Performance of Major Arab Banks in Return on Average Assets

Egyptian leadership at the top… CIB ranks first, with RAKBANK as runner-up

Clear Emirati dominance… UAE banks secure 6 seats among the top ten

Egypt strengthens its regional standing with two banks in the top ten

Limited representation for Saudi Arabia and Kuwait… one seat each among the top ten

The First Bank list tracking Return on Average Assets (ROAA) of major Arab banks during the first half of 2025 revealed that Commercial International Bank – Egypt (CIB) topped the ranking with a ROAA of 5.36%, supported by net profits of USD 673.58 million during the first six months of 2025.

The ranking reflects a strong Emirati dominance among the top ten, as UAE banks captured six positions, confirming that the superiority of the Emirati banking sector is not limited to asset size, growth rates, or expansion capabilities, but also extends to achieving strong profitability indicators and solid financial performance that reflects high efficiency and quality management.

In the same context, Egyptian banks strengthened their regional and Arab presence, securing two positions among the top ten, reflecting improved performance indicators and their growing role within the Arab banking landscape.

On the other hand, representation from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait was limited, with one position for each country among the top ten banks.

The ranking covered major Arab banks, which First Bank’s Classification Center defines as banks with total assets exceeding USD 15 billion.

Return on Average Assets (ROAA) measures banks’ efficiency in utilizing their assets to generate net profits during the period under review. The higher the ROAA, the greater the bank’s efficiency in employing its assets to achieve adequate profit levels.

The ranking showed that 54 banks out of 55 recorded positive ROAA levels, while one bank posted a negative return during the first half of 2025.

Returning to the list, National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK) ranked second with a ROAA of 2.998%, after achieving net profits of USD 374.07 million in the first six months of 2025.

Emirates Islamic secured third place, with a ROAA of approximately 2.997%, supported by net profits of USD 507.32 million during the first half of 2025.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) captured fourth place, recording a ROAA of 2.87%, after posting net profits of around USD 950.42 million in the first half of 2025.

Banque Misr ranked fifth, with a ROAA of 2.65%, driven by net profits of approximately USD 1.01 billion during the first six months of 2025.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait came in sixth, posting a ROAA of 2.55%, with net profits of about USD 197.60 million during the first half of 2025.

Mashreq Bank ranked seventh, recording a ROAA of 2.48%, after achieving net profits of approximately USD 945.47 million in the first six months of 2025.

Emirates NBD placed eighth, with a ROAA of around 2.41%, supported by net profits of USD 3.41 billion during the first half of 2025.

Al Rajhi Bank ranked ninth, with a ROAA of 2.40%, after generating net profits of USD 3.22 billion in the first half of 2025.

The tenth position was secured by the Commercial Bank of Dubai, which recorded a ROAA of 2.33%, after posting net profits of approximately USD 461.62 million during the first six months of 2025.

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

It should also be noted that all values used in calculating ROAA were based on the published financial statements of each bank as of end-June 2025, with figures annualized for calculation purposes.