Fitch Ratings says UAE banks recorded robust loan growth in Q3 2025, fuelled by strong domestic conditions and expanding international operations
UAE banking sector
Latest in UAE banking sector
Dubai
Emirates NBD income hits $10bn mark on record loan growth
Income improves 12% YoY as lending increased 19% to a record $26.96bn and offsets the impact of interest rate cuts
Dubai
Emirates Islamic delivers record 9M profit before tax of $870mn
Both customer financing and customer deposits grew 20% to $23bn and $25.16bn, respectively; Total income up 9% to $1.23bn
digital adoption
UAE banks struggle with employee digital readiness despite leading GCC innovation: Report
The findings show that 72 per cent of UAE employees operate in mobile-first environments, reflecting the country’s digital infrastructure
Artificial intelligence
‘Agentic AI’ takes over credit sanctions role as UAE banks make major strides in digital banking
The digitalisation drive is leading to the emergence of major partnerships between banks and fintechs in the region
bank account
UAE reports 94% surge in bank account ownership
New independent survey data from YouGov and Daleel highlights growing financial inclusion, but also reveals gaps in consumer confidence and engagement
Abu Dhabi
First Abu Dhabi Bank powers ahead with record Q1 numbers
Total income up 11 per cent to $2.4bn as net profit rises 23% to $1.4bn and profit before tax reaches $1.67bn; Total assets cross AED1.3tn mark
Emirates NBD
Emirates NBD’s balance sheet crosses AED1 trillion after strong Q1 numbers
Profit before tax rises 56% to $2.12 billion on strong loan growth and improving deposit mix; Deposits grew by 5%; Income up 11%
CBUAE
UAE bank investments rise to $202bn in January 2025
This represents a 16.1 percent growth compared to January 2024, according to the Central Bank of the UAE’s latest banking indicators
Russia-Ukraine conflict
Russia-Ukraine ceasefire would have limited impact on UAE banks, S&P says
UAE banks to maintain strong asset quality with central bank rule changes boosting loan coverage ratios, already near 100%
