As one of the UAE’s two major financial centres, Abu Dhabi has played a prominent role in the development of the nation’s Islamic financial services (IFS) sector. In January 2020 Islamic banks accounted for about 18% of total banking sector assets in the country, according to the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). In the local capital markets,...
The global sukuk (Islamic bond) market entered 2020 on the back of a strong year. Total worldwide issuance reached $162bn in 2019, up from $129bn the year before, according to credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P). While the global market volatility introduced by the spread of Covid-19 in early 2020 has undeniably...
The use of sophisticated algorithms in wealth management is leading to improved efficiency and transparency in the financial services sector, benefitting both providers and clients. In particular, so-called robo-advisers are disrupting the industry and helping to boost financial inclusion. Primarily concentrated in developed markets such as...
Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre and free zone, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), has sought to establish itself as a global pioneer in the development of distributed ledger technology (DLT). In June 2018 the emirate issued a comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual asset activities in ADGM, and followed it up with further...
Abu Dhabi’s capital markets started 2020 on a positive note, bolstered by solid gains on the exchange’s main index in 2019. Similarly, the local debt market ended 2019 favourably, with the UAE ranking as the biggest issuer of fixed-income instruments in the GCC that year. Although much remains to be seen as global markets deal with the twin...
Despite the adverse effects of a low oil price environment over recent years, Abu Dhabi’s banking sector has remained well capitalised with a high degree of liquidity. Meanwhile, its financial performance has been characterised by rising net profits and lower cost-toincome ratios. A recent phase of consolidation has significantly altered the...
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