Abu Dhabi global market businesses for sale (ADGM)
ADGM Companies For Sale in Abu Dhabi — Why Sophisticated Buyers Acquire, Not Register
If you are already thinking about buying an existing ADGM company, you understand something that most UAE market entrants do not.
- You are not here because registering a new company is too complicated, you are here because you recognize that an Abu Dhabi Global Market entity is not a trade license — it is a legal and financial architecture, and you want one that is already built.
This post is not a beginner’s guide to ADGM.
- It is written for buyers who already know what ADGM is, already understand why it matters, and are now asking the specific question that serious acquirers ask: What is the fastest, most structurally sound way to own an ADGM-registered entity right now — and what exactly am I getting when I do?
The answer to that question is worth far more than the acquisition cost, let us explain precisely why.
What You Are Actually Buying When You Acquire an ADGM Company
Every UAE free zone registration gives you a trade license but ADGM gives you something categorically different: membership in the only jurisdiction in the Middle East that applies English common law directly, without codification, modification, or translation.
- That distinction sounds technical but understanding its commercial consequences and benefits are enormous.
ADGM is the first jurisdiction in the Middle East to directly apply English Common Law — the same legal tradition that governs financial centres in London, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
- When you own an ADGM company, your shareholder agreements, investment terms, financing documents, and exit rights mean exactly what they say — interpreted through decades of global case law that institutional investors, international banks, and sophisticated counterparties already understand and trust.
When you acquire a company registered at ADGM’s Registration Authority, you are not just inheriting a license number. You are inheriting:
- A legal entity that operates under an independent court system — the ADGM Courts — with exclusive civil and commercial jurisdiction over all matters within the free zone.
- Common law is the applicable law in ADGM – This governance framework signals to every investor, partner, and regulator that this entity operates to global institutional standards, not local laws that are unknown to international parties.
- The other party that you are conducting business, knows that they can dependent on English Common Law system, which they are likely to already be familiar with.
- If they do not, their lawyers certainly does, which removes the uncertainty they would otherwise face, in trying to understand how their situation may apply with Shariah Law.
- Since most jurisdictions (Freezone and Mainland) in UAE every Emirate apply Shariah law, the fact that foreign companies and individuals know that they are able to rely on a legal system that they are already familiar with, will provide comfort in conducting business for the first time, with a Middle Eastern company.
- If they do not, their lawyers certainly does, which removes the uncertainty they would otherwise face, in trying to understand how their situation may apply with Shariah Law.
- The other party that you are conducting business, knows that they can dependent on English Common Law system, which they are likely to already be familiar with.
- Common law is the applicable law in ADGM – This governance framework signals to every investor, partner, and regulator that this entity operates to global institutional standards, not local laws that are unknown to international parties.
- English Common Law is a corporate structure that international banks and institutional investors accept without hesitation as a credible counterparty.
- A registered address inside Abu Dhabi’s premier international financial centre, on Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island, sitting in the capital city of the UAE — the source of two-thirds of the country’s $400 billion economy.
You cannot purchase any of that by registering a new company at a general-purpose UAE free zone, but you can only access it through ADGM — and the fastest way to access it is by acquiring a company that is already established there.
active and shelf companies for sale in Abu Dhabi global market (ADGM)
ADGM is one of the more popular freezones In Abu Dhabi – This financial focused freezone have a number of business activities that are of interest to both foreign and local investors, as well as businesses.
Five Reasons Buyers Specifically purchase Existing ADGM Companies for
1. The Banking Acceleration Argument
Opening a corporate bank account for a newly incorporated ADGM entity — while structurally cleaner than many UAE free zones — still requires relationship-building, enhanced due diligence documentation, and the bank’s own onboarding timeline.
- For regulated financial entities, that process can take months.
Acquiring an existing ADGM company with an established, actively maintained corporate bank account — particularly with one of the major UAE licensed banks present on Al Maryah Island — compresses that entire timeline to zero.
- The corporate bank account already exists, as does the relationship with the bank who is already familiar the company’s transaction history exists and business model.
For buyers who need to send capital, receive investment, execute a transaction, or begin regulated operations before a specific deadline, an inherited banking relationship is not a convenience — it is a deal-enabler.
