59 Gulf banks feature in the «First Bank» list of the Top 100 banks in the Arab world

The «First Bank» list of the Top 100 banks in the Arab world revealed the dominance of Gulf banks, which secured 59 seats out of 100, with total assets of approximately USD 3.96 trillion by end-September 2025, representing about 81.5% of the total assets of the 100 banks monitored.

Leading the Gulf banks were the Emirati banks, which held 17 seats, with total assets of USD 1.36 trillion, including: «FAB UAE», «Emirates NBD», «ADCB», «Dubai Islamic», «Mashreq», «ADIB», «Dubai Commercial», «Emirates Islamic», «Ras Al Khaimah National», «Sharjah Islamic», «Fujairah National», «WIO», «Sharjah», «Ajman», «Arab United», «Umm Al Quwain National», and «Commercial International-UAE».

Next were the Saudi banks with 10 positions, achieving combined assets of USD 1.23 trillion, including: «National Commercial Bank-Saudi», «Al Rajhi», «Riyad», «SAB», «Saudi French», «Alinma», «Arab National», «Saudi Investment», «Albilad», and «Aljazira».

Kuwaiti banks strengthened their regional presence with 9 seats, with total assets of approximately USD 441.36 billion, including: «National Bank of Kuwait», «Kuwait Finance House», «Boubyan», «Burgan», «Gulf Bank», «National Bank of Kuwait», «Warba», «Commercial Bank of Kuwait», and «Kuwait International».

Qatari banks claimed 8 seats in the ranking, with total assets of USD 639.99 billion, including: «Qatar National», «Qatar Islamic», «Commercial Bank of Qatar», «Al Rayan», «Doha Bank», «Al Dhakhan», «Ahli Bank», and «Qatar International Islamic».

Bahraini banks captured 8 positions in the list, achieving combined assets of USD 182.61 billion, including: «ABC», «Gulf International», «Al Baraka», «Al Salam», «Bahrain National», «Bahrain & Kuwait», «Eithmar», and «Bahrain Islamic».

Similarly, Omani banks were represented by 7 banks in the ranking, with total assets of USD 106.53 billion by end-September 2025, including: «Muscat», «Sohar International», «National Bank of Oman», «Dhofar», «Ahli Bank Oman», «Nizwa», and «Alizz Islamic».

It is worth noting that the ranking was based on banks’ reported assets measured in USD, providing a standardized comparison tool across different institutions. Banks lacking official data were excluded to ensure accuracy and methodological reliability.

The classification included the parent banking groups in each Arab country and excluded their foreign subsidiaries.