Circle Expands UAE Footprint with ADGM License and New MEA Leadership

Source: DefiPlanet Original Title: Circle Expands UAE Footprint with ADGM License and New MEA Leadership Original Link: https://defi-planet.com/2025/12/circle-expands-uae-footprint-with-adgm-license-and-new-mea-leadership/

Quick Breakdown

• Circle secures ADGM FSP license, enabling regulated stablecoin payments in the UAE and MEA.
• Dr Saeeda Jaffar appointed Managing Director for Circle MEA to lead regional expansion.
• The move strengthens the UAE’s role as a hub for institutional-grade digital finance and onchain payments.

Regulatory milestone opens doors for stablecoin payments in the UAE

Circle has secured a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

The approval allows Circle to operate as a Money Services Provider within the ADGM, advancing the adoption of regulated stablecoins for onchain payments and enterprise solutions across the UAE and broader Middle East & Africa (MEA) region.

Jeremy Allaire, Circle’s Co-Founder and CEO, emphasized that regulatory clarity is crucial for a transparent, secure, and scalable internet financial system. “The ADGM framework sets a high bar for transparency, risk management, and consumer protection,” Allaire said. The license positions Circle to expand its digital dollar infrastructure, facilitating compliant payment and settlement solutions for enterprises, financial institutions, and developers in the region.

Leadership appointment signals strategic regional push

Alongside the license, Circle announced the appointment of Dr Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for Circle MEA. Dr Jaffar joins from Visa, where she served as Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). She will spearhead regional strategy, deepen partnerships with financial institutions, and accelerate the adoption of USDC and other onchain payment solutions across the UAE and MEA.

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, highlighted Circle’s regulatory-first approach, stating that the company’s presence reinforces the UAE’s ambition to become a hub for institutional-grade digital finance. The move builds on Circle’s expanding footprint in the region, complementing prior recognition of USDC and EURC under Dubai’s DFSA crypto token regime.

With the FSP license and strategic leadership in place, Circle is set to advance its mission of delivering trusted onchain digital dollars, supporting enterprises, and cementing the UAE as a regulated stablecoin settlement hub.

Strategically, Circle is focused on institutional expansion through the Arc Layer-1 testnet and the growth of the Circle Payments Network, reinforcing USDC as a regulated, liquid, asset-backed foundational component of the financial system.