ADGM on Al Reem Island: 190 asset managers, 276 funds and what it means for Abu Dhabi rentals
ADGM has covered Al Reem Island since 2023. By H1 2026 it had 13,974 active licences, 190 asset managers (+23%), 276 funds (+32%), AUM up 54% and 49,027 people working in the district. Why that matters for Al Reem landlords.
Abu Dhabi Global Market is the capital's international financial centre, with its own common-law framework, courts and regulator. For years it fitted on one island, Al Maryah. From 24 April 2023 its jurisdiction was extended to neighbouring Al Reem, roughly a tenfold increase in area, and businesses already on Al Reem had until 31 December 2024 to move under ADGM rules. By 2026 Al Reem is no longer the residential island next to the financial district; it is part of it.
The numbers
| Metric | H1 2026 |
|---|---|
| Active licences | 13,974 (1,814 issued in the half) |
| Asset and fund managers | 190, up 23% from 154 |
| Funds managed from ADGM | 276, up 32% from 209 |
| Assets under management | +54% year on year |
| Workforce | 49,027 |
At the end of 2024 the count was 134 managers and 166 funds. The managers that set up in the first half of 2026 alone oversee more than $2.1 trillion globally. The arrival of the largest of them is covered in BlackRock opens a hub in Abu Dhabi.
Why the funds come
Capital, law and tax. Abu Dhabi is one of the world's largest sovereign investors, and managers want to sit next to the client. Common law and ADGM's own courts settle the question of how disputes are resolved. UAE tax and residency rules do the rest. The result is real teams relocating, not letterbox entities.
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What it means for Al Reem property
The figure that matters for housing is the 49,000 people and its growth rate. Grade A offices on Al Maryah are full, so new firms are landing on Al Reem, and the long-term answer is Aldar and Mubadala's 450,000 sqm office build-out on the north of Al Maryah — see the Al Maryah expansion. Finance staff are high, stable earners who want to live near work: good news for long-let occupancy on Al Reem.
Two caveats. Al Reem is still being built, and new supply such as Reem Hills will arrive in waves, so units close to the Al Maryah bridges and with water views are better placed than any flat on the island. And ADGM's growth is demand, not a price guarantee: location within the island, developer and handover date still decide the value of a specific unit.
Projects, prices and rents on the island are on our Al Reem Island page.
Video on this topic
The same subject on the English channel — each clip has a written version of its own.
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15:37Abu Dhabi property investment: Saadiyat Island and the Aldar launch numbers16 February 2023
7:59Investing in Dubai offices: why the numbers beat apartments20 October 2025
21:45Furnished offices in Business Bay: Rove HQ and the fitted-office model16 October 2025
In the news
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Al Maryah Island expansion: Aldar and Mubadala to build out the north side for AED 60bn+
Aldar (60%) and Mubadala (40%) will develop the last major plot on Al Maryah: 1.5m sqm of space, 450,000+ sqm of Grade A offices, 3,000+ homes and three new bridges, with a GDV above AED 60bn. What it means for Al Reem and Saadiyat owners.
Abu Dhabi rent freeze: why Al Reem and Al Maryah are outside it
Since 2 June 2026 Abu Dhabi has cut the permitted annual rent rise from 5% to 0% for homes, offices and industrial units, until further notice — still in force in September. ADGM communities on Al Reem and Al Maryah islands are excluded and follow their own rules.
Al Reem Island apartments: Radisson Residences and Rixos Al Reem, branded homes next to Abu Dhabi’s financial centre
Al Reem now has two branded schemes: the world’s first standalone Radisson Residences (phase one, AED 1.2bn, sold within a day; phase two with 437 furnished units in September 2026) and 386 Rixos residences by East & West, one-bedrooms from about AED 2.1m, completing Q1 2029.
UAE office shortage: prime vacancy at 0.3% in Dubai and 0.1% in Abu Dhabi
JLL puts prime office vacancy at about 0.3% in Dubai and 0.1% in Abu Dhabi. In Q2 2026 Dubai Grade A rents rose 26.2% year on year and Grade B 31.5%; CBRE puts occupancy at 94% in Dubai and 96% in Abu Dhabi. What the squeeze means for office owners and buyers.
Yas Island Abu Dhabi: Miral commits AED 12bn on top of Disneyland — what it means for owners
Miral will invest over AED 12bn (about $3.3bn) on Yas Island over five years in park expansions, new rides and hotels — separate from the Disney resort, whose opening date and site are still not officially disclosed. What it means for rentals on the island.
BlackRock opened a hub in Abu Dhabi: what the largest manager’s arrival means
Not a three-person representative office but dozens of staff. Companies that size open offices for the flow expected over a decade, not for today’s deals.