FirstBank

FirstBankhttps://en.firstbankeg.com/First digital institution in Egypt for financial and banking ratings arجميع الحقوق محفوظة © 2026 FirstBankTue, 18 Aug 2026 10:07:11 +0200https://en.firstbankeg.com/UserFiles/SiteImages/Logo.pngFirstBankhttps://en.firstbankeg.com/https://en.firstbankeg.com/13268https://en.firstbankeg.com/13268Emirates NBD Egypt income gains outpace profitNet interest income rose 24% in H1 2026, while higher costs and credit-loss charges weighed on profit growth.EMon, 17 Aug 2026 16:38:28 +02002026-08-17T16:38:28+02:00<div data-id="bzhuxc">Net interest income rose 24% in H1 2026, while higher costs and credit-loss charges weighed on profit growth.</div>Emirates National Bank of Dubai (NBD) Egypt reported net profit of EGP 3.31 billion in H1 2026, up 9.6 per cent year-on-year from EGP 3.02 billion, according to the bank’s statement.Although net profit rose in H1 2026, the increase was driven mainly by stronger core income streams, particularly net interest income, alongside gains in other income lines. Higher operating expenses and credit-loss charges, however, limited the impact of these gains on net profit.<h3 data-id="VegDCx">Net interest income drives core earnings</h3>Net interest income was the main earnings driver, rising 24 per cent to EGP 7.55 billion in H1 2026 from EGP 6.09 billion a year earlier.The increase reflected faster growth in Interest from loans and similar income than in the cost of deposits and similar expenses. Interest income and similar income rose 20.2 per cent to EGP 18.51 billion, from EGP 15.40 billion in H1 2025.Meanwhile, cost of deposits and similar expenses increased 17.7 per cent to EGP 10.96 billion, from EGP 9.31 billion.The roughly 2.5 percentage-point gap between their growth rates supported the increase in net interest income.<h3 data-id="OtAv7A">Fee income growth offset by higher expenses</h3>Fee-based income made only a limited contribution to earnings growth, as net fees and commissions income rose just 0.6 per cent to EGP 923.56 million from EGP 918.46 million in H1 2025.Fees and commissions income increased 14.1 per cent to EGP 1.41 billion, while fees and commissions expenses climbed 52.7 per cent to EGP 490.87 million, from EGP 321.54 million.The sharper rise in commission expenses absorbed much of the increase in fee income, leaving net fees and commissions income broadly flat, up just 0.6 per cent.<h3 data-id="Zml4r0">Trading and investment gains provide additional support</h3>Other income streams also strengthened during the period, with net trading income rising 85.3 per cent to EGP 544.81 million from EGP 293.99 million in H1 2025.Gains on financial investments increased 145.7 per cent to EGP 40.75 million, from EGP 16.59 million, while dividend income rose to EGP 2.08 million from EGP 714,000.<h3 data-id="tO4rI4">Credit-loss charges remain elevated despite improved asset quality</h3>The bank’s Impairment charges of credit losses rose 7.4 per cent to EGP 831.03 million in H1 2026, from EGP 773.46 million a year earlier.This came despite an improvement in credit quality, with the non-performing loan ratio falling to 3.40 per cent at end-June 2026 from 3.62 per cent at end-June 2025.The figures suggest that the improvement in the loan portfolio’s credit quality was not sufficient during the period to reduce the impact of credit losses on the income statement, with the bank continuing to record a relatively high credit-loss burden.The decline in the non-performing loan ratio nevertheless points to improved asset quality. A stronger impact on profitability would require a sustained reduction in the cost of risk and credit-loss charges.<h3 data-id="v6Lo4s">Rising operating costs weigh on profitability</h3>Operating expenses were another major source of pressure on profitability, absorbing part of the gains from income growth and limiting their full impact on net profit.Administrative expenses increased 21.1 per cent to around EGP 2 billion in H1 2026, from EGP 1.66 billion a year earlier.Other operating expenses more than doubled, rising 118.8 per cent to around EGP 1 billion, from EGP 500.75 million in H1 2025.Income tax expense rose 32.8 per cent to EGP 1.82 billion, from EGP 1.37 billion a year earlier.Overall, Emirates NBD Egypt’s H1 2026 results point to strong income generation, but rising costs and continued credit-loss charges limited the extent to which that strength translated into net profit.Looking ahead, the focus will be on extracting greater returns from existing growth rather than relying solely on business expansion. That will require tighter control of operating costs and credit risk while maintaining asset quality.The bank also has room to strengthen profitability by expanding non-interest income, particularly fees and commissions, with greater emphasis on higher-return, lower-cost products and services.A better balance between income growth, operating efficiency and risk management will be critical to turning stronger operating performance into more sustainable net profit growth.net profit,net interest income,profit,Interest income,Emirates National Bank of Dubai (NBD),incomehttps://en.firstbankeg.com/13265https://en.firstbankeg.com/13265QNB Egypt deposits triple to EGP 910bn under Mohamed BedeirCustomer deposits rose 207.3% over four and a half years, led by faster growth in corporate deposits.QNB EgyptMon, 17 Aug 2026 13:27:13 +02002026-08-17T13:27:13+02:00Customer deposits rose 207.3% over four and a half years, led by faster growth in corporate deposits.QNB Egypt’s customer deposit base more than tripled between end-2021 and end-June 2026, rising 207.3 per cent to EGP 910.37 billion from EGP 296.24 billion, according to FirstBank analysis of the bank’s statements.The deposit base increased by EGP 614.13 billion during Mohamed Bedeir’s tenure as chief executive officer since September 2021.