Circle secures ADGM FSP licence and names Saeeda Jaffar to lead Middle East & Africa expansion

Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL) has secured a Financial Services Permission (FSP) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), allowing it to operate as a Money Services Provider within the international financial centre.

The regulatory milestone marks a significant step in Circle’s UAE growth strategy, positioning the stablecoin and onchain payments firm to expand regulated payment and settlement use cases for businesses, developers and financial institutions across the country and wider 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.”

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Circle

Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Managing Director,
Circle, Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Alongside the licence, Circle has appointed Dr. Saeeda Jaffar as Managing Director for Circle Middle East & Africa (MEA). Jaffar will join from Visa, where she currently serves as Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the GCC, and will lead Circle’s regional strategy and partnerships to accelerate adoption of trusted digital dollars and onchain payment solutions.

Circle said the ADGM approval builds on its earlier progress in the UAE, including the Dubai International Financial Centre’s recognition of USDC and EURC as the first stablecoins under the DFSA’s crypto token regime earlier this year. The company framed the latest move as part of its broader mission to deliver trusted digital dollars onchain while supporting the UAE’s push to shape an open, transparent and innovation-forward 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.”

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer, ADGM

With the FSP now in place and regional leadership established, Circle is showing a more concerted push to deepen institutional-grade stablecoin and payment infrastructure within one of the world’s fastest-evolving digital-asset regulatory hubs.

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