2. The FSRA-Regulated License available for sale
For financial services businesses — asset managers, fintech operators, investment advisors, digital asset firms, payment service providers — the most valuable single asset an ADGM company can hold is an FSRA license.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) is one of the region’s most rigorous financial regulators.
- FSRA licensing provides a regulatory environment that international partners respect, and its approval process for new financial services licenses is comprehensive, time-consuming, and uncertain in outcome.
Acquiring an existing ADGM company that already holds an FSRA Financial Services Permission (FSP) — whether for asset management, advisory, dealing in investments, operating an exchange, or providing digital asset services — transfers not just a license but an entire regulatory relationship.
- The entity’s compliance history, supervisory relationship with the FSRA, and existing regulatory permissions all transfer with the company.
For a fintech company, fund manager, or digital asset operator that would otherwise face 6–12 months of FSRA licensing application, review, and approval.
By purchasing a regulated ADGM entity with the right FSP in place, it is a strategic shortcut that changes the entire market entry timeline.
3. The Sovereign Wealth Access Argument
Abu Dhabi is home to some of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds and provides strong access to capital through substantial private wealth and several catalyst partners.
ADGM is not located in an industrial zone, a logistics park, or a media campus.
- It sits on Al Maryah Island — Abu Dhabi’s central business and financial district — directly adjacent to the headquarters of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Mubadala Investment Company, ADQ, and the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance.
- The density of sovereign capital within a 10-minute walk of any ADGM office is unmatched anywhere in the world outside of a sovereign wealth fund’s own internal offices.
For fund managers, investment platforms, family offices, and capital-raising vehicles, the ADGM address is not incidental. It is a strategic signal — to LPs, co-investors, and counterparties — that your entity is physically and institutionally embedded in the capital of Abu Dhabi’s financial ecosystem.
Buying an licensed and regulated ADGM company inherits that positioning from the moment the transfer is signed.
4. The Virtual Asset and Digital Finance First-Mover Argument
ADGM introduced a regulatory framework for virtual assets in 2018, becoming one of the first global jurisdictions to license exchanges, custodians, and token issuers, with the FSRA continuing to update this framework with its latest guidance published in June 2025.
As we move through 2026, virtual assets and Web3 represent one of the key growth sectors in ADGM, where the jurisdiction boasts one of the most comprehensive and progressive virtual asset regulatory frameworks globally — attracting global players leading the development of digital assets who have established themselves within ADGM to benefit from its supportive ecosystem, globally recognised regulatory standards and English common-law jurisdiction.
For a digital asset business — whether a crypto exchange, a tokenisation platform, a digital custody service, or a Web3 infrastructure company — acquiring an existing ADGM entity with prior virtual asset regulatory engagement, or a company waiting for FSRA virtual asset licensing, provides a jurisdictional head start to their UAE venture.
The regulatory framework is here, the precedents are being set here, and the institutional counterparties are already operating within this ecosystem.
5. The Al Reem Island Expansion and Mandatory Transition Opportunity
ADGM’s jurisdiction was expanded in 2023 to include Al Reem Island, with the combined area now exceeding 14 million square metres.
All businesses on Al Reem Island transitioned to ADGM commercial licensing, which means real estate activities and property registration across Al Reem Island falls under ADGM’s Registration Authority.
Companies that transitioned to ADGM licensing as part of the Al Reem Island mandatory migration — particularly businesses that were previously registered under other frameworks and are now operating under ADGM’s English common law jurisdiction.
While ADGM is primarily a financial focused free zone, there are also a number of industries and sectors that are licensed Abu Dhabi Global Market that can be found for sale from time to time.