<h3 data-id="0B05P1">Corporate deposits reshape the funding mix</h3>Corporate deposits were the main driver of growth, rising about 237 per cent to EGP 576.63 billion at end-June 2026, from EGP 171.11 billion at end-2021.Increasing by EGP 405.52 billion over the period, corporate deposits accounted for 63.34 per cent of total customer deposits at end-June 2026, up from 57.76 per cent at end-2021, a rise of 5.58 percentage points.Retail deposits rose 166.7 per cent to EGP 333.74 billion, from EGP 125.13 billion at end-2021, an increase of EGP 208.61 billion. They represented 36.66 per cent of total customer deposits at end-June 2026.Corporate deposits therefore expanded faster than retail deposits, increasing their weight in QNB Egypt’s customer deposit mix and remaining its largest deposit segment.<h3 data-id="zmRSeV">Earnings momentum continues in H1 2026</h3>QNB Egypt maintained earnings growth in the first half of 2026, with net profit rising 20.4 per cent year-on-year to EGP 17.79 billion, from EGP 14.77 billion in H1 2025.Net interest income increased 23.2 per cent to EGP 28.43 billion, compared with EGP 23.09 billion a year earlier.Net fee and commission income rose 4.4 per cent to EGP 3.41 billion, from EGP 3.26 billion in H1 2025.<h3 data-id="uppaRO">Assets cross EGP 1tn</h3>Total assets increased 16 per cent in the first half of 2026 to EGP 1.06 trillion at end-June, from EGP 915.56 billion at end-2025.Gross loans and credit facilities to customers rose 11.6 per cent over the same period to EGP 518.91 billion, from EGP 464.84 billion at end-2025.The figures show that QNB Egypt’s expansion extended beyond deposits, with growth across its balance sheet and core earnings indicators in the first half of 2026.corporate deposits,Customer Deposits,QNB Egypt,QNB Egypt deposits,Mohamed Badirhttps://en.firstbankeg.com/13239https://en.firstbankeg.com/13239QNB Regains Top Spot as MENA's Largest Bank A recent analysis by the First Bank Research Center showed that Qatar National Bank QNB regained its position Tue, 04 Aug 2026 04:00:30 +02002026-08-04T04:00:30+02:00A recent analysis by the «First Bank» Research Center showed that Qatar National Bank (QNB) regained its position as the largest bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by total assets at the end of June 2026, after spending two consecutive quarters behind First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), which had overtaken it in September 2025.The shift underscores intensifying competition for regional banking leadership, with the top ranking becoming increasingly fluid as the asset bases of the region's two largest lenders continue to converge.According to the banks' consolidated financial statements, QNB's total assets rose to $394.72 bn at the end of June 2026 from $380.67 bn at the end of 2025, representing a 3.7% increase during the first half of the year.By comparison, FAB's assets edged up to $383.57 bn from $382.23 bn over the same period, posting growth of just 0.3%, The difference in growth momentum was enough to reverse the regional rankings.The turning point came during the second quarter of 2026, when the two banks moved in opposite directions. While QNB continued to expand its balance sheet, FAB's assets declined from their March level, allowing the Qatari lender to reclaim the top position within just three months.At the end of March 2026, FAB had strengthened its lead with total assets of $405.78 bn, standing $18.87 bn ahead of QNB, whose assets totaled $386.91 bn. By the end of June, however, QNB had erased that gap entirely and moved back into first place with a lead of $11.15 bn.A review of the past five years shows that QNB had maintained a comfortable lead over its nearest rival for much of the period. The asset gap stood at $31.36 bn at the end of both 2020 and 2021, narrowed to $24.41 bn in 2022 and $19.86 bn in 2023, before widening again to $25.78 bn at the end of 2024, reinforcing its long-standing regional dominance.That pattern changed in 2025, when FAB became the region's largest bank by assets for the first time, ending the year with a $1.56 bn lead before extending its advantage to $18.87 bn by the end of March 2026. However, QNB reversed the trend within one quarter, marking one of the fastest leadership changes ever recorded between the region's two largest banking groups. The latest figures suggest that the rivalry between QNB and FAB has entered a new phase. Regional leadership is no longer defined solely by the size of a bank's balance sheet but increasingly by its ability to deliver stronger and more sustainable growth than its closest competitor.As the gap between the two lenders continues to narrow, upcoming financial results are likely to play a decisive role in reshaping the ranking of the region's largest banks.QNB,First Bank,FABhttps://en.firstbankeg.com/13224https://en.firstbankeg.com/13224The Big Numbers Race: Will Emirates NBD’s Recent Acquisitions and Expansion Drive It to Claim the Runner-Up Position Among Banks in the Middle East and North Africa?Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:56:02 +02002026-07-30T14:56:02+02:00Major acquisitions do not immediately reshape the rankings of regional banks upon announcement, but they can alter the direction of competition for years to come.In a banking sector where balance sheets exceed hundreds of billions of dollars, the more important question is no longer which banks occupy the top positions today, but rather which institutions possess the ability to reshape the competitive landscape at a faster pace.From this perspective, the recent moves by Emirates NBD Group raise a fundamental question: has the group already begun narrowing the gap with Qatar National Bank (QNB), the second-largest bank in the Middle East and North Africa?This question comes after the group successfully reshaped the regional banking rankings during the current year, having overtaken Saudi National Bank to claim third place in the Middle East and North Africa by the end of March 2026. Its total assets rose to $331.24 billion, compared to $317.04 billion