Abu Dhabi is the capital, the regulator and the largest pool of patient capital in the UAE. Founders come here for ADGM's common-law framework, for sovereign and government-linked programmes, and because enterprise and public-sector buyers are headquartered in the emirate. It is quieter than Dubai and the deal count is lower, but the deals are bigger and the relationships last longer.

What business setup in Abu Dhabi costs

An ADGM licence suits financial services, holding structures and tech companies that want common law and a recognised regulator, while a mainland Abu Dhabi (ADDED) licence is usually the route for trading, contracting and services. Expect licence, establishment card and per-visa medical and Emirates ID costs, plus 9% corporate tax on taxable profits above AED 375,000. The company formation and visa calculators give an AED figure for your activity.

ADGM offers a common-law jurisdiction with its own courts and registration authority.
Golden visa routes are widely used by founders and specialists based in the capital.
Capital-city events focus on enterprise, govtech, energy transition and capital raising.