Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange Bolsters ETF Offerings with AI and Shari’ah Funds

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 13-04-2026

5 min

ADX has listed AGIX and KWIN, expanding its growing ETF line-up.

AGIX offers a “unique public-private structure” with exposure to AI leaders.

KWIN provides Shari’ah-compliant, option-based income beyond traditional sukuk.

ETF trading on ADX is surging, reflecting strong investor appetite.

The move supports Abu Dhabi’s plan to become a global investment hub.

Abu Dhabi’s exchange is adding two more names to its growing ETF line-up, and this time the focus is squarely on artificial intelligence and Shari’ah-compliant income.

KraneShares has listed the KraneShares Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF, trading under the ticker AGIX, alongside the KraneShares Wahed Alternative Income Index ETF, known as KWIN, on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the second-largest bourse in the Arab world by market capitalisation. Both funds are cross-listed from the New York Stock Exchange, a move that underlines Abu Dhabi’s ambition to position itself as a serious hub for global investment products.

Let’s start with AGIX. The ETF offers exposure not only to publicly traded AI and technology firms, but also to select private companies, including SpaceX and Anthropic. As of 9 April 2026, SpaceX accounts for 3.02% of the fund’s net assets, while Anthropic represents 2.98%. That blend of public and private is still relatively rare in an ETF structure, and I reckon it’s bound to catch the eye of regional investors keen to tap into high-growth innovation themes without the usual barriers that come with private market investing. AGIX is set to list directly on ADX on 16 April 2026.

On the flip side, KWIN takes a very different route. Developed by KraneShares in collaboration with Wahed Invest, it offers a Shari’ah-compliant income strategy that moves beyond traditional sukuk. Instead, it aims to generate option-based income while staying aligned with Islamic investment principles. The initial offering price period runs from 15 to 21 April 2026, with the ETF expected to begin trading on ADX by the end of April.

For ADX, this is not just another listing. Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group CEO of ADX Group, described the cross-listing as a further step in expanding access to global opportunities. He pointed to rising appetite for thematic investing such as AI, as well as income solutions that reflect regional priorities, including Shari’ah compliance. In March alone, the exchange recorded a 183% year-on-year surge in ETF trade value and a nearly 134% increase in the number of investors trading its ETF suite. Those are not small jumps, they suggest momentum that is, frankly, hard to ignore.

Jonathan Krane, Founder and CEO of KraneShares, highlighted the “unique public-private structure” of AGIX, noting that it allows investors to access both listed AI leaders and private innovators like Anthropic and SpaceX within a single, liquid vehicle. He also emphasised that KWIN is designed to broaden access to alternative income strategies that align with Islamic principles, particularly for regional investors seeking something different from conventional fixed income.

Behind the scenes, Oceane Global will serve as market maker, helping ensure liquidity and efficient trading on ADX, while Waystone is acting as legal representative to support regulatory alignment. Anthony Sassine, CEO of Oceane Global, said the aim is to build a strong ETF ecosystem with solid liquidity provision, so that both institutional and retail investors in the UAE can access global strategies through their local exchange. Caoimhghin O’Donnell, CEO of Waystone Management Company Middle East, stressed the importance of coordination between issuers, market makers and legal infrastructure providers in building a sustainable ETF market.

These latest launches follow the cross-listing of KraneShares’ KWEB China ETF and KRBN Global Carbon Credit ETF on ADX in December 2025. Step by step, the exchange is expanding its ETF shelf, and for founders and startup watchers across the region, this matters more than it first appears.

At Arageek, we often speak with entrepreneurs who daydream about ringing the bell on a major exchange one day. Well… I mean, before that dream comes alive, there needs to be deep, liquid capital markets that understand themes like AI, climate tech and alternative income. Products like AGIX and KWIN are not built for startups directly, but they signal an ecosystem maturing around them. And that’s something many in the MENA innovation space will be chuffed to bits about.

The broader strategy of ADX ties into the UAE’s “Towards the Next 50” agenda, aimed at building a diversified, high-value economy. Cross-listing global ETFs may sound technical, and at times it can feel like a bit of a faff to decode all the structures, but the direction is clear. Abu Dhabi wants to make it easier for investors to access international themes locally, under a regulated framework.

Of course, ETFs come with risks, from market volatility to potential differences between trading prices and net asset value. They are not guaranteed, and liquidity on a secondary listing may differ from the primary US market. That said, the steady rise in ETF activity on ADX suggests investors are growing more comfortable with these instruments.

For a region where capital markets are evolving quickly, this twin listing feels spot on. It brings together two powerful narratives shaping global finance right now: artificial intelligence and faith-aligned investing. And believe it or not, seeing those two themes sit side by side on an Abu Dhabi trading screen is a small but telling sign of how far the market has come.

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