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Standard · ADGM DP Regs

ADGM Data Protection Regulations 2021

The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Data Protection Regulations 2021 are the data protection regime within ADGM — the international financial centre in Abu Dhabi. ADGM DP Regs 2021 are modelled on the EU GDPR. For ITAD, ADGM DP Regs apply to engagements with ADGM-licensed entities, including the major Abu Dhabi sovereign-wealth-fund offices and ADGM-licensed financial institutions.

ADGM scope and key tenants

ADGM hosts ~3,500+ companies including ADIA, Mubadala, ADGM-licensed banks, insurance, asset managers. The ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) supervises financial activities; the Office of the Commissioner of Data Protection supervises data protection.

GDPR-equivalent controller obligations

ADGM DP Regs Article 21 (Security of Processing) parallels GDPR Article 32. Operational expectation: appropriate technical and organisational measures including sanitisation matched to data sensitivity. Maxicom certificates satisfy.

Sovereign-wealth-fund engagement profile

Major ADGM-based sovereign wealth fund offices and direct holdings produce occasional but high-sensitivity retiring volumes. Engagement model: NDA-bound, discrete, witness destruction standard, audit-trail consolidation across portfolio companies.

Regulator & standards stack — UAEEvery Maxicom certificate is admissible against the full UAE stackUNIVERSALNIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1 · IEEE 2883-2022 · DoD 5220.22-M · documented chain-of-custody🇦🇪 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES · AEDPrivacy: UAE PDPL · DIFC DPL · ADGM Data ProtectionCyber / sector: CBUAE · NESA · TDRASettlement in AED · admissible at UAE audit
Reviewed by the Maxicom compliance desk. Last updated April 2026.
Operates to NIST 800-88 · UAE PDPL · IEEE 2883-2022
References

Authoritative references

Primary sources for the standards and frameworks referenced on this page. Maxicom maps every engagement to these recognised authorities.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

How do ADGM DP Regs compare to DIFC DPL?

Both GDPR-modelled; both require appropriate technical and organisational measures. Maxicom certificates satisfy both formats.

Are ADGM engagements typically named in case studies?

No. NDA-bound discretion is standard for ADGM sovereign-wealth-fund engagements.

When you are ready

Send the asset list. We will send the number.

A photograph of the rack works. A spreadsheet works better. AED settlement, against PO.

sales@maxicom.ae · per engagement SLA