at the end of 2025.Accordingly, the group’s challenge is no longer entering the top three banks in the region, but rather its ability to reduce the gap with the second-ranked institution.While expansion through acquisitions has long been a core pillar of Emirates NBD’s strategy, the current phase differs in terms of the size of transactions and their potential impact on the balance sheet.The group is no longer merely seeking geographic expansion, but is instead targeting the addition of large asset bases capable of delivering a significant boost to its business volume within a short timeframe.In this context, the group announced in October 2025 the signing of an agreement to acquire a majority stake in India’s RBL Bank for $2.75 billion, in one of the largest cross-border acquisitions in the history of the Indian banking sector.The deal was officially completed in late June after securing all regulatory approvals, making the group the owner of approximately 60% of the bank’s expanded capital.The importance of this transaction goes beyond its investment value, as it represents the largest foreign direct investment in India’s banking sector, the largest equity capital increase in the history of Indian banks, and the first successful foreign acquisition of a majority stake in an Indian bank.The deal is expected to add approximately $19.15 billion to Emirates NBD’s asset base, based on RBL Bank’s total assets as of March 2026.The group’s moves did not stop there. International media reports in recent days revealed that Emirates NBD has entered discussions to acquire HSBC’s operations in Turkey.Although no final agreement has been announced yet, completing the deal could add around $6.94 billion to the group’s asset base, based on HSBC Turkey’s total assets as of March 2026.These developments come as Emirates NBD continues to deliver strong organic growth, with total assets rising to $331.24 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $317.04 billion at the end of 2025—an increase of $14.2 billion, representing a quarterly growth rate of 4.5%.For comparison purposes, and based on March 2026 data, assuming full consolidation of the acquired assets, the group’s total assets would rise to approximately $357.33 billion.However, assessing the impact of these transactions is incomplete without comparing them to the growth pace of its main competitor.QNB Group’s assets increased to $386.91 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $380.67 billion at the end of 2025—an increase of only $6.24 billion, representing a growth rate of 1.6% over the same period.This comparison indicates that Emirates NBD achieved, in the first quarter alone, organic growth exceeding more than double the increase recorded by QNB—even before factoring in acquisitions. Furthermore, adding the expected assets from recent deals raises the group’s total asset growth to more than six times QNB’s growth since the beginning of the year.Despite this surge, it will not be sufficient to capture second place in the near term, as Emirates NBD’s assets would still remain approximately $29.6 billion below QNB’s, even after accounting for announced and potential deals.However, this outcome does not reflect the full picture.The gap between the two banks stood at around $55.7 billion before considering recent acquisitions, but declines to less than $30 billion afterward—meaning Emirates NBD has theoretically reduced the gap by nearly 47% through just two deals.From a strategic standpoint, this development may be more significant than the current ranking shift. Emirates NBD has already surpassed Saudi National Bank and moved into third place, indicating that its expansion strategy is no longer translating into asset growth alone, but is now reflected in its regional ranking.Accordingly, the key indicator to monitor going forward is no longer the absolute size of assets, but rather the rate at which the gap with QNB is narrowing.If Emirates NBD maintains its current organic growth momentum and continues executing similar acquisitions, while QNB sustains its recent growth pace, competition for the position of the second-largest bank in the Middle East and North Africa could become increasingly close in the coming years—and may ultimately enable Emirates NBD to claim that position.Therefore, the core message reflected by these recent developments is not that Emirates NBD is on the verge of overtaking QNB, but rather that it has first succeeded in redefining its position among the region’s largest banks by securing third place, before entering a new phase aimed at narrowing the gap with the second-ranked institution.These deals may not immediately propel the group to second place, but they place it on a trajectory that makes such competition far more realistic than it was just one year ago.Ultimately, the decisive factor in the coming period will be the group’s ability to sustain its expansion strategy in parallel with the growth pace of its competitors—determining whether competition for the second-largest banking position in the Middle East and North Africa remains a theoretical scenario or becomes a reality in the years ahead.