Abu Dhabi, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), has introduced the FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster — a coordinated initiative designed to accelerate innovation across the financial sector and strengthen the emirate’s global influence in capital markets.

FIDA is a central element of Abu Dhabi’s wide-ranging economic diversification plan. Projections indicate that by 2045, the cluster could add USD 15.2 billion to the emirate’s direct GDP, create 8,000 high-skilled roles and attract more than USD 4.6 billion in new investment, further anchoring Abu Dhabi as a hub for advanced and resilient financial activity.

The cluster unifies fast-growing segments where technology, regulation and capital intersect, including fintech, digital assets, insurance, reinsurance and alternative investments. Its mandate is to position Abu Dhabi as a leading jurisdiction for global companies creating, testing and expanding new financial products within a stable and forward-focused regulatory environment.

The cluster’s programme pillars are structured to support a fully integrated financial landscape capable of standing alongside leading global markets. FIDA will advance high-standard digital asset infrastructure and fintech platforms that meet worldwide benchmarks, expand insurance and reinsurance capacity for complex risk requirements and introduce long-term savings frameworks designed to protect consumers. It also intends to open additional funding routes for SMEs, including alternative lending options, venture debt and capital solutions for companies in their growth stages.

Sustainability is built into every part of the cluster, with priority given to green and transition-focused financial instruments that reflect Abu Dhabi’s net-zero commitments. FIDA will also enhance the emirate’s landscape for alternative assets by enhancing conditions that support private equity, venture capital and real estate investment structures targeted at global institutional investors.

The cluster also supplies specialised financial infrastructure for priority sectors, including food and water innovation through the AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster, life sciences via the Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) cluster and mobility through the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster. This enables emerging companies across these fields to secure appropriate financing, manage risk effectively and grow at scale.

Abu Dhabi’s reputation as the “Capital of Capital” is underpinned by USD 1.8 trillion in sovereign wealth, robust regulatory frameworks and an extensive network of agreements covering double taxation, investment protection and trade. Companies operating within FIDA benefit from seamless access to key global markets across Europe, North America and Asia, supported by treaty-backed connectivity and clear regulatory guidance.

The cluster brings together a coordinated network of partners spanning regulation, financing, infrastructure, innovation and talent development. Oversight is provided by the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, ADGM and the Securities and Commodities Authority, ensuring cohesive and forward-looking financial governance.

Capital providers, including sovereign wealth funds, family offices and the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, offer funding across all stages of business growth. Core infrastructure institutions covering pensions, payments, credit and insurance support the delivery of financial products and services that meet global standards.

Innovation and research are driven by Hub71, UAE University, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Emirates Institute of Finance and ADGM Academy, focusing on transforming research into commercially viable financial technologies. Workforce development initiatives build expertise in areas such as actuarial science, fintech engineering and quantitative finance, further strengthening Abu Dhabi’s leadership in cutting-edge financial solutions.

Through FIDA, Abu Dhabi reinforces its position as a forward-focused global financial hub and advances its ambition to be the top destination for organisations shaping the next generation of finance and investment management.

H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, commented: “Abu Dhabi’s economic strategy is built on the long-term horizon planning and the principle that capital, talent and innovation must flow through world-class infrastructure. The FIDA cluster is a structural investment for the future. By coordinating efforts across regulators, sovereign capital, financial institutions and innovators, FIDA strengthens the foundations of next generation finance and reinforces Abu Dhabi global positioning as the Capital of Capital.”

H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, added: “FIDA marks a step-change in Abu Dhabi’s role in global finance. We have the architecture of a global financial centre where digital innovation, fintech transformation and next-generation technologies meets long-term capital and forward-looking regulation from the outset.

“By bringing sovereign investors, regulators, global institutions and technology innovators into a single, connected cluster, Abu Dhabi is the preferred home for those building the future of digital assets, AI-powered financial solutions, and breakthrough fintech platforms.”

