Nubank and ADGM Establish Global Headquarters for MENA and Asia Expansion
ABU DHABI, UAE – April 13, 2026 — Nubank announced plans to establish its global headquarters at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to target growth across MENA and Asia markets. The move will deepen the digital bank’s international footprint and foster collaborations with Abu Dhabi’s investment, economic, and financial institutions, including digital banking platform Wio Bank. This follows a meeting between Nubank founder and CEO David Vélez and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Brazilian neobank Nubank, Latin America’s largest digital bank with over 100 million customers across Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, the United States, and Germany, will set up its new global headquarters at ADGM. Nubank manages over $78 billion in assets, boasts a $70 billion market capitalization, and reported $4.9 billion in revenue with $895 million net income in Q4 2025. No specific timeline, hiring numbers, or transaction volumes for the ADGM operations were disclosed.
“Nubank, the largest digital bank in Latin America and one of the largest globally by customer count, will establish a new headquarters at ADGM.”
Why it matters: This underscores Nubank’s scale and ambition, signaling a strategic pivot to leverage ADGM’s regulatory environment for cross-regional expansion.
Industry Context
Founded in 2013 in São Paulo by David Vélez, Cristina Junqueira, and Edward Wible, Nubank has grown into the world’s largest neobank by customers. Recent moves include conditional approval for a US national bank charter in January 2026, amid aggressive global scaling efforts.
ADGM solidifies Abu Dhabi’s role as a fintech bridge between Latin America, MENA, and Asia. Nubank’s entry could inject innovative digital banking models into the UAE, spurring competition and attracting Latin American talent. The move aligns with the UAE’s vision to diversify beyond oil, potentially accelerating fintech adoption in underserved MENA segments amid rising digital finance demand.
Conclusion
Nubank’s ADGM headquarters promises job creation, strategic partnerships, and enhanced fintech innovation. The next immediate steps include licensing approvals and initial operations, positioning the UAE as a global neobank nexus.
Sources: Fintech News, FWD Start, Executive Moves