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13223https://en.firstbankeg.com/13223Mahynar MohamedQNB Group Solidifies Its Lead Among Arab Banks in Customer Deposit and Loan PortfoliosThu, 30 Jul 2026 14:48:09 +02002026-07-30T14:48:09+02:00The latest «First Bank» rankings showed Qatar National Bank Group topping the lists of the largest Arab banks in terms of deposit and loan portfolio size by the end of March 2026.This came after its customer deposit portfolio reached about $267.2 billion, while its loan portfolio stood at about $282.04 billion by the end of last March.The Group continued to strengthen its customer deposit portfolio during the first half of 2026, reaching $267 billion by the end of last June, compared to $261.40 billion at the end of 2025, a growth rate of 2.15%.Alongside strengthening its credit portfolio, which rose by about 2.67% during the first half of the current year, recording $285.99 billion by the end of last June, compared to $278.54 billion at the end of 2025.Overall, the Group achieved strong performance during the first half of 2026, with its financial position rising by about 3.69%, recording assets of $394.72 billion by the end of last June, compared to $380.67 billion at the end of 2025.On the profitability front, net profit recorded about $2.43 billion during the first 6 months of 2026, compared to $2.35 billion during the corresponding period of 2025, a growth of 3.37%.Pre-tax profits saw growth of about 6.41%, reaching $3.16 billion during the first half of 2026, compared to $2.97 billion during the same period of 2025.Net interest income also rose by about 9.47%, recording $5.19 billion during the first 6 months of the current year, compared to $4.74 billion during the first half of 2025.In addition, net fee and commission income rose to about $788 million during the first half of 2026, compared to $668 million during the same period of 2025, a growth of 18%.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13221https://en.firstbankeg.com/13221«First» Index: Competition Intensifies for Third Place in MENA Financing… Gap Between «SNB» and «Emirates NBD» Falls to Its Lowest Level in 5 YearsThu, 30 Jul 2026 14:34:04 +02002026-07-30T14:34:04+02:00After years of a widening gap between Saudi National Bank (SNB), ranked third, and Emirates NBD Group, ranked fourth in terms of total loan portfolio, competition between the two has entered a new phase. The gap has narrowed to its lowest level in five years, placing the third position under increasing pressure for the first time in years.Monitoring conducted by «First Bank» on the evolution of loan portfolios among the largest banking groups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) shows that this shift reflects a clear reversal in competitive dynamics. After the gap continued to widen until the end of 2023, it began to shrink in 2024 and has maintained this trend through the end of the first quarter of 2026.According to the consolidated financial statements of both groups, this gap has gone through two distinct phases over the past five years.In the first phase, spanning from the end of 2021 to the end of 2023, the gap expanded लगातार, rising from $17.55 billion at the end of 2021 to $31.66 billion at the end of 2022, before reaching its peak at $39.20 billion by the end of 2023—an increase of more than 123% over two years. This reflected SNB’s clear advantage in credit expansion during that period.The second phase, which began in 2024 and continues to date, witnessed a reversal in direction. The gap declined to $37.54 billion by the end of 2024, then to $22.14 billion by the end of 2025—a drop of nearly 41% in one year—before falling further to $10.69 billion by the end of March 2026, marking an additional decline of more than 51% in just three months.This represents the lowest level in five years, highlighting a clear shift in competitive dynamics between the two groups, as the distance between them continues to shrink at an accelerating pace.Performance in the first quarter of 2026 reveals the key drivers behind this shift. SNB continued to grow its loan portfolio, but at a modest pace, reaching $195.22 billion by the end of March 2026 compared to $194.44 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting a quarterly growth rate of only about 0.4%. This indicates a noticeable slowdown compared to the bank’s expansion rates in previous years.In contrast, Emirates NBD delivered a much stronger performance, with its loan portfolio rising to $184.53 billion by the end of March 2026, up from $172.31 billion at the end of 2025, achieving a growth rate of 7.1% during the first quarter—more than fifteen times the growth rate of its competitor. This significantly contributed to narrowing the gap between the two groups within just three months.These results suggest that the narrowing gap was not driven by a decline in SNB’s performance, which continued to post positive—albeit slower—growth. Rather, it was primarily the result of the strong momentum achieved by Emirates NBD in expanding its loan portfolio, supported by its diversified business base and broad regional and international presence, which enhanced its ability to close the gap in recent periods.Despite SNB maintaining its position as the third-largest bank in the MENA region by loan portfolio size as of the end of March 2026, and Emirates NBD remaining in fourth place, the gap between them is no longer as wide as it was two years ago. This makes the results of the coming quarters decisive in determining whether the UAE-based group will succeed in capturing third place, or whether SNB will regain its credit momentum and widen the gap again to defend its position.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13220https://en.firstbankeg.com/13220The Gulf leads Arab financing.. Gulf banks dominate 85% of the Top 100 Arab lending banks listThu, 30 Jul 2026 14:29:40 +02002026-07-30T14:29:40+02:00The results of the «First Bank» list of the top 100 Arab banks by loan volume as of the end of March 2026 showed a continued concentration of Arab credit activity within a limited number of markets, led by the Gulf countries, which have reinforced their dominance over financing.A total of 61 Gulf banking institutions accounted for around 85% of the total loans in the list, benefiting from their large balance sheets and broad customer bases. Their combined loan portfolio rose to approximately $2.54 trillion by the end of March 2026, compared to $2.46 trillion at the end of 2025, recording a quarterly growth rate of 3%.Saudi banks ranked first in terms of loan volume, with a total of $849.70 billion through the participation of 10 banks, namely: Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi National Bank, Riyad