Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and NYU Abu Dhabi have cemented the emirate’s status as a global financial pivot point, revealing data that places the capital first globally for regulatory innovation. As the ‘Asset Abu Dhabi’ forum commenced on Day 2 of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), the narrative shifted from macroeconomic theory to the operational reality of managing an impending $100trillion intergenerational wealth transfer.
The release of the inaugural Financial Centre Competitiveness Index (FCCI) by the Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi provided empirical validation for the region’s aggressive structural reforms. While ranking 12th globally overall, Abu Dhabi surpassed established hubs to take the top spot worldwide for regulatory innovation. This academic endorsement was immediately operationalised with the launch of the FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster. Spearheaded by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), this new economic zone is projected to contribute AED 56billion to GDP by 2045, creating a dedicated ecosystem where traditional insurers and digital asset firms co-habit under a unified regulatory umbrella.
For Anthony Soohoo, newly appointed CEO of MoneyGram, the current financial landscape mirrors the early days of the web. Speaking exclusively to The Fintech Times, Soohoo described the industry as facing an “Internet 1994” moment, where the infrastructure is built but the business models are just emerging. He identified stablecoins as the catalyst for this transformation.
“Digital currency, specifically stablecoin, is a killer app,” Soohoo explained. “Just like the PC with the spreadsheet unleashed the PC… or when the internet browser launched the whole internet… I do think stablecoin is a thing that’s going to unlock a lot of different use cases.”
Soohoo views MoneyGram’s role not as a legacy incumbent but as a bridge for “scaling trust”. He argued that while the technology for instant settlement exists, the user experience must be simplified to the point of invisibility. “Our inspiration… is to be like Apple,” he added. “You don’t need to know how Wi-Fi works, it just kind of works.”
The inevitability of this digital shift was reinforced by Yoni Assia, Co-Founder and CEO of eToro, who highlighted the demographic forces driving market evolution. With Gen Y set to inherit vast sums over the coming decades, Assia argued that the tools of finance must adapt to a digitally native cohort.
“Software is going to eat everything,” Assia commented. “So crypto or digital assets, this is software for money. So by definition, digital assets is going to eat finance.”
Assia pointed to the convergence of sectors at ADFW—now split “50-50” between traditional finance and digital assets—as evidence that institutional capital is moving on-chain. He noted that the shift is no longer retail-driven but structural, stating: “The entire cake, hundreds of trillions of dollars are moving on chain.”
This sentiment was echoed during the “Physics of the Great Wealth Transfer” session, where Stefan Bollinger, CEO of Julius Baer, and Chi Man Kwan, Group CEO of Raffles Family Office, dissected the movement of an estimated $84trillion. The consensus emerged that this capital will be increasingly borderless, seeking jurisdictions that offer both lifestyle appeal and rigorous asset protection.
Underpinning this high-speed innovation is a reliance on established legal frameworks. Linda Fitz-Alan, Registrar and CEO of ADGM Courts, detailed how the direct application of English Common Law provides the necessary certainty for global investors. By digitising the judicial process, ADGM has created a “justice as a service” model that allows parties to resolve disputes remotely, a critical feature for a borderless digital economy.
“It’s the language of international commerce,” Fitz-Alan said. “What that brings with it is reliability, transparency, consistency.”
The momentum of the event was further underscored by major corporate announcements, with Circle Internet Group securing a Financial Services Permission (FSP) and Spanish banking giant BBVA receiving In-Principle Approval to expand its operations. These moves confirm that the infrastructure for the next era of asset management—combining the speed of software with the safety of common law—is now open for business on Al Maryah Island.
The post ADFW2025 DAY2: Abu Dhabi Ranks First for Regulation as Fintechs Target $100 Trillion Wealth Shift appeared first on The Fintech Times.