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The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group today announced that Morgan Stanley, a leading investment bank and financial services company, has joined the ADX as its first international investment bank Remote Trading Member, enabling Morgan Stanley's clients to access the ADX directly.
This milestone strengthens ADX's global connectivity and supports growing international institutional demand for exposure to UAE markets. It also reinforces its position as one of the world's fastest-growing exchanges by market capitalisation, while highlighting the market's continued progress in depth, liquidity, and inclusion in major global indices.
Remote membership enables Morgan Stanley to provide its clients with direct market access to the ADX, with trading conducted via the firm's global trading platform. The ADX continues to play a pivotal role in advancing Abu Dhabi's long-term economic ambitions, as a mechanism for a diversified, innovation-led, knowledge-based economy.
Morgan Stanley's direct trading access to ADX reflects the strength of Abu Dhabi's investment proposition and the continued institutionalisation of UAE capital markets. Morgan Stanley's membership will enhance execution quality, optimise order routing, and provide greater control across the end-to-end trade lifecycle, delivering an advanced trading experience for global investors.
The structure follows a proven international access model used by Morgan Stanley and is designed to meet growing client demand for efficient, transparent, and seamless access to ADX-listed opportunities.
Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group
Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group commented:
This marks a significant step in advancing our ambition to be a leading financial marketplace that drives opportunity and sustainable economic growth. This momentum is reflected in the strong foreign investor participation, with trading value exceeding 85 billion dirhams in the first quarter of 2026 up by 22% year on year. This performance underscores the growing depth and global relevance of our market, while reinforcing our commitment to expanding international access, strengthening cross-border connectivity, and building a world-class market infrastructure that attracts global capital, supports a diverse range of issuers and contributes to Abu Dhabi's long-term economic prosperity.
Patrick Delivanis, Regional Co-Head of MENA at Morgan Stanley
Patrick Delivanis, Regional Co-Head of MENA at Morgan Stanley commented:
Becoming a Remote Trading Member of ADX reflects our focus on providing clients with efficient, seamless access to Abu Dhabi's capital markets through our market-leading trading platform. We see continued momentum in the institutionalisation and international participation of UAE markets, and we're pleased to support that evolution by enabling international investors to access opportunities in MENA with direct connectivity to local markets, alongside greater transparency and control across the trading lifecycle.
Morgan Stanley's participation aligns with ADX's strategy to strengthen international connectivity, with remote memberships selectively offered to global firms to attract high-quality cross-border liquidity providers. The announcement builds on the ADX's expansion momentum: in 2025, foreign investment rose by nearly 14% and institutional trading increased by 10% year on year. Subject to final operational readiness, Morgan Stanley expects to begin trading as a remote member in the coming weeks.
The move by Morgan Stanley to gain direct market access to the ADX underscores a broader trend in global finance: the increasing demand for robust, transparent, and efficient institutional trading infrastructure for diverse asset classes. This mirrors the growing need for sophisticated solutions within the broader Tier 1 liquidity providers and institutional FX landscape, where access to deep market liquidity is paramount. Similarly, in the digital asset space, the development of crypto prime brokerages is crucial for bringing institutional capital into cryptocurrency markets, offering services that mirror the sophistication seen in traditional finance and ensuring seamless execution for large-volume trades.
As institutional market access continues to evolve, explore LiquidityFinder Insight for the latest analysis and industry developments.