Bank, SAB, Alinma Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Arab National Bank, Bank Albilad, Saudi Investment Bank, and Bank AlJazira.The UAE ranked second with total loans amounting to $792.14 billion across 18 banks, reflecting the superiority of Saudi banks in terms of average loan portfolio per bank, despite the number of participating UAE banks being nearly double that of Saudi Arabia.The UAE banks included in the ranking were: Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), ADCB, Dubai Islamic Bank, Mashreq Bank, ADIB, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Emirates Islamic, National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah Islamic Bank, National Bank of Fujairah, Bank of Sharjah, Ajman Bank, United Arab Bank, Commercial International Bank – UAE, Umm Al Qaiwain National Bank, Invest Bank, and Al Hilal Bank.Qatar ranked third with a total loan portfolio of $449.81 billion across 8 banks: Qatar National Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Commercial Bank of Qatar, Dukhan Bank, Doha Bank, Qatar International Islamic Bank, and Ahli Bank.The Kuwaiti banking sector followed with a loan portfolio of $271.39 billion through 9 banks: National Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Finance House, Boubyan Bank, Gulf Bank, Burgan Bank, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Warba Bank, Kuwait International Bank, and Commercial Bank of Kuwait.Despite both Oman and Bahrain contributing 8 banks each to the ranking, their credit weight remained relatively limited compared to other Gulf markets. The total loan portfolio of Omani banks reached around $87.03 billion, compared to $85.44 billion for Bahraini banks by the end of March 2026.This disparity reflects that the concentration of credit activity is not only evident at the level of Arab banks overall but also within the Gulf region itself. Major markets such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar capture the largest share of financing, while the contribution of other Gulf markets remains more limited in size.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13218https://en.firstbankeg.com/13218Yasmine elsayedAttijariwafa Bank Reinforces Its Lead Over Banque Populaire.. A Look at the Balance of Power Between Morocco's Two Largest BanksThu, 30 Jul 2026 14:18:17 +02002026-07-30T14:18:17+02:00Comparing the largest banks doesn't just reveal their ranking by size, but also reflects differences in growth pace, operational efficiency, and profitability — indicators that shape the contours of competition within the banking sector.According to March 2026 data, Attijariwafa Bank continues to solidify its position as Morocco's largest bank, maintaining a comfortable lead over Banque Centrale Populaire, the second-largest Moroccan bank.This dominance is clearly reflected in balance sheet size, with Attijariwafa's assets reaching about $85.31 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $61.06 billion for Banque Populaire at the end of the same period.The lead isn't limited to assets, but extends to the funding base as well, with Attijariwafa holding a customer deposit portfolio worth $56.72 billion, compared to about $44.95 billion for Banque Populaire by the end of March 2026 — giving it a broader funding base and greater flexibility to support credit expansion and continued growth.Attijariwafa also maintained its lead in financing activity, with net customer financing reaching $52.61 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $35.40 billion for Banque Populaire over the same period.This lead doesn't just reflect larger size, but is rooted in a faster growth pace in recent years. From the end of 2022 through March 2026, Attijariwafa recorded total asset growth of 41.4%, compared to 27.5% for Banque Populaire — widening the gap between them from $12.42 billion at the end of 2022 to $24.25 billion by the end of March 2026.The same trend appears in deposits, where Attijariwafa achieved a growth rate of 44.1% over the past three years, compared to 27.6% for Banque Populaire, raising the gap between the two banks from $4.15 billion at the end of 2022 to $11.78 billion by the end of March 2026 — reflecting the bank's success in strengthening its ability to attract funding sources at a pace outpacing its closest competitor.On the financing front, Attijariwafa combined both the largest credit portfolio and the fastest growth rate as well, with its loans rising by 34.2% over the past three years, compared to 22.6% for Banque Populaire over the same period, widening the gap between them from $10.35 billion at the end of 2022 to $17.21 billion by the end of March 2026.The impact of this growth wasn't limited to business expansion, but extended to strengthening profitability; Attijariwafa recorded net profits of $374.97 million during the first quarter of 2026, compared to $161.35 million for Banque Populaire — confirming the bank's ability to convert growth in its balance sheet and banking activities into profits at a pace exceeding its competitor.The strength of this performance is even clearer in efficiency indicators, with return on assets reaching 1.74% for Attijariwafa, compared to 1.04% for Banque Populaire during the first quarter of 2026.Meanwhile, return on equity reached 16.86% for Attijariwafa, compared to 10.20% for Banque Populaire in the first quarter of 2026 — confirming that the bank's superiority wasn't solely a product of balance sheet size, but also reflects greater efficiency in deploying assets and maximizing returns for shareholders.These indicators suggest that competition between Attijariwafa Bank and Banque Centrale Populaire will remain a central theme within Morocco's banking sector, though the current balance of power clearly tilts in favor of Attijariwafa, which has succeeded in widening the gap with its closest competitor across various key financial indicators.Given this widening gap, Attijariwafa's leadership appears more firmly entrenched, at least in the short term, while the biggest challenge facing Banque Populaire will remain accelerating its business growth pace in order to limit the widening gap and maintain competitive momentum between Morocco's two largest banks.