USDC issuer Circle shared that it secured regulatory approval from Abu Dhabi’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FRSA), allowing the firm to expand its stablecoin presence in the region. The announcement follows a similar regulatory milestone for USDT issuer Tether, boosting stablecoin adoption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Circle Strengthens Regulatory Presence Across UAE With Abu Dhabi Approval

Circle announced it has strengthened its presence in the United Arab Emirates after obtaining a Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

The authorization designates Circle as a regulated Money Services Provider within the international financial hub, allowing the firm to offer payment, settlement, and digital asset services anchored to its USDC stablecoin.

ADGM’s approval follows an in-principle green light granted earlier in the year, and supports the company’s broader push to deliver compliant infrastructure to enterprises, developers, and financial institutions. The region has been positioning itself as a tightly regulated environment for digital assets, and Circle’s licensing adds another major player to its ecosystem.

Alongside the regulatory milestone, Circle appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, previously an executive at Visa, as Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa. She will oversee expansion efforts aimed at increasing USDC’s footprint in the UAE and neighboring markets.

Circle’s Global Compliance Footprint Continues to Expand

Circle has steadily built a global regulatory footprint to support USDC’s expansion, beginning with its New York BitLicense in 2015 and money transmitter approvals across nearly all US states.

The company later became the first major stablecoin issuer to fully align with Europe’s MiCA regime in 2024, obtaining an e-money license that authorized the issuance of both USDC and EURC within the bloc. Singapore’s central bank also granted Circle a Major Payment Institution license in 2022.

The firm has also widened its Asian presence through a USDC rollout in Japan in partnership with SBI Holdings. And in June 2025, the firm applied for a national bank charter with the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a move that would allow it to custody reserves and digital assets under a federally supervised entity.

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UAE Strengthens Position as a Regulated Digital Asset Hub

The UAE has solidified its status as a major center for compliant crypto operations, with Circle’s latest approval arriving just a day after Binance secured exchange, clearing, and brokerage licenses from Abu Dhabi’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority. The rapid succession of approvals underscores ADGM’s push to attract established global players under a clear regulatory framework.

Stablecoins such as USDC are also becoming more embedded in mainstream financial activity as clearer rules emerge for the roughly $300 billion market. Their adoption continues to grow, especially for cross-border transfers in regions where traditional banking access remains limited or prohibitively expensive.

Tether Gains Similar Regulatory Status in Abu Dhabi

Similarly, USDT issuer Tether secured formal recognition in Abu Dhabi after the ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority designated USDT as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token in early December 2025. The classification allows licensed entities within the financial center to provide regulated trading, custody, and settlement services involving USDT.

The approval also broadens USDT’s operational footprint in the UAE, extending support to nine additional blockchains, including Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, NEAR, Polkadot, Tezos, TON, and TRON, beyond its existing presence on Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino welcomed the decision, calling it a strong signal of the UAE’s commitment to building a credible regulatory foundation for digital asset.