Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) is set to return for its largest-ever edition this December, convening a staggering assembly of global financial power. Hosted by Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) with ADQ as the headline partner, the event is expected to gather leaders representing organisations that manage over $62trillion in assets—equivalent to more than half of the global GDP.
Taking place from 8 to 11 December 2025 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the event will run under the theme “Engineering the Capital Network”. The agenda is designed to explore the forces reshaping the future of finance, including the rise of AI, shifting capital flows, and the evolution of regulatory frameworks.
A convergence of global financial titans
The 2025 edition promises an unprecedented lineup of over 750 speakers across more than 60 events and 300 thematic sessions. The roster reads like a “who’s who” of the global financial elite, bridging traditional banking, asset management, and the frontier of fintech and digital assets.
Confirmed speakers from the banking and institutional world include Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan, Sergio Ermotti of UBS, and Bill Winters of Standard Chartered, alongside asset management heavyweights such as Ray Dalio (Bridgewater Associates) and Larry Fink (BlackRock).
Crucially for the fintech sector, the event will also host pioneers of the digital economy, including Brian Armstrong (Coinbase), Jeremy Allaire (Circle), Charles Hoskinson (Cardano), and Richard Teng (Binance). This mix underscores Abu Dhabi’s strategy to position itself at the intersection of traditional finance and next-generation innovation.
Engineering the future of finance
“ADFW 2025 will mark the next chapter in Abu Dhabi’s evolution as a global financial hub,” said H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, chairman of ADGM. “This edition will transcend geographical boundaries, connecting the global capital network through innovation, regulatory collaboration and cross-sector partnerships. As the world focuses on the future of finance, Abu Dhabi, through platforms like ADFW, is truly engineering it.”
The event will be structured around several core themes and summits. Day one will kick off with the Global Markets Summit, exploring the macroeconomic factors driving capital networks, alongside the CNBC New Energy Finance Forum.
Day two turns the focus to wealth and regulation, featuring Asset Abu Dhabi and the International Family Office Congress, which will examine how the global expansion of wealth is reshaping the family office sector. Simultaneously, the Global Financial Regulators Summit will gather officials to discuss geopolitical risks and regulatory shifts.
Fintech, AI, and Sustainability take centre stage
The third day will be a major draw for the technology sector, featuring flagship events such as Fintech Abu Dhabi and AI Abu Dhabi. These sessions will delve into the convergence of artificial intelligence and financial services, while Blockchain Abu Dhabi will explore decentralised finance (DeFi) and the disruption of traditional models.
The week concludes with a focus on sustainability via the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum (ADSFF) and the Second EU-GCC Finance & Investment for Green Transition Forum, aligning senior policymakers on strategies to finance a sustainable future.
H.E. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, UAE Minister of Investment and MD & group CEO at ADQ, emphasised the strategic importance of the event: “This year’s theme underscores the vital role of capital in accelerating infrastructure that powers economies, connects markets, and enables sustainable growth.”
With significant announcements expected, including the launch of the inaugural NYU Stern Global Financial Competitiveness Index, ADFW 2025 is poised to set the agenda for the year ahead in global finance.