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13222https://en.firstbankeg.com/13222Yasmine elsayedBlom and Bank Audi.. A Look at the Competition Between Lebanon's Two Largest BanksThu, 30 Jul 2026 14:39:09 +02002026-07-29T15:33:00+02:00Under normal circumstances, banks' leadership positions reflect the breadth of their business base and their ability to achieve sustainable growth in assets, deposits, and financing — reflecting an expansion in their banking activities and an increase in their market share.In Lebanon, however, the rules of competition have changed radically since the outbreak of the financial crisis in late 2019, as banks now operate within a market whose balance sheets shrink year after year due to the dollar liquidity crisis, the struggling banking sector, and severe economic contraction.As a result, the criterion for superiority is no longer achieving the highest growth rates, but rather recording the lowest contraction rates and preserving the largest possible amount of assets, deposits, and financing amid an exceptional operating environment.According to March 2026 data, Blom Bank leads the Lebanese banking sector with total assets of $17.95 billion, compared to $14.77 billion for Bank Audi.This lead extends to the deposit base as well, with Blom Bank's customer deposits reaching $15.90 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $12.60 billion for Bank Audi during the same period.Blom Bank also maintained its lead in financing activity, recording net customer loans worth $1.12 billion, compared to $1.09 billion for Bank Audi by the end of March 2026.A full picture of the competition between the two banks cannot rely on March 2026 data alone, as tracking their performance over the past three years (from the end of 2022 through March 2026) reveals a clear difference in each bank's ability to cope with the fallout of the crisis, which placed unprecedented pressure on the Lebanese banking sector — directly reflected in the evolution of each bank's assets, deposits, and financing.Indicators from the past three years confirm that Blom Bank was better able to curb the pace of contraction, with its assets declining by 30.4% over the last 3 years, compared to a decline of 45.1% for Bank Audi during the same period.This gap enabled Blom Bank to better preserve its asset base, which drove it to the top of the Lebanese banking sector during 2023, with the gap between the two banks widening to $3.18 billion by the end of March 2026.The same picture repeats at the deposit level, which represents the main source of funding for banking activity, as Blom Bank's deposits fell by 21.9% over the past three years, compared to a larger decline of 34.7% for Bank Audi.This points to Blom Bank's greater ability to preserve its depositor base and limit the erosion of funding sources, which led to the gap between the two banks widening to $3.30 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to about $1.05 billion at the end of 2022.The significance of this shift grows even clearer when looking at credit activity, considered one of the most important indicators of banks' ability to continue their financing role, as Bank Audi's loan portfolio contracted by 72.3% over the past three years, compared to a decline of 34.7% for Blom Bank — reflecting the latter's greater ability to maintain its financing activity despite the ongoing pressures facing the sector.This contributed to Blom Bank retaining the sector's lead in net customer loans during 2024, with the gap between the two banks reaching $26.66 million by the end of March 2026.Blom Bank's lead wasn't limited to size indicators, but extended to the quality of operational performance and its ability to generate profits, as the bank recorded net profits of $53.87 million during the first quarter of 2026, surpassing Bank Audi's profits of $19.38 million during the same period — reflecting a better ability to achieve profitability despite the ongoing operational pressures facing the Lebanese banking sector.This was clearly reflected in efficiency indicators, with Blom Bank recording a return on average assets of 1.20% during the first quarter of 2026, compared to 0.52% for Bank Audi, while it also achieved a return on average equity of 14.99%, compared to 6.74% for the latter — reflecting greater efficiency in deploying assets and shareholders' equity and converting them into profits.These indicators suggest that competition between Blom Bank and Bank Audi still represents a central theme within the Lebanese banking sector, with Blom Bank retaining the advantage across all financial and operational indicators.This reflects its greater success in limiting the effects of contraction in recent years, while Bank Audi remains a key competitor given the convergence in the size of the two banks' financial portfolios — making the competitive balance heavily dependent on the pace of Lebanon's economic recovery and the banking sector's ability to regain the momentum of its activity in the period ahead.