| Accounting & Bookkeeping | Activities of ADGM Foundation | Activities of Holding Partnerships |
| Activities of Call Centres | Activities of Member Orgs | Admitting Financial Instruments |
| Advertising | Advice on Financial Products | Air & Spacecraft Manufacture |
| Air Transport (Freight/Pass) | Amusement & Recreation | Arbitration Services |
| Architectural Activities | Arranging Credit/Investments | Arranging Custody |
| Arts & Entertainment | Asset Management | Auditing Activities |
| Authorised Person (Financial) | Bakery Products Manufacture | Beverage Serving Activities |
| Book Publishing | Botanical & Zoological Gardens | Building Center & Construction |
| Business Support Services | Civil Engineering Projects | Collection of Waste (All) |
| Combined Facilities/Office Admin | Computer Consultancy & Programming | Confectionery Manufacture |
| Convention & Trade Show Org | Corporate Investigation | Creative & Performing Arts |
| Custody & Administration | Cyber Security Services | Dairy Products Manufacture |
| Data Processing & Hosting | Dealing in Investments | Defense & Military Training |
| Defense Logistics & Supply | Defense Manufacturing (All) | Defense Research & Systems |
| Defense Systems Maintenance | Demolition & Site Prep | Desalination Plants |
| Developing Payment Systems | Digital/Software Publishing | Disinfection & Sterilization |
| Domestic Personnel Activities | Drilling Towers Services | Education (Primary & Secondary) |
| Educational Support | Electric & Gas Supply | Electrical Installation |
| Event Catering | Extraction of Oil & Gas | Family Office |
| Financial Leasing | Finishing of Textiles | Food & Beverage Services |
| Footwear & Apparel Manufacture | Foreign Affairs | Freight Transport (All) |
| Fund Management | Funeral & Related Services | Furniture Manufacture |
| Gambling & Betting | General Cleaning Services | General Medicine & Health |
| General Public Administration | Hairdressing & Beauty | Handcrafted Products |
| Higher Education | Hospital Activities | Hotels & Accommodation |
| Industrial Cleaning | Inland Water Transport | Innovation – Tech Start-up |
| Insurance Brokerage & Admin | Insurance Business Training | Investigation Activities |
| Investment Management | Issuing Electronic Money | Justice & Judicial Activities |
| Land Transport & Pipelines | Landscape Maintenance | Law Training Services |
| Legal Consultancy | Libraries & Archives | Life & Non-life Insurance |
| Management Consultancy | Management of Medical Facilities | Managing a Collective Fund |
| Managing Assets | Manufacture of Chemicals | Manufacture of Computers/Electronics |
| Manufacture of Food/Dairy | Manufacture of Furniture | Manufacture of Glass/Metals |
| Manufacture of Machinery | Manufacture of Medical Inst. | Manufacture of Motor Vehicles |
| Manufacture of Paper/Plastics | Manufacture of Pharmaceuticals | Manufacture of Rubber/Wiring |
| Manufacture of Wood Products | Market Research & Polling | Medical Analysis & Diagnostics |
| Medical & Dental Practice | Military Maintenance (All) | Military Manufacturing (All) |
| Military Training (All) | Mobile Medical Services | Monetary Intermediation |
| Motion Picture/TV (All) | Multi-dimensional Printing | Museums & Historical Sites |
| Natural Gas & Oil Well Services | News Agency Activities | Nursing & Residential Care |
| Office Administrative Support | Onshore/Offshore Field Services | Operating Trading Platforms |
| Organization of Conventions | Other Education Services | Other Financial Services |
| Other Human Health Activities | Other Information Services | Other Personal Services |
| Other Publishing Activities | Packaging Activities | Passenger Rail Transport |
| Patent & Trademark Agents | Pediatric & Geriatric Medicine | Pension Funding |
| Photocopying & Document Prep | Physical Well-being Activities | Plumbing, Heat & HVAC |
| Police & Fire Protection | Postal & Courier Activities | Prepared Meals Manufacture |
| Printing & Media Reproduction | Private Security Activities | Professional Membership Orgs |
| Proprietary Investment Company | Providing Trust Services | Public Order & Safety |
| Real Estate (Fee/Own/Leased) | Reinsurance | Remediation Activities |
| Rental & Leasing (All) | Repair of Computers & Comm. | Repair of Household Goods |
| Repair of Industrial Machinery | Repair of Motor Vehicles | Repair of Personal/Home Goods |
| Research & Experimental R&D | Restaurants & Cafes | Retail Sale (Non-spec stores) |
| Retail Sale of Cultural Goods | Retail Sale of Food/Bev/Fuel | Retail Sale of ICT/Electronics |
| Retail Sale of Pharma/Medical | Retail Sale of Sports/Toys | Risk Management |
| Roads & Railways Construction | Roofing Activities | Sale of Motor Vehicles & Parts |
| Satellite Telecommunications | Scientific Research & Development | Sea & Coastal Water Transport |
| Security & Defense Consultancy | Security Systems Services | Sewerage & Water Treatment |
| Social Work Services | Specialized Construction | Specialized Design Activities |
| Sports Activities & Clubs | Sports Services & Contracting | Steam & Air Conditioning |
| Strategic & Security Studies | Support for Transport | Tax Consultancy Activities |
| Technical Testing & Analysis | Television Programming | Tour Operator Activities |
| Translation & Interpretation | Travel Agency Activities | Trusts & Funds |
| Utility Projects Construction | Veterinary Activities | Warehousing & Storage |
| Washing & Cleaning of Textiles | Weapons & Ammo Maintenance | Web Portals |
| Wholesale of Agri/Food/Bev | Wholesale of Household/ICT | Wholesale of Machinery/Fuel |
| Wholesale on Fee/Contract | Wired/Wireless Telecom |
What Companies Are Available for Acquisition in ADGM?
