The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group has taken a decisive step to expand global investor access to UAE capital markets by welcoming Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR) as a key international brokerage partner. The collaboration, announced in early December 2025, enables international and regional investors to trade ADX-listed securities directly through one of the world’s most widely used global trading platforms. More importantly 4.3m IBKR accounts and $800bn can now access ADX
Interactive Brokers is a well-established electronic brokerage firm headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, with decades of experience providing direct market access across equities, options, futures, forex and more in over 160 markets worldwide. Its platform supports multi-currency accounts, including United Arab Emirates dirhams (AED) and allows seamless funding and FX conversion for trading ADX and other exchange securities.
What the Partnership Means
Under the new arrangement, Interactive Brokers’ extensive global client base can trade securities listed on ADX alongside assets from major markets such as the NYSE, NASDAQ and London Stock Exchange. This gives both institutional and retail investors unprecedented direct access to the UAE’s growing investment universe without needing separate local brokerage accounts.
For investors in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and beyond, this translates into a more convenient and unified execution platform. Local investors can use Interactive Brokers’ account infrastructure to hold funds in AED, reduce FX friction and trade local and international equities from a single dashboard. At the same time, international clients gain direct exposure to UAE growth companies and financial products, strengthening cross-border capital flow.
ADX’s Strategic Push for Global Connectivity
The partnership with Interactive Brokers aligns with ADX’s broader strategy to diversify its investor base, deepen liquidity, and elevate Abu Dhabi’s role as a regional investment hub. Earlier initiatives to expand market reach have included partnerships with digital brokers such as Thndr and eToro and integration with data networks like the ICE Global Network, which extends market data access to international investors.
Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group Chief Executive Officer of ADX Group, emphasised that welcoming Interactive Brokers demonstrates the strong appeal of Abu Dhabi’s market infrastructure and products. The exchange expects the partnership to enhance liquidity and trading experience while reinforcing the emirate’s position as a gateway for global capital into the Gulf.
Benefits for GCC Investors
- Unified Global Access:
Clients of Interactive Brokers can now access ADX-listed stocks, ETFs listed on ADX like Lunate‘s and Kraneshares and other securities directly alongside global markets reducing the need to manage separate regional accounts. - Multi-Currency Support:
Traders can fund their accounts in AED and convert currencies at competitive rates, lowering barriers for GCC investors who prefer to transact in local currency. - Improved Market Liquidity:
By tapping a worldwide investor base, ADX is expected to see stronger liquidity and tighter spreads, especially in liquid blue-chip stocks and increasingly traded ETFs. - Expanded Diversification:
International investors can diversify into UAE equities encompassing energy, banking, real estate, telecoms and other sectors while local investors gain easier exposure to global asset classes through the same platform.
What This Means for GCC Retail Investor Access
Based on publicly available company information and regulatory records, several of the region’s most popular retail investment platforms, including Sarwa, Vault Wealth and Derayah Financial, utilize Interactive Brokers for custody and trade execution.
In practical terms, ADX securities can now sit alongside global equities and ETFs within the same brokerage infrastructure, significantly lowering friction for regional investors and broadening international participation in the UAE’s capital markets.
With Interactive Brokers now enabling access to ADX-listed securities, this effectively opens the door for hundreds of thousands of retail investors across the GCC to trade Abu Dhabi–listed stocks and ETFs through platforms they already use.
Implications and Outlook
This development marks a meaningful step in the ongoing regional effort to integrate the UAE’s capital markets with the global financial ecosystem. ADX’s market has grown rapidly, with a market capitalization exceeding several hundred billion dollars and increasing participation from foreign investors. The Interactive Brokers partnership could accelerate this trend further by removing execution and access barriers that have traditionally made cross-border trading more complex.
For GCC and broader international investors, the move signals increased confidence in Abu Dhabi’s market infrastructure, regulatory environment and product depth and that local securities will be more approachable from anywhere in the world. As connectivity expands, further collaborations or cross-listings with global platforms and issuers may follow, strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a regional and global finance hub.