Abu Dhabi, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), has introduced the FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster — a coordinated initiative designed to accelerate innovation across the financial sector and strengthen the emirate’s global influence in capital markets.

FIDA is a central element of Abu Dhabi’s wide-ranging economic diversification plan. Projections indicate that by 2045, the cluster could add USD 15.2 billion to the emirate’s direct GDP, create 8,000 high-skilled roles and attract more than USD 4.6 billion in new investment, further anchoring Abu Dhabi as a hub for advanced and resilient financial activity.

The cluster unifies fast-growing segments where technology, regulation and capital intersect, including fintech, digital assets, insurance, reinsurance and alternative investments. Its mandate is to position Abu Dhabi as a leading jurisdiction for global companies creating, testing and expanding new financial products within a stable and forward-focused regulatory environment.

The cluster’s programme pillars are structured to support a fully integrated financial landscape capable of standing alongside leading global markets. FIDA will advance high-standard digital asset infrastructure and fintech platforms that meet worldwide benchmarks, expand insurance and reinsurance capacity for complex risk requirements and introduce long-term savings frameworks designed to protect consumers. It also intends to open additional funding routes for SMEs, including alternative lending options, venture debt and capital solutions for companies in their growth stages.

Sustainability is built into every part of the cluster, with priority given to green and transition-focused financial instruments that reflect Abu Dhabi’s net-zero commitments. FIDA will also enhance the emirate’s landscape for alternative assets by enhancing conditions that support private equity, venture capital and real estate investment structures targeted at global institutional investors.

The cluster also supplies specialised financial infrastructure for priority sectors, including food and water innovation through the AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster, life sciences via the Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM) cluster and mobility through the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster. This enables emerging companies across these fields to secure appropriate financing, manage risk effectively and grow at scale.

Abu Dhabi’s reputation as the “Capital of Capital” is underpinned by USD 1.8 trillion in sovereign wealth, robust regulatory frameworks and an extensive network of agreements covering double taxation, investment protection and trade. Companies operating within FIDA benefit from seamless access to key global markets across Europe, North America and Asia, supported by treaty-backed connectivity and clear regulatory guidance.

The cluster brings together a coordinated network of partners spanning regulation, financing, infrastructure, innovation and talent development. Oversight is provided by the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, ADGM and the Securities and Commodities Authority, ensuring cohesive and forward-looking financial governance.

Capital providers, including sovereign wealth funds, family offices and the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, offer funding across all stages of business growth. Core infrastructure institutions covering pensions, payments, credit and insurance support the delivery of financial products and services that meet global standards.

Innovation and research are driven by Hub71, UAE University, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Emirates Institute of Finance and ADGM Academy, focusing on transforming research into commercially viable financial technologies. Workforce development initiatives build expertise in areas such as actuarial science, fintech engineering and quantitative finance, further strengthening Abu Dhabi’s leadership in cutting-edge financial solutions.

Through FIDA, Abu Dhabi reinforces its position as a forward-focused global financial hub and advances its ambition to be the top destination for organisations shaping the next generation of finance and investment management.

H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, commented: “Abu Dhabi’s economic strategy is built on the long-term horizon planning and the principle that capital, talent and innovation must flow through world-class infrastructure. The FIDA cluster is a structural investment for the future. By coordinating efforts across regulators, sovereign capital, financial institutions and innovators, FIDA strengthens the foundations of next generation finance and reinforces Abu Dhabi global positioning as the Capital of Capital.”

H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, added: “FIDA marks a step-change in Abu Dhabi’s role in global finance. We have the architecture of a global financial centre where digital innovation, fintech transformation and next-generation technologies meets long-term capital and forward-looking regulation from the outset.

“By bringing sovereign investors, regulators, global institutions and technology innovators into a single, connected cluster, Abu Dhabi is the preferred home for those building the future of digital assets, AI-powered financial solutions, and breakthrough fintech platforms.”