The ADGM secondary market spans a broader spectrum than most buyers expect – Here is a structured overview of the categories that active acquirers should be targeting:
Non-Financial Commercial Companies
Non-financial commercial ADGM companies — holding companies, professional services firms, consultancies, technology businesses, and corporate headquarters — are the most accessible category for buyers looking to immediately purchase ADGM entity, without the complexity of FSRA regulatory transfer.
These entities operate under ADGM’s English common law and Registration Authority oversight, but are not subject to FSRA financial services supervision.
Holding Companies and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)
SPVs and holding structures are among the most commonly registered ADGM entity types that are popular with family offices managing private wealth, international groups structuring regional assets, and private equity vehicles holding investments across MENA.
Acquiring an existing ADGM holding company or SPV provides an immediately deployable legal vessel for asset ownership, intercompany lending, intellectual property holding, or group treasury — without the documentation, business plan review, and setup timeline of a fresh registration.
FSRA-Licensed Financial Services Entities
Regulated companies are the most highly sought after licenses in ADGM.
A company holding a valid FSRA Financial Services Permission — whether for managing investments, dealing in investments, arranging deals, providing custody, operating a payment service, or running a digital asset business — is an asset whose value often has little to do with its trading history and everything to do with the regulatory permission it holds.
- Buyers that are looking to purchase a regularly licensed in ADGM, may or may not be focus on the current company’s existing customers, as they will most likely have their own direction and vision for the market.
The FSRA licensing pipeline is demanding; acquiring an entity that has already passed through it, is a direct shortcut.
Fintech Entities With RegLab History
ADGM’s RegLab provides a controlled sandbox (testing) environment for fintech companies to develop and test regulated solutions before applying for full FSRA authorization.
An ADGM company with an existing RegLab authorization — or that has completed the RegLab process and graduated to a full FSP — represents a uniquely valuable acquisition for fintech (Financial Technology) buyers, who would otherwise spend 12+ months building the same regulatory track record from scratch.
The Credibility Premium — Why an ADGM Address Changes How Capital Flows to Your Business
This is the argument that most acquisition guides miss entirely, because they focus on process rather than on commercial consequence.
- Being listed on the ADGM companies register immediately signals institutional quality.
- For investment structures, the credibility of the jurisdiction matters.
- Operating under ADGM’s English common law gives businesses legal certainty that few Middle Eastern jurisdictions can offer — and that certainty is what determines whether international capital flows into a business or stays out.
Consider the specific scenarios where an ADGM registration changes the outcome of a commercial conversation:
Raising venture capital or private equity:
A VC term sheet or PE investment into a company governed by English common law, with disputes handled by specialist ADGM judges and shareholder rights defined under globally recognized precedent, is easier to negotiate and close than one into a company governed by UAE civil law (Shariah law) under a standard free zone framework.
- The legal due diligence is shorter.
- The reps and warranties are cleaner.
- The exit rights are clearer.
- The deal closes faster.
An acquired ADGM entity delivers all of that from day one.
Securing financing from international banks:
International lenders — particularly European and US banks — are significantly more comfortable providing lending, guarantee facilities, or credit lines to ADGM-registered borrowers, than to entities registered in jurisdictions without independent common law courts and enforcement mechanisms.