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13214https://en.firstbankeg.com/13214First BankFirst Index: Large Banking Groups vs. Multiple Banking Brands – How Did UAE and Saudi Banks Appear in the largest 100 Arab Banks Ranking?The First Bank Top 100 Arab Banks ranking highlights a striking contrast in the structure of the Arab bankingWed, 29 Jul 2026 12:56:06 +02002026-07-29T12:56:06+02:00The First Bank Top 100 Arab Banks ranking highlights a striking contrast in the structure of the Arab banking sector: 10 Saudi banks have built a banking presence that nearly matches that of 18 UAE banks, underscoring significant differences in market structure and the distribution of assets among leading financial institutions.By the end of Q1 2026, the combined assets of the 10 Saudi banks included in the ranking reached approximately 1.26 USD trillion, compared with 1.46 USD trillion for 18 UAE banks, a difference of only 200.92 USD bn.This comparison shows that the number of banks is not necessarily an accurate measure of a country's banking strength. Saudi banks have successfully concentrated a massive asset base within a relatively small number of large institutions, supported by the size of the Saudi economy, the depth of its domestic market, strong demand for financing, and the leading role major banks play in funding large-scale investment and development projects across the Kingdom.The comparison becomes even more compelling when measured on a per-bank basis. The average Saudi bank included in the ranking held approximately 126 USD bn in assets, compared with 81 USD bn for the average UAE bank. This means the average Saudi bank is around 56% larger than its UAE counterpart.Such concentration gives Saudi banks greater capacity to maintain strong positions in both regional and international banking rankings.Most of the sector's assets are concentrated within a limited number of large institutions with substantial balance sheets, unlike the UAE banking market, where representation is spread across a larger number of banks. This difference, however, does not indicate the superiority of one model over the other, but rather reflects the distinct characteristics of the two banking markets.<h3 dir="ltr">Saudi Riyal Stability Preserves the Dollar Value of Assets</h3>The stability of the Saudi riyal, which remains pegged to the U.S. dollar at SAR 3.75 per USD, has provided Saudi banks with a significant advantage when converting their financial statements into U.S. dollars. It has minimized the impact of exchange-rate fluctuations on their balance sheets and helped preserve the dollar value of their assets, particularly when compared with banks operating in markets whose currencies experienced volatility or depreciation against the dollar.As a result, Saudi banks maintained strong positions in the First Bank Top 100 Arab Banks ranking at the end of Q1 2026, with all 10 Saudi banks placing within the top 30.Saudi National Bank ranked as the Kingdom's largest bank with total assets of 327.34 USD bn, securing 4th place in the ranking.Al Rajhi Bank followed in 5th place, with total assets reaching 280.11 USD bn by the end of Q1 2026.Riyad Bank ranked 9th with assets of approximately 143.11 USD bn, while Saudi Awwal Bank secured 11th place with assets totaling 122.50 USD bn.Meanwhile, Banque Saudi Fransi ranked 14th with assets of 86.55 USD bn, followed closely by Alinma Bank in 15th place with assets of 86.41 USD bn.Arab National Bank ranked 20th, reporting assets of 75.91 USD bn, while The Saudi Investment Bank came in 25th with assets exceeding 48 USD bn.Bank Albilad secured 27th place with assets of approximately 47.95 USD bn, while Bank Aljazira ranked 30th, reporting total assets of 46.13 USD bn by the end of Q1 2026.The ranking confirms that Saudi Arabia's banking strength is driven less by the number of banks and more by the scale of its leading institutions.With assets concentrated in a relatively small number of major banks, supported by a large domestic market and the stability of the Saudi riyal against the U.S. dollar, Saudi banks have maintained a strong and competitive position in the regional ranking, demonstrating that banking strength is measured not by the number of institutions, but by the size and influence of those behind the market.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13219https://en.firstbankeg.com/13219Yasmine elsayedFor the First Time in Years.. Emirates NBD Tops the UAE Deposits Market, Overtaking FABThu, 30 Jul 2026 14:22:51 +02002026-07-26T14:17:00+02:00A survey conducted by the Research Center of "First Bank" revealed that Emirates NBD Group succeeded in seizing the top spot in the customer deposits market within the UAE banking sector by the end of June 2026, while also advancing to second place among Middle East and North Africa banks, overtaking First Abu Dhabi Bank Group (FAB).This shift isn't limited to a change in ranking between the UAE's two largest banks, but reflects an acceleration in competition over one of the most important banking indicators, after Emirates NBD Group succeeded in closing a gap that had persisted for several years, then overtook its rival.The "First Bank" website had published a report on July 5 tracking the narrowing gap between the two groups, titled: "Deposit Race Heats Up in the UAE Market.. Gap Between FAB and Emirates NBD Falls to Lowest Level in 5 Years." You can view the full report by clicking here.Financial data from the past five years reveals that competition between the two groups saw a turning point starting in 2023, after the gap between them had risen to its highest level at $53.82 billion by the end of 2022, compared to $43.07 billion at the end of 2021.Since then, the gap began gradually shrinking, falling to $47.74 billion by the end of 2023, then to $31.48 billion by the end of 2024, before dropping to $14.91 billion by the end of 2025, reaching $11.13 billion by the end of March 2026 — its lowest level in 5 years — paving the way for the shift in leadership confirmed by the June 2026 results.This shift was driven by the significant difference in the pace of customer deposit growth between the two groups, particularly during the first half of 2026.According to consolidated financial statements, Emirates NBD Group's customer deposits rose to $242.89 billion by the end of June 2026, compared to $214.01 billion at the end of 2025, achieving growth of 13.5%, equivalent to an addition of about $28.88 billion.In contrast, First Abu Dhabi Group's customer deposits recorded $232.25 billion by the end of June 2026, compared to $228.92 billion at the end of 2025, with growth of only 1.5%, an increase of about $3.33 billion.The data above shows