Circle Secures In-Principle Abu Dhabi Approval as It Pursues NYSE IPO

Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, has received in-principle approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The company shared the update today (Tuesday) through an official press release, as reported by Cointelegraph.

Separately, Circle submitted its Form S-1 registration to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, formally signaling its plan to go public on the New York Stock Exchange. If approved, its shares will be listed under the ticker symbol “CRCL”.

Circle Advances UAE License, Partners Hub71

The approval is an early step in the process toward a full Financial Services Permission (FSP). If granted, the license would allow Circle to operate as a regulated money services business in the United Arab Emirates.

Jeremy Allaire, Circle’s CEO, said the approval supports the firm’s efforts to expand into regions that are developing blockchain-based financial systems. He said it also reflects the company’s aim to align with stablecoin rules worldwide.

Alongside the regulatory update, Circle announced a new partnership with Hub71, a technology hub based in Abu Dhabi. Circle will take part in projects inside ADGM’s digital regulatory sandbox. It will also join Hub71’s digital assets group, which connects over 500 startups and investors.

BREAKING: @circle just got approved to operate in Abu Dhabi! 🇦🇪The UAE is racing ahead with crypto regulation.Stablecoins are going mainstream $USDC#USDC #Circle #Stablecoin pic.twitter.com/2OZHHs1d8Q

You may find it interesting at FinanceMagnates.com: USDC Issuer Circle Announces Entry into Brazil's Fintech Sector.

Circle Hits MiCA Requirements and Partners SBI

USDC is currently the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization. There are $62.03 billion USDC tokens in circulation, based on data from CoinMarketCap.

Circle has expanded into several other markets over the past year. In July 2024, it became the first global stablecoin issuer to meet the requirements of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.

In Japan, Circle partnered with SBI Holdings. On March 26, 2025, SBI VC Trade began offering USDC trading. This made USDC the first stablecoin approved under Japan’s updated regulatory rules.