Capital Markets
From The Report: Abu Dhabi 2020
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Abu Dhabi’s capital markets started 2020 on a positive note, bolstered by solid gains on the exchange’s main index in 2019. Similarly, the local debt market ended 2019 favourably, with the UAE ranking as the biggest issuer of fixed-income instruments in the GCC that year. Although much remains to be seen as global markets deal with the twin ramifications of Covid-19 and lower oil prices in early 2020, an increasingly proactive stance to economic diversification and a policy of domestic rationalisation that is creating an added need for debt financing, and which coincides with suppressed rates in global credit markets, bodes well for Abu Dhabi’s capital markets in the medium to long term. Against this backdrop, an ongoing process of reform and the emergence of a new trading platform are set to add further dynamism to the financial markets. This chapter contains an interview with Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri, Chief Executive, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Dynamic progress: Ongoing regulatory reform and developments support a deepening of the market
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Abu Dhabi’s capital markets started 2020 on a positive note, bolstered by solid gains on the exchange’s main index in 2019. Similarly, the local debt market ended 2019 favourably, with the UAE ranking as the biggest issuer of fixed-income instruments in the GCC that year. Although much remains to be seen as global markets deal with the twin ramifications of Covid-19 and lower oil prices in early 2020, an increasingly proactive stance to economic diversification and a policy of domestic…

Interview

The place to be: Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri, Chief Executive, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), on promoting sustainability and transparency
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Interview:Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri How is financial innovation impacting local capital markets and streamlining business operations? KHALIFA SALEM AL MANSOURI: According to the 2019 “MENA FinTech Venture Report” the UAE is the largest financial technology (fintech) centre in the region, accounting for 46% of all fintech start-ups, as well as 47% of all deals and 67% of total fintech funding. In 2019 investors funded 37 fintech start-ups, with regional investors accounting for 86%. Of…

Analysis

Future assets: Regulatory moves are bolstering the emirate’s position as a regional leader in distributed ledger technology
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Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre and free zone, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), has sought to establish itself as a global pioneer in the development of distributed ledger technology (DLT). In June 2018 the emirate issued a comprehensive regulatory framework for virtual asset activities in ADGM, and followed it up with further detailed guidance on the regulation of stable coins and digital securities in May and September 2019, respectively. Under its regulatory framework,…

Overview

Rise of robo-advisers: Growing competition in the automated advisory market leads to further consolidation, innovation and investment
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The use of sophisticated algorithms in wealth management is leading to improved efficiency and transparency in the financial services sector, benefitting both providers and clients. In particular, so-called robo-advisers are disrupting the industry and helping to boost financial inclusion. Primarily concentrated in developed markets such as the US and the UK, the technology is starting to make inroads in other parts of the world as traditional financial institutions and tech start-ups seek to tap the segment’s potential. The robo-advisory model allows customers to manage their wealth or retirement plan online by completing a simple…