First Bank Monitors Growth in Net Loans of Major Arab Banks During H1 2025

Egyptian dominance at the top of the ranking, with two Egyptian banks securing first and second place

The UAE maintains banking momentum, with three Emirati banks among the top 10 fastest-growing banks

Morocco strengthens its Arab presence, with two Moroccan banks ranking among the top ten

Limited representation for Algeria, Oman, and Qatar, with one bank each among the top ten

First Bank tracked the growth of net loans at major Arab banks during the first half of 2025, revealing clear dominance by Egyptian banks at the top of the ranking, as two Egyptian lenders secured the first and second positions among the ten fastest-growing banks, supported by a notable expansion in credit activity.

The ranking also highlighted a strong presence of Emirati banks, which captured three seats among the top ten fastest-growing banks, reflecting the continued strength of the UAE banking sector and its ability to achieve advanced growth rates.

Morocco further reinforced its Arab banking presence by securing two positions within the top ten fastest-growing banks, while representation from Algeria, Oman, and Qatar was limited to one bank each within the same list.

The ranking covered major Arab banks, defined by the First Bank Ratings Center as banks with total assets exceeding USD 15 billion.

The classification was based on ranking banks according to the growth rates of reported net loans, denominated in US dollars, providing a unified comparison tool across different banking institutions. Banks lacking official disclosed data were excluded to ensure accuracy and methodological reliability. The results showed that 50 banks recorded positive growth rates, while 5 banks experienced a notable decline during the first six months of 2025.

The Commercial International Bank-Egypt «CIB» claimed first place, after its net loan portfolio grew by approximately 30.9% during the first half of 2025, reaching about USD 9.03 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 6.89 billion at the end of 2024.

The Arab African International Bank-Egypt ranked second, with its net loan portfolio rising by around 20.8% during the first six months of 2025, reaching USD 4.83 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with about USD 4.0 billion at the end of 2024.

Banque de Développement Local placed third, as its net loan portfolio jumped by about 17.4% in the first half of 2025, reaching USD 9.06 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 7.72 billion at the end of 2024.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank «ADIB« secured fourth place, with net financing reaching approximately USD 45.39 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 39.64 billion at the end of 2024, reflecting a growth rate of 14.5% during the first half of 2025.

Banque Centrale Populaire of Morocco ranked fifth, posting a growth rate of 14.3% during H1 2025, with its net loan portfolio reaching about USD 35.51 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 31.07 billion at the end of 2024.

Sohar International Islamic Bank came sixth, after its net financing portfolio increased by approximately 13.8% during the first six months of 2025, reaching about USD 12.63 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 11.09 billion at the end of 2024.

Attijariwafa Bank ranked seventh, with net loans amounting to approximately USD 51.80 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 45.61 billion at the end of 2024, representing a growth rate of about 13.6% during H1 2025.

Emirates Islamic Bank placed eighth, as its net financing portfolio rose by around 13.4% during the first half of 2025, reaching USD 21.76 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 19.19 billion at the end of 2024.

Sharjah Islamic Bank ranked ninth, after its net financing portfolio increased by approximately 12.9% during the first six months of 2025, reaching USD 11.70 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 10.37 billion at the end of 2024.

Qatar Commercial Bank secured tenth place, with its net loan portfolio growing by around 12.7% during the first half of 2025, reaching USD 28.48 billion by the end of June 2025, compared with USD 25.27 billion at the end of 2024.

It is worth noting that the ranking covered parent banking groups across Arab countries and did not include their foreign subsidiaries.