Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), an Islamic financial institution, rang the market-opening bell at Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) to mark its role as the first bank in the UAE to participate as a broker, through ADIB Securities, on Tabadul, ADX’s cross-border trading platform. Tabadul connects regional and international markets on a single platform, enhancing accessibility, liquidity, and diversification opportunities for investors.
This milestone underscores ADIB’s commitment to expanding investment access and enhancing connectivity across regional and international capital markets. Through Tabadul, clients of ADIB Securities can access and trade across multiple exchanges via a single platform. This enables both retail and institutional investors to connect to over 10 exchanges across the GCC, Central Asia, and other emerging markets through ADIB Securities, while offering the ability to build more diversified portfolios across asset classes and geographies.
The move comes amid rising investor participation across the UAE’s capital markets. ADX has attracted a broad and growing investor base, with more than 1.2 million investors from over 200 nationalities, reflecting rising international participation in the UAE’s capital markets. ADIB’s integration with Tabadul positions the bank to meet evolving client expectations with more flexible and globally connected solutions.
Mohamed Abdelbary, Group Chief Executive Officer of ADIB, said: “We are pleased to be the first bank in the UAE to offer integrated access to the Tabadul platform through ADIB Securities. This milestone supports the UAE’s broader efforts to advance financial market integration across the region and enhance connectivity with global markets. It further strengthens the facilitation of cross-border trading and post-trade services by streamlining account opening and settlement processes. In doing so, it expands investment opportunities for our clients while helping to reduce operational costs and mitigate transaction-related risks. At ADIB, we remain committed to fostering innovation through strategic collaborations that support our vision of delivering more connected and digitally enabled financial solutions.”
Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group Chief Executive Officer of ADX Group, said: “Welcoming ADIB Securities to Tabadul marks another vital milestone in ADX’s commitment and efforts in championing seamless cross-border investment across the region. ADIB Securities is the first brokerage arm of a UAE-based bank to join the platform, and their decision reflects the growing institutional interest in Tabadul as a strategic hub to regional markets. Since its launch in 2022, Tabadul has successfully connected more than six exchanges and nearly 8 million investors. In Q1 2026, Tabadul recorded a total traded value of AED 6.3 billion, a 24% year-on-year increase. The introduction of ADIB Securities will further broaden investor access and facilitate greater liquidity and capital flows in Abu Dhabi and across the region.”
Tabadul, launched in 2022 as the region’s first digital exchange network based on a mutual market access model, connects a growing network of 10 exchanges across the GCC, Central Asia, and emerging markets. The platform has demonstrated strong momentum, with average weekly traded value reaching over AED 113 million in 2025, reinforcing its role in enhancing liquidity and market participation.
This milestone builds on ADIB’s ongoing collaboration with ADX, including the development of a digital onboarding platform through ADIB Securities, which integrates National Investor Number (NIN) creation and trading account services directly into its digital channels, streamlining client onboarding and enhancing access to ADX services. Together, these initiatives reflect a continued focus on simplifying market access, improving client experience, and advancing digital connectivity across the UAE’s capital markets.
ADIB’s involvement aligns with its broader strategy to advance digital transformation and innovation across its financial services. By facilitating cross-border trading and enabling access to a wider investment universe, the bank contributes to a more integrated and efficient capital market ecosystem.
