Banking

UMM AL QAIWAIN/WAM National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain (NBQ) has ranked fifth globally among 149 institutions in the small-bank category of Forbes’ “World’s Top Performing Banks 2026” ranking, produced in partnership with market research firm Statista. The overall ranking featured 500 banks from 89 countries, while the small-bank category comprised institutions with assets between US$3 billion and $10 billion. …

ABU DHABI / WAM First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) today announced that it has acquired 100 percent of Yasira Financial Services B.S.C. (C), a Bahrain-based fund administration and trust services platform. The acquisition represents a strategic step in advancing FAB’s integrated Securities Services offering. By bringing together Yasira’s established fund administration platform and specialist expertise with FAB’s leading regional custody …

  ABU DHABI/WAM The UAE Banks Federation (UBF), the sole representative and unified voice of UAE banks, has emphasised the importance of strengthening resilience, responsible innovation, and governance to enhance the stability, growth, and competitiveness of the financial sector, to fulfil its role in socio-economic development and reinforcing the UAE’s position as a leading global financial centre. During his participation …

ABU DHABI/WAM Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) and the UAE Governor to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), initiated the 2026 Article IV Consultation mission at the CBUAE headquarters in Abu Dhabi, marking the start of the IMF delegation’s official visit to the country, which will continue until 17th November 2026. The …

SHARJAH / WAM United Arab Bank P.J.S.C. (UAB) has reported its financial results for the nine months ended 30 September 2026 (9M 2026). UAB has reported a net profit of AED333 million for 9M 2026, up 6% year-on-year, demonstrating the resilience of its business model and prudent risk management practices amidst ongoing regional geopolitical uncertainty and an overall challenging operating …

ABU DHABI / WAM First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has successfully issued and settled AED1 billion 3-year Digitally Native Green Notes, becoming the first digital green bond from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The landmark issuance brings together sustainable finance and digital capital markets infrastructure, reinforcing FAB’s commitment to financial innovation and its role in shaping the …

ABU DHABI/WAM The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has decided to raise the Base Rate applicable to the Overnight Deposit Facility (ODF) by 25 basis points, from 3.65% to 3.9%, effective from Thursday, 17 September. This decision was taken following the US Federal Reserve’s announcement today to raise the Interest Rate on Reserve Balances (IORB) by 25 basis points. …

ABU DHABI / GULF TIME Visa, a global leader in digital payments, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a leading Islamic financial institution, today announced the bank’s early adoption of the Visa Threat Intelligence Platform (VTIP), making ADIB the first bank globally to deploy and co-design its initial use cases and operational framework with Visa. This collaboration reinforces both organisations’ …

ABU DHABI / WAM First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) delivered a strong performance in the first half of 2026. Net profit grew by 1 percent yoy to AED10.73 billion in H1’26, and Return on Tangible Equity (RoTE) remained firmly above the group’s medium-term guidance at 18.5 percent. The group reported a 7 percent yoy growth in operating income to AED19.50 …

UMM AL QUWAIN / GULF TIME National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain (NBQ) and Sobha Realty, a leading luxury real-estate developer globally, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide preferential mortgage and financing solutions for customers purchasing off plan residential units across Sobha Realty’s developments. The partnership reflects the commitment towards supporting the UAE’s dynamic real estate sector …