Inside the shifting rankings of Egyptian banks among Arab top 100

First Bank’s ranking of the 100 largest Arab banks by total assets at end-June 2026 revealed contrasting movements among Egyptian banks compared with end-2025.

Four banks retained their positions, another four advanced, while two slipped in the rankings during the first half of the year.

The shifts reflect differences in the pace of asset growth among Egyptian banks. In some cases, asset expansion was insufficient to preserve previous positions, while stronger growth enabled other institutions to climb the ranking.

NBE, Banque Misr lead banks retaining their positions

Four Egyptian banks retained their positions in First Bank’s ranking at end-June 2026, led by the National Bank of Egypt (NBE), which held seventh place among Arab banks with total assets of approximately USD 197.98bn, maintaining its presence among the region’s 10 largest banks.

Banque Misr also retained 14th place, with total assets of approximately USD 94.98bn at end-June 2026, preserving its position among the highest-ranked Egyptian banks in the Arab banking sector.

Further down the ranking, Arab African International Bank (AAIB) held 47th place, with total assets rising 5.2 per cent during H1 2026 to USD 21.05bn at end-June, from USD 20.01bn at end-2025.

Export Development Bank of Egypt (EBank) also maintained its position among the 100 largest Arab banks, retaining 98th place. Its total assets grew 4.8 per cent during the first half of the year to approximately USD 4.55bn at end-June 2026, from USD 4.34bn at end-2025.

CIB, Alexbank lead advances

Four Egyptian banks improved their positions among the 100 largest Arab banks, led by Commercial International Bank – Egypt (CIB), which climbed two places to 36th at end-June 2026, from 38th at end-2025.

CIB’s advance was supported by asset growth of approximately 14 per cent during H1 2026, taking its total assets to USD 34.24bn at end-June, from USD 30.11bn at end-2025. This marked the fastest asset growth among the Egyptian banks included in the ranking.

Suez Canal Bank also advanced one place to 85th, from 86th at end-2025, supported by a 10.3 per cent increase in total assets during the first six months of 2026. Its assets reached USD 6.25bn at end-June, compared with USD 5.66bn at end-2025.

Alexbank recorded the largest improvement in ranking position among Egyptian banks, climbing three places to 89th at end-June 2026, from 92nd at end-2025.

The advance coincided with a 9.5 per cent increase in total assets during H1 2026, reaching USD 5.56bn, compared with USD 5.07bn at end-2025.

Housing and Development Bank (HDB) moved up one place to 93rd at end-June 2026, from 94th at end-2025, after recording asset growth of approximately 8.3 per cent during the first half of the year. Its total assets reached USD 5.22bn, compared with USD 4.82bn at end-2025.

Banque du Caire, Faisal Islamic slip despite asset growth

Two Egyptian banks lost ground in the ranking despite recording asset growth during H1 2026, highlighting the impact of differences in growth rates on competitive positions.

Banque du Caire slipped two places to 72nd among Arab banks at end-June 2026, from 70th at end-2025, after posting modest asset growth of 0.72 per cent during the first half of the year. Its total assets reached USD 11.25bn, compared with USD 11.16bn at end-2025.

Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt also fell one place to 88th, from 87th at end-2025, despite a 3.4 per cent increase in total assets during H1 2026, reaching approximately USD 5.59bn at end-June, from USD 5.41bn at end-2025.

The changes in Egyptian banks’ positions among the 100 largest Arab banks demonstrate that asset growth alone does not determine ranking performance.

Rather, the pace of expansion relative to competing institutions played a decisive role, with differences in growth rates shaping movements across the ranking during H1 2026.