Circle secures ADGM license and appoints regional MD to accelerate MEA expansion

Dr. Saeeda Jaffar/Image: Supplied

Circle Internet Group, one of the world’s leading internet financial platform companies, has secured a key regulatory approval in the UAE as it continues to expand its presence in the Middle East. The company announced that it has obtained a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to operate as a Money Services Provider within the international financial centre.

In tandem with this milestone, Circle has appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as managing director for the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Dr. Jaffar, who currently serves as senior vice president and group country manager for the GCC at Visa, will lead Circle’s regional strategy and oversee efforts to broaden partnerships with financial institutions and enterprises. She will also drive the adoption of trusted digital dollars and onchain payment solutions across the UAE and wider MEA region.

“Regulatory clarity is the foundation of a more open and efficient internet financial system. We are honored to work with the FSRA in ADGM. Their framework sets a high bar for transparency, risk management, and consumer protection—standards that enable trusted stablecoins to power real-world payments and finance at internet scale. I’m also delighted to welcome Dr. Saeeda Jaffar to Circle. Her deep regional expertise, strategic vision and reputation for building high-performing partnerships will be invaluable as we expand our presence in the UAE and MEA,” said Jeremy Allaire, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Circle.

ADGM welcomed the regulatory-first approach, underscoring its role in enabling responsible adoption of digital assets across the financial system.

“Circle’s regulatory-first approach aligns with ADGM’s commitment to responsible innovation. With clear rules for fiat-referenced tokens, the UAE is enabling the safe, scalable adoption of digital assets across the financial system. Circle’s regulated presence in ADGM reinforces our ambition to build a trusted, institutional-grade digital asset ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, one that enhances market confidence, supports real-world use cases, and cements the UAE’s role as a leading hub for regulated digital finance,” said Arvind Ramamurthy, chief market development officer, ADGM.

With the FSP license in place, Circle is now positioned to expand regulated payment and settlement use cases for businesses, developers, and financial institutions in the UAE. The approval advances Circle’s mission to deliver trusted digital dollars onchain while supporting the UAE’s efforts to build a transparent and innovation-forward financial system.

The development builds on Circle’s growing footprint in the UAE, including the Dubai International Financial Centre’s recognition earlier this year of USDC and EURC as the first stablecoins approved under the DFSA’s crypto token regime. It also reflects Circle’s momentum as a public company enabling onchain utility for enterprises worldwide.