Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX) launched a new market infrastructure that introduces more diverse product offerings to attract retail investors as the emirate seeks to boost its capital markets.
The "New ADX Group" business model and its two subsidiaries announced on Monday the introduction of new post-trade capabilities and services to allow clearing and settlement platforms to operate at a faster rate, encouraging a wider group of investors to participate.
The post-trade divisions performing these functions under the model are Abu Dhabi Clear (AD Clear) and Abu Dhabi Depository (AD CSD), aimed at boosting market efficiency to facilitate a greater inflow of capital. The core platform powering these trading engines that uses technology developed by New York's online stock exchange Nasdaq, ADX's chief executive said, went into effect on January 20 and has already delivered on its promise.
"In terms of connectivity ... it's increased by more than 400 per cent," Abdulla Al Nuaimi told The National in an interview at the model's launch event in Abu Dhabi. "This gives new capabilities for our shareholders, for our investors."
The engine is especially important for algorithmic and high-frequency trading, he added.
How it works
The two subsidiaries integrate several asset classes such as equities, exchange traded funds (ETFs), derivatives and debt instruments on to a single platform. Algorithms for high-frequency trading (HFT) will be updated for greater optimisation in addition to the introduction of new and more sophisticated order types for greater trading flexibility.
The goal of the new infrastructure is to deepen the reach of the already global ADX platform by creating a trading system with greater accessibility and ease of use. By providing quicker and more meaningful information, ADX is widening its appeal to not only institutional investors, but individual retail investors as well, said Mr Al Nuaimi.
Last week, social trading and investing platform eToro added more than 30 companies listed on ADX to its platform after an agreement last year. The broker platform has 38 million registered users from 75 countries, its website says.
Such partnerships are part of ADX's continuing effort to enhance market accessibility and widen participation in Abu Dhabi's capital market, Mr Al Nuaimi said at the time.
The new trading system aims to unlock more investment opportunities and deepen market liquidity by providing investors and industry participants with greater and faster access to market activities and growth sectors in Abu Dhabi, ADX said in a statement.
Capital inflows
ADX, with a market capitalisation of about $779 billion as of Monday, is the second largest exchange in the Arab World after Saudi Arabia's Tadawul. It ranked as the seventh largest globally for emerging market exchanges last year.
It has recorded a surge in initial public offerings in recent years driven by robust investor demand for new issues as well as economic growth in the UAE. Its latest is UAE technology company Alpha Data, which is the exchange's first IPO of the year and aims to raise up to Dh600 million ($163.4 million) by closing on Tuesday in a sign of strong demand for the listing.
Mr Al Nuaimi said 2025 would yield more offerings, with "quite a good number" of IPOs expected this year.
The bourse accounted for 27 per cent of IPO proceeds from the Middle East in 2024. In the past five years, ADX has outperformed the MSCI Emerging markets Index with its general index increasing 86 per cent over that period of time, according to the exchange.
Total trading value last year reached Dh342 billion, a 7 per cent annual increase, while net foreign investment rose to Dh24 billion, the ADX said this month. Foreign investors accounted for nearly 40 per cent of total trading activity, while institutional investors contributed to 80 per cent of the total trade value, the exchange said.
Future capitalisation
Mr Al Nuaimi emphasised that while many focus on the market capitalisation of exchanges to determine their worth, it is their product offerings that demonstrate the value of their capabilities.
"We focus more on the diversification of the exchange," he said. "If you look at ADX over the last two years, we have the [most] active ETF market in the region, we have the [most] active derivatives market in the region."
Mr Al Nuaimi said these markets are gaining momentum, particularly as ADX is constantly exploring ways to improve its ability to disseminate data, which is critical to investors and algorithm traders.
He said: "I see ourselves in the top 10 [globally] with speed," which is already improving across all the exchange's back-end functions.
The ADX chief executive believes generative AI and large language models (LLMs) are further accelerating investor access to information, and once matured will attract a greater number of investors.
"You will not need to read a report of 40 pages. It [generative AI] gives you that snapshot chart," that will allow a wider pool of investors to have trading access and participate, he said.
The next step, he said, is the potential to allow investors to learn from previous trading transactions and more easily develop future strategies. "Now with AI, you will be able to analyse and give yourself more opportunity," said Mr Al Nuaimi.
Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20UAE%20men%E2%80%99s%20cricketer%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWhen%20he%20debuted%20against%20Bangladesh%20aged%2016%20years%20and%20314%20days%2C%20he%20became%20the%20youngest%20ever%20to%20play%20for%20the%20men%E2%80%99s%20senior%20team.%20He%20broke%20the%20record%20set%20by%20his%20World%20Cup%20squad-mate%2C%20Alishan%20Sharafu%2C%20of%2017%20years%20and%2044%20days.%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20wicket-taker%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20taking%20the%20wicket%20of%20Bangladesh%E2%80%99s%20Litton%20Das%20on%20debut%20in%20Dubai%2C%20Aayan%20became%20the%20youngest%20male%20cricketer%20to%20take%20a%20wicket%20against%20a%20Full%20Member%20nation%20in%20a%20T20%20international.%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20in%20T20%20World%20Cup%20history%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAayan%20does%20not%20turn%2017%20until%20November%2015%20%E2%80%93%20which%20is%20two%20days%20after%20the%20T20%20World%20Cup%20final%20at%20the%20MCG.%20If%20he%20does%20play%20in%20the%20competition%2C%20he%20will%20be%20its%20youngest%20ever%20player.%20Pakistan%E2%80%99s%20Mohammed%20Amir%2C%20who%20was%2017%20years%20and%2055%20days%20when%20he%20played%20in%202009%2C%20currently%20holds%20the%20record.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20trailblazers
%3Cp%3ESixteen%20boys%20and%2015%20girls%20have%20gone%20on%20from%20Go-Pro%20Academy%20in%20Dubai%20to%20either%20professional%20contracts%20abroad%20or%20scholarships%20in%20the%20United%20States.%20Here%20are%20two%20of%20the%20most%20prominent.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeorgia%20Gibson%20(Newcastle%20United)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20reason%20the%20academy%20in%20Dubai%20first%20set%20up%20a%20girls%E2%80%99%20programme%20was%20to%20help%20Gibson%20reach%20her%20potential.%20Now%20she%20plays%20professionally%20for%20Newcastle%20United%20in%20the%20UK.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMackenzie%20Hunt%20(Everton)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EAttended%20DESS%20in%20Dubai%2C%20before%20heading%20to%20the%20UK%20to%20join%20Everton%20full%20time%20as%20a%20teenager.%20He%20was%20on%20the%20bench%20for%20the%20first%20team%20as%20recently%20as%20their%20fixture%20against%20Brighton%20on%20February%2024.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Review: Tomb Raider
Dir: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walter Goggins
two stars
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
'Falling%20for%20Christmas'
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Janeen%20Damian%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Lindsay%20Lohan%2C%20Chord%20Overstreet%2C%20Jack%20Wagner%2C%20Aliana%20Lohan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper
Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
Power: 136hp @ 4,500rpm (Cooper) / 192hp @ 5,000rpm (Cooper S)
Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group C
Liverpool v Napoli, midnight
Checks continue
A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