If your business model depends on leverage, the ADGM license is a tool during the credit underwriting process.
Winning institutional client mandates:
For asset managers, advisory firms, and professional services businesses pitching to sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional allocators, regulation and reputation matters.
- Operating from an ADGM-regulated entity signals a level of governance commitment that alternatives registered in general-purpose free zones simply cannot match.
The mandate often comes to the better-governed entity, regardless of which firm has the stronger pitch.
Building a cross-border corporate group:
For international groups that need a Middle East holding company capable of owning subsidiaries, entering joint ventures, and managing intercompany structures across multiple jurisdictions — ADGM’s SPV and holding company framework, under English common law, is the foundation that global transaction counsel will recommend.
Acquiring an existing ADGM holding entity provides an immediately deployable group structure.
The ADGM Transfer Process: What Buyers Need to Know
Unlike general-purpose free zones where ownership transfer is a largely administrative process, ADGM ownership changes must comply with the ADGM Companies Regulations and Registration Authority requirements — and for FSRA-regulated entities, with the FSRA’s change of control framework.
Non-Financial Entities: How To Transfer The Company Ownership After Purchase Acquisition
For non-financial ADGM companies — commercial entities, holding companies, SPVs — ownership transfer involves:
- Registration Authority approval of updated shareholder and director information
- Background check new shareholders
- Submission of a transfer application and updating the company’s constitutional documents
With complete documentation and after the Necessary background checking has been completed, transferring a non-financial entities typically process within 5 to 10 working days.
FSRA-Regulated Entities: The Change of Ownership and Control Process
For ADGM companies holding FSRA Financial Services Permissions, a change of control is a regulated event — unlike non regulated entities, it is not a simple administrative transfer.
- The FSRA’s change of control rules require prior FSRA approval before any transfer of a controlling interest in a regulated entity.
- Similar to non regulated licenses, the incoming owner must be assessed for fitness and propriety, financial soundness, and regulatory standing.
- The process involves formal FSRA application, supporting documentation, and a review period that can range from several weeks to several months depending on the complexity of the proposed ownership structure.
This is not a barrier — it is a quality control mechanism that ADGM and FSRA puts in place to protect the value of the regulated license.
Buyers who understand it, plan for it. Whereas buyers who do not, will get surprised by it.
Critical Due Diligence for Any ADGM Acquisition
Before any ADGM company transfer, buyers must verify:
- Registration Authority good standing and license renewal status
- FSRA permission status and any conditions, restrictions, or supervisory notices attached to the FSP – only applicable for regulated licenses
- Compliance history for all companies and FSRA enforcement actions (if any, for regulated financial companies), regulatory warnings, or compliance breaches
- Beneficial ownership register accuracy and completeness (ADGM’s beneficial ownership framework is actively enforced)
- Audited financial statements — ADGM requires annual audited accounts from all registered entities
- Whistleblower protection policy compliance (mandatory since May 2025)
- Corporate tax registration status with the UAE Federal Tax Authority
- Office lease status and remaining term for entities with physical office requirements
- Appointed resident secretary status
For regulated entities, additionally verify the approved persons register, client agreements, Asset Under Management (AUM) documentation, and custody arrangements.
ADGM vs DIFC: Why Abu Dhabi’s Financial Centre Is Winning the Capital Race in 2026
Buyers who are already interested in ADGM have almost certainly also considered DIFC. The comparison deserves a direct answer.
ADGM is the only jurisdiction in the region to apply English common law directly — without modification or codification. DIFC applies English law only as a gap-filler: its own DIFC laws take priority, and English precedent applies only where a gap exists. For sophisticated transactions — complex fund structures, digital asset issuances, multi-jurisdictional holding arrangements — that distinction matters operationally.
ADGM’s FSRA is increasingly recognised as the preferred regulator for digital asset and virtual asset businesses globally, having introduced its virtual asset framework in 2018 — years before DIFC’s DFSA began publishing comparable guidance. For buyers specifically targeting the digital finance sector, the ADGM regulatory head start is the deciding factor.
Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) has grown into the largest financial event in the Middle East, hosting over 20,000 participants, 600 speakers and 350 sessions in 2024 — held under the patronage of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The concentration of global institutional capital that passes through ADGM’s ecosystem annually is no longer playing second fiddle to Dubai. It is competing directly, and on the digital assets and sustainable finance dimensions, it is leading.
For buyers whose primary counterparties are Abu Dhabi sovereign institutions, GCC family offices, or Asian capital sources routing through the UAE: ADGM is where those conversations happen. Owning an entity that is already registered here — already on the ADGM companies public register, already with a physical address in the financial centre — is the starting point, not an afterthought.
Who should buy an existing company in Abu Dhabi ADGM freezone instead of setting up new one?
You should be actively pursuing an ADGM company for sale right now if:
- You need the ADGM address as a credibility signal to close a deal, win a mandate, or satisfy an investor’s jurisdiction requirement — and you need it now, not after 6 weeks of new registration process
- You are raising capital from institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, or international liquidity provider (LPs) who require a common law jurisdiction for the investment vehicle
- You are a fintech, digital asset, or payment services company that needs to be regulated by FSRA (Financial Services Regulatory Authority in Abu Dhabi)
- You are a family office or private wealth vehicle that needs an SPV or holding structure operating under English law
- You are an international group that needs a UAE holding company to own regional subsidiaries, manage intercompany lending, or structure cross-border IP ownership
- You have a transaction, investment, or mandate that requires a UAE legal entity with an open corporate bank account at an internationally recognized bank
- You are a fund manager, investment advisor, or capital market participant that needs FSRA licensing before you can operate, and you need to operate immediately rather than spend 12 months in the FSRA application pipeline
Frequently Asked Questions: Buying an ADGM Company in Abu Dhabi
Can a foreign individual or foreign company buy an existing ADGM entity?
Yes. All ADGM companies are eligible for full foreign ownership with no local sponsor, no nominee shareholder, and no forced dilution requirement.
Foreign nationals and corporate entities can acquire ADGM companies without restriction on nationality, as long as the prospective buyer passes the necessary background checks.
How is buying an ADGM company different from buying a company in other UAE free zones?
Other UAE free zones operate under UAE civil law with a UAE court system, while ADGM operates under English common law with its own independent court system.
For financial services, investment structures, and sophisticated commercial arrangements, that legal difference has direct commercial consequences — in how contracts are enforced, how disputes are resolved, and how international capital views the entity.
Does an FSRA license automatically transfer when I acquire a regulated ADGM company?
No. A change of control in an FSRA-regulated entity is a regulated event that requires prior FSRA approval.
The incoming owner must satisfy fitness and propriety requirements and this process must be planned and budgeted for, as part of any regulated ADGM acquisition.
What are the ongoing annual costs of maintaining an ADGM company?
Annual costs in 2026 include the Registration Authority renewal fee of USD 5,000 for non-financial entities, physical office lease obligations, audited financial statements (mandatory), corporate tax registration and compliance, and any FSRA regulatory fees for licensed entities.
Total annual compliance and operating costs for a lean ADGM non-financial entity typically range from USD 15,000 to USD 35,000 depending on office type and compliance obligations.
Is an ADGM company able to trade directly with UAE mainland customers?
ADGM is a financial free zone.
Entities registered in ADGM here can conduct business with UAE counterparties within the scope of their license, but direct mainland trading activities require additional mainland licensing (such as dual licensing or distributing your products via a distributor for trading businesses) depending on the nature of the activity.
ADGM is best suited for financial services, holding structures, professional services, and technology businesses — not general trading or product distribution.
What is the physical office requirement for ADGM entities?
All ADGM commercial entities must maintain a physical office within ADGM, with the exception of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), which may operate without a physical office address.
When acquiring a company with a physical office lease, the buyer must assess the lease type, remaining term, and annual cost as part of the overall acquisition package.
What is the easiest way to purchase an ADGM company?
For customers who are not looking for a regulated license, it is recommended to take any business activity and change to the one required.
How BUH consulting can assist
Our team will work with you to understand your requirements, and provide a list of Companies available for sale in ADGM that are both regulated and non regulated entities.
Contact information
For a tailored solution, contact us to discuss about your requirements.
Email: – sam@buh-consulting.com
Phone: +971585086656
Whatsapp: +971585086656
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