Abu Dhabi has launched a major new financial cluster designed to accelerate the emirate’s leadership in fintech, insurance, digital assets and alternative investments, following approval from Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
The FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster was announced at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025.
Spearheaded by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the cluster aims to strengthen the emirate’s position as a global centre for advanced finance and investment.
FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets cluster in Abu Dhabi
By 2045, FIDA is projected to contribute an additional AED56bn ($15.25bn) to Abu Dhabi’s gross domestic product, create 8,000 new skilled jobs and attract at least AED17bn ($4.63bn) in investment, supporting the UAE’s wider economic diversification agenda.
Sheikh Khaled said the launch of FIDA represents a strategic step toward building an integrated global financial ecosystem powered by capital, innovation, advanced technologies and AI-driven solutions.
The cluster is designed to enhance competitiveness across fintech, investment and the digital economy, while reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s regional and international leadership in these sectors.
He emphasised the importance of developing innovative economic infrastructure to attract investors, startups and entrepreneurs, aligned with the UAE leadership’s directives to advance sustainable economic growth.
Abu Dhabi economy surge
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: “Abu Dhabi’s economic strategy is built on 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’s global positioning as the Capital of Capital.”
Badr Al-Olama, Director-General of ADIO, said: “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 meet strategic capital and forward-looking regulation from the outset.
“By bringing investors, regulators, global institutions and technology innovators into an integrated cluster, Abu Dhabi is the preferred destination for those building digital assets, AI-powered insurance and breakthrough fintech platforms.”
Through integrated programme pillars, the FIDA cluster aims to develop institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure, advanced fintech platforms and regulatory frameworks that meet international standards and can serve as a global benchmark.
FIDA infrastructure
FIDA will also provide tailored financial infrastructure for key Abu Dhabi clusters, including:
- AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA)
- Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI)
- Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine (HELM)
This will help innovative companies across the economy access appropriate financing, manage risk and scale effectively.
The cluster expands access to diverse funding sources—such as alternative lending, venture debt and growth capital—for small and medium enterprises, which account for 42 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s non-oil GDP.
Infrastructure for private equity, venture capital, real estate investment vehicles and alternative assets will support institutional and qualified investors.
In parallel, FIDA will strengthen Abu Dhabi’s insurance and reinsurance capacity, advance risk-management solutions and support the development of investor-protected savings vehicles, long-term savings options and retirement planning frameworks for UAE nationals and expatriates.
FIDA brings together an extensive partner ecosystem spanning regulation, financing, infrastructure, innovation and talent development. Regulatory oversight will be coordinated by the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of the UAE, ADGM and the Securities and Commodities Authority.
Financing partners include the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and multiple sovereign wealth funds and family offices, while infrastructure partners such as Al Etihad Payments, Abu Dhabi Pension Fund, General Pension and Social Security Authority, Etihad Credit Insurance and Etihad Credit Bureau will build the financial and digital backbone of the cluster.
Future economy
Innovation and R&D support will be led by Hub71, United Arab Emirates University, Khalifa University, the Emirates Institute of Finance and the ADGM Academy.
A dedicated talent development network will boost expertise in actuarial science, fintech engineering, quantitative finance and related disciplines.
Anchored by more than $1.8tn in sovereign wealth and world-class regulatory frameworks, Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its position as the Capital of Capital.
The emirate’s extensive network of double-taxation, investment protection and trade agreements ensures efficient, treaty-backed access to major markets across Europe, North America and Asia for firms operating within the FIDA cluster.
