«SAB» Reclaims Ninth Spot Among Largest Arab Banks by Deposits overtaking Dubai Islamic Bank

Despite the relative stability witnessed among the top 10 Arab banks by deposit size, competition remained intense between Saudi Awwal Bank SAB and Dubai Islamic Bank for the ninth position in the ranking.

«First Bank» Ratings Center had previously published a report highlighting Dubai Islamic Bank’s success in capturing the ninth spot from SAB under the headline: “Relative Stability Among the Top 10 Arab Banks in Deposits… Dubai Islamic Bank Creates the Only Shift.”

By the end of 2025, Dubai Islamic Bank had climbed to ninth place, while SAB slipped to tenth, compared with the “First Bank” ranking of the largest 100 Arab banks by deposits at the end of September 2025.

However, first-quarter 2026 results reshaped the competition once again, as SAB successfully reclaimed the ninth position, overtaking Dubai Islamic Bank, which retreated back to tenth place.

According to the consolidated financial statements, SAB’s deposit portfolio rose to $88.31 billion by the end of March 2026, compared with $86.19 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting a quarter-on-quarter growth rate of 2%, which supported its return to ninth place.

Meanwhile, customer deposits at Dubai Islamic Bank grew at a slower pace, increasing to $87.66 billion by the end of March 2026, compared with $87.18 billion at the end of 2025, representing a quarterly growth rate of 0.6%.

These closely matched movements reflect the intensity of competition among Arab banks for leading positions in deposit rankings, particularly given the narrow gaps in deposit volumes, where ranking changes are increasingly dependent on quarterly growth rates.

The data also indicate that competition between SAB and Dubai Islamic Bank is likely to continue in the coming periods, as each bank seeks to strengthen its deposit base and reinforce its competitive position within the Arab banking sector.