Dhabi’s push to become a global hub for regulated digital assets.
- Circle appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar to lead regional expansion and drive USDC adoption.
The approval allows Circle to operate as a fully regulated Money Services Provider within the UAE’s capital market free zone, the company said in a Tuesday’s press release.
Circle Gains Full Regulatory Entry Into UAE’s Fast-Growing Crypto Hub
The license grants Circle the ability to offer regulated payment, settlement, and digital-asset services tied to USDC, giving the company a formal operating presence inside one of the world’s fastest-growing hubs for compliant crypto activity.
The move comes as the UAE continues to position itself as a global center for digital-asset regulation, with ADGM leading efforts to attract firms seeking clear rules for fiat-referenced tokens and tokenized financial services.
As part of its expansion, Circle appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa.
Dr. Jaffar, currently a senior executive at Visa overseeing the GCC region, will join Circle to guide its strategy, build regional partnerships, and push for broader adoption of USDC in business payments and financial infrastructure across the UAE and beyond.
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— Circle (@circle) December 9, 2025
“Regulatory clarity is the foundation of a more open and efficient internet financial system. We are honored to work with the FSRA in ADGM,” Circle co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire said.
With the license in hand, Circle plans to expand regulated USDC use in corporate payments, settlement rails and developer infrastructure across the region.
The announcement also follows Dubai’s earlier recognition of USDC and EURC under the DFSA’s crypto token regime, giving Circle regulatory footing across both of the UAE’s major financial zones.
Stablecoins have also surged in mainstream adoption since President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July, establishing a federal framework for their issuance and oversight.
The law’s passage triggered a wave of new stablecoin initiatives from major financial institutions, including Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Robinhood.
Tether, Binance Secure Regulatory Approval in ADGM
As reported, Tether’s USDT stablecoin has also secured regulatory recognition as an approved fiat-referenced token across a wide range of blockchains inside the ADGM.
Tether said ADGM now permits licensed institutions in the financial free zone to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON and TRON.
These approvals expand on earlier recognition for USDT on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche.
On Monday, Binance disclosed that it has also secured full authorization to operate its flagship Binance.com platform under ADGM oversight, a milestone that comes after years of regulatory scrutiny.
Binance will operate through three distinct legal entities in the zone, an exchange, a clearing house and a broker-dealer, reflecting a traditional financial-market structure designed to enable regulated trading, custody, settlement and off-exchange services.
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