Circle Advances UAE Expansion With ADGM License, New MEA Head

• Circle gains ADGM approval to expand regulated USDC and EURC payment services in Abu Dhabi.
• Circle appoints Dr. Saeeda Jaffar to drive MEA partnerships and stablecoin use cases.
• UAE strengthens its role as a digital-asset hub with new approvals for major issuers.

Circle expanded its regulated footprint in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday after securing a Financial Services Permission license from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The move involved the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) and followed preliminary approval in April. It also formed part of Circle’s plan to grow stablecoin-based payment services across the region.

ADGM License and Circle’s Abu Dhabi Regulated Base

The new approval allows Circle to operate as a Money Services Provider inside the ADGM financial free zone. This license gives the company a formal route to support payment and settlement tools linked to USDC and EURC under a regulated framework. The FSRA granted the license after reviewing Circle’s compliance processes and operational structure.

This regulatory step follows recent changes in the UAE’s oversight of fiat-referenced tokens. Earlier this year, the Dubai International Financial Centre recognized USDC and EURC under the DFSA’s crypto token regime. 

These developments created space for stablecoin issuers to expand within clear legal boundaries. They also offered a foundation for institutions seeking regulated digital settlement options.

The license also connects to ADGM’s wider strategy. The free zone aims to position itself as a hub for compliant digital-asset activity, focusing on supervised payment rails and institutional-grade infrastructure. 

Stablecoin issuers are now subject to a framework that includes prudential rules, governance checks, AML obligations, and transparency requirements similar to those of traditional financial firms. These parameters provide certainty for firms that want to run payment flows onchain while staying within a supervised perimeter.

Circle Adds Dr. Saeeda Jaffar to Lead MEA Operations

Alongside the license, Circle appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa. Dr. Jaffar joins from Visa, where she served as Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council. 

Circle said she will oversee the company’s expansion strategy, build partnerships with regional institutions, and guide efforts to scale the use of USDC in business payments. Her appointment shows rising interest from financial institutions across the region. 

Banks, fintech firms, and corporates continue to explore onchain settlement tools for cross-border flows. Dr. Jaffar’s work will focus on translating the new regulatory clarity into practical use cases for remittances, corporate payments, and liquidity management. 

This role becomes important as more regional markets evaluate tokenized financial services under formal rules. Circle Co-Founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire said the license aligns with the need for consistent oversight of digital-asset issuers. 

Allaire noted that cooperation with the FSRA sets standards for transparency and consumer protection. He added that the company aims to support payment systems that rely on trusted fiat-backed tokens at scale.

Related: Binance Expands in Abu Dhabi with New ADGM Global License

UAE as a Digital-Asset Regulatory Hub

The approval also comes at a time when the UAE accelerates its role in global digital-asset regulation. ADGM and DIFC now maintain distinct frameworks for stablecoins, creating similar channels for firms seeking supervised digital-asset operations. 

This environment continues to attract companies that want to expand under clear rules rather than unregulated structures. Circle’s move followed other regulatory actions within ADGM. Tether secured recognition for USDT across multiple blockchains inside the free zone. 

Binance also disclosed new authorizations for exchange, clearing, and brokerage services, giving the firm a regulated presence in Abu Dhabi. These approvals indicate a coordinated focus on building a compliant market infrastructure within the Gulf.

This environment also intersects with growing international scrutiny of stablecoins. The global market now exceeds $300 billion, and jurisdictions continue to establish frameworks for fiat-referenced tokens. The UAE’s approach offers regulated issuers a base to support institutional flows that require compliance, transparency, and risk oversight.