«First» Index: Riyad Bank returns to 9th place at the expense of Kuwait Finance House in the list of major Arab banks
First Bank
Amid intensifying competition among Arab banks within the list of the top 100 banks in the region, a clear rivalry has emerged within the top ten—particularly over the ninth position between Riyad Bank and Kuwait Finance House.
Data shows notable shifts in the rankings of the two banks over a short period, reflecting a very close level of performance between them.
According to the «First Bank» ranking of the top 100 Arab banks by the end of 2025, Kuwait Finance House managed to capture the ninth position from Riyad Bank, with the gap between them narrowing to its lowest level in the past five years—around USD 377 mn—highlighting the intensity of competition and the sensitivity of rankings to even minor changes in asset size.
However, this lead did not last long. By the end of March 2026, the landscape shifted again, as Riyad Bank regained the ninth position after increasing its total assets to USD 143.11 bn, while Kuwait Finance House moved back to tenth place with assets of USD 141.87 bn.
The gap between the two banks widened again to approximately USD 1.23 bn, indicating that competition remains ongoing and that rankings could shift again given the close performance levels.
In addition to asset growth, Riyad Bank recorded solid performance during Q1 2026. Customer deposits increased by about 6.2%, reaching USD 93.94 bn by the end of March, compared to USD 88.44 bn at the end of 2025.
Its loan portfolio also saw a modest increase of 1% during the first three months of 2026, reaching USD 100.47 bn by the end of March, compared to USD 99.53 bn at the end of 2025.
Shareholders’ equity rose by 4.8% during the same period, reaching USD 21.09 bn by the end of March 2026, compared to USD 20.12 bn at the end of 2025.
On the profitability side, the bank reported net profit of USD 696.39 mn during Q1 2026, compared to USD 662.76 mn in Q1 2025, reflecting a growth rate of 5.1%.
The bank’s net commission income also increased by 3.1% during the first three months of 2026, reaching USD 901.82 mn, compared to USD 875.10 mn during the same period in 2025
