Locations
Accounting & Tax Services in ADGM (Al Maryah Island)
· 4 min read · By Aureus Worldwide
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) is the capital's international financial centre, located on Al Maryah Island in the heart of Abu Dhabi. Like DIFC in Dubai, it operates under its own common-law framework, with an independent regulator (the FSRA) and its own courts, and has rapidly grown into a major hub for funds, asset managers, family offices, fintech firms and special purpose vehicles. Al Maryah Island combines ADGM's financial district with premium offices, retail and hospitality, making it one of Abu Dhabi's most prestigious business addresses. This guide explains the accounting and tax services ADGM companies typically need and how we help, including an important note on audit.
Who is based in ADGM
ADGM's regulated, financial focus gives it a sophisticated tenant base:
- Funds and fund managers
- Asset and wealth managers
- Family offices and holding structures
- Special purpose vehicles (SPVs) for holding and investment
- Fintech firms in ADGM's well-known innovation programme
- Banks, advisory and professional-services businesses
Many of these are regulated by the FSRA, which adds reporting and audit obligations on top of UAE-wide tax requirements.
The ADGM context and a note on audit
ADGM applies English common law directly and operates the FSRA regulatory regime, and many entities must produce audited financial statements to international standards. Crucially, ADGM audits must be performed by an auditor on the FSRA-recognised list. Aureus Worldwide is not an ADGM-approved or registered auditor, so we do not sign ADGM audit reports. What we do is maintain your books and prepare financial statements to an audit-ready standard, then coordinate with your appointed ADGM auditor to make the audit efficient. Al Maryah Island sits at the centre of Abu Dhabi, close to the Corniche and the city's commercial core.
Accounting and tax services we provide in ADGM
For ADGM companies we offer:
- Bookkeeping and management accounts to international standards, including for funds and SPVs, see our accounting services.
- VAT compliance including financial-services considerations, exported services and returns, through our tax services.
- Corporate tax registration and assessment of qualifying free zone person status under the 9% / 0% regime.
- Audit-preparation support, IFRS-aligned statements and coordination with your FSRA-recognised auditor, via our audit support (we prepare; we do not sign ADGM audits).
- Company formation and structuring support, including coordination on ADGM SPVs and entities, through our company formation service.
Local considerations for ADGM businesses
Regulated ADGM entities face FSRA reporting, capital and audit requirements beyond ordinary companies, so disciplined, standards-based accounting is essential. Funds and family offices need careful entity-by-entity accounting and consolidation across multiple vehicles. SPVs, though often lightly staffed, still require proper books and corporate tax registration, and their qualifying-income status must be assessed. Financial-services firms have specific VAT treatment, with many financial supplies exempt, affecting input tax recovery. And because ADGM audits must use an FSRA-recognised auditor, preparing books to audit-ready standard in advance saves time and cost. We provide that preparation and coordination.
Light-touch entities still need real books
A common misconception in ADGM is that a holding company or SPV with no trading activity needs little or no accounting. In reality, even a passive vehicle has obligations: it must keep proper records, consider Corporate Tax registration, and have its qualifying-income position assessed, and where an audit applies it must use an auditor on the FSRA-recognised list. Family offices and fund structures often involve several such entities at once, each requiring its own clean set of books and then consolidation across the group. We provide exactly this, disciplined, standards-based accounting for SPVs and holding entities that may have few transactions but still must be correct, complete and ready for the auditor and the FTA. For the operating financial firms, we keep the records that support FSRA reporting current throughout the year. We do not sign ADGM audits, but we make sure your appointed auditor receives a file that is genuinely audit-ready. In a centre built on financial credibility, even the quietest entity has to be accounted for properly.
How Aureus Worldwide helps
Aureus Worldwide supports ADGM funds, family offices, SPVs and financial firms with standards-based bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax filing, and audit preparation and coordination with your appointed ADGM auditor, noting that we are not an ADGM-registered auditor, plus company formation support. We serve ADGM clients remotely and travel for in-person meetings from our Port Saeed office in Deira, and we confirm changeable rules with the FTA. We also support businesses across Abu Dhabi. To discuss your ADGM company, contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Do you serve companies in ADGM?
Yes. We provide bookkeeping, VAT, corporate tax and audit-preparation support to ADGM companies, working remotely and travelling for in-person meetings from our Dubai office in Port Saeed, Deira. We coordinate with your appointed ADGM auditor where an audit is required.
Are you an ADGM-registered auditor?
No. Aureus Worldwide is not an ADGM-approved or registered auditor. ADGM entities requiring an audit must appoint an auditor from the FSRA-recognised list. We prepare your books and financial statements to audit-ready standard and coordinate with that auditor.
How does corporate tax apply to an ADGM company?
ADGM entities are within the UAE Corporate Tax regime; a qualifying free zone person may access 0% on qualifying income if conditions are met, otherwise 9% applies above AED 375,000. We assess your position and confirm with the FTA.