that Emirates NBD Group flipped the competitive balance during the first half of 2026, after adding new deposits equivalent to roughly seven times what First Abu Dhabi Group added, seizing the lead in the UAE deposits market and second place among Middle East and North Africa banks with a gap of $10.65 billion by the end of June 2026.The most prominent question remains: Does this shift represent the beginning of new dominance by Emirates NBD Group over the UAE deposits market, or will First Abu Dhabi Group succeed in reclaiming the lead in the coming periods?https://en.firstbankeg.com/13204https://en.firstbankeg.com/13204First BankThe Race of Big Numbers: «Emirates Islamic» and «Dukhan» Battle for a Place Among the World’s Top 10 Islamic BanksThu, 23 Jul 2026 09:38:05 +02002026-07-23T09:38:05+02:00Competition among global Islamic banks continues to gain momentum as institutions seek to strengthen their positions in international rankings through faster growth and broader business expansion.Against this backdrop, the rivalry between «Emirates Islamic» and «Dukhan» has emerged as one of the most notable examples of shifting dynamics within the Islamic banking sector.According to March 2026 data, «Emirates Islamic» ranks as the 10th largest Islamic bank in the world by total assets, while «Dukhan» occupies the 11th position, with the UAE-based lender reinforcing its standing through a growth trajectory that has significantly outpaced its Qatari counterpart.«Emirates Islamic» reported total assets of 40.68 USD bn at the end of March 2026, compared with 34.72 USD bn for Dukhan Bank, widening the gap between the two institutions in the sector’s most widely used measure of scale.The advantage also extended to the deposit base, with «Emirates Islamic» recording customer deposits of 29.76 USD bn by the end of March 2026, versus 24.95 USD bn for «Dukhan» during the same period.Similarly, «Emirates Islamic» maintained its lead in financing activity, as net customer financing reached 25.65 USD bn at the end of March 2026, compared with 24.97 USD bn for Dukhan Bank, further strengthening its position among the world’s leading Islamic financial institutions.The magnitude of the shift becomes even clearer when analyzing performance from the end of 2022 through March 2026. During this period, «Emirates Islamic» achieved 99.8% growth in total assets, compared with just 18.9% for «Dukhan». This enabled the UAE lender to surpass its Qatari rival by the end of 2025 before widening the asset gap to 5.97 USD bn by March 2026.In deposits, «Emirates Islamic» recorded growth of 93.9% over the past three years, compared with 21.8% for «Dukhan». This allowed it to overtake its competitor by the end of 2025 and expand the gap to 4.81 USD bn by March 2026, reflecting its success in attracting deposits and strengthening its funding base.The same trend was evident in financing activity, where Emirates Islamic posted 94.7% growth in net customer financing over the period, compared with 20.1% for «Dukhan». Having surpassed its rival by the end of 2025, the bank further widened the gap to approximately 679.14 USD mn by March 2026, supported by a significantly stronger pace of expansion.Emirates Islamic’s advantage also extended to profitability indicators. The bank generated net profit of USD 231.36 mn during the first quarter of 2026, exceeding Dukhan Bank’s 117.89 USD mn during the same period, highlighting a stronger ability to translate operational growth into earnings.In addition, «Emirates Islamic» reported a return on average assets of 2.30% during the first quarter of 2026, compared with 1.38% for «Dukhan», indicating greater efficiency in utilizing assets to generate returns.At the same time, the bank achieved a return on average equity of 20.47%, compared with 11.18% for Dukhan Bank during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting a stronger capacity to generate value for shareholders and deliver higher profitability.On the capital front, «Emirates Islamic» reported capital of 1.48 USD bn at the end of March 2026, slightly above Dukhan Bank’s 1.44 USD bn, providing a solid foundation to support future expansion plans.These financial indicators suggest that the shift in competitive positioning between the two banks is not the result of temporary growth, but rather reflects a clear and sustained advantage in expansion across multiple banking activities.Having overtaken «Dukhan» by the end of 2025, «Emirates Islamic» continued to strengthen its position during Q1 of 2026, consolidating its place among the world’s top 10 Islamic banks.Nevertheless, competition between the two institutions remains open. The current gap could still change in the coming years should Dukhan Bank succeed in accelerating its growth trajectory and enhancing its operating performance, enabling it to narrow the difference and challenge once again for the tenth position globally.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13200https://en.firstbankeg.com/13200First BankFirst Index: Deposit Race Intensifies in the UAE Banking Market as the Gap Between «FAB» and «Emirates NBD» Falls to Its Lowest Level in Five YearsWed, 22 Jul 2026 14:22:09 +02002026-07-22T14:22:09+02:00In banking, the gap between competitors does not merely reflect the scale of leadership; it also reveals the direction of competition. Under normal circumstances, a widening gap indicates that the market leader is growing faster than its rivals, while a narrowing gap suggests that competing institutions are expanding at a quicker pace, even if market rankings remain unchanged.For this reason, tracking the gap between major banks is one of the most effective ways to identify underlying shifts in competition, as it highlights how the distance between leading institutions evolves over time.As part of its ongoing monitoring of developments in the Arab banking sector—particularly the intensifying competition among major banks across key financial portfolios—First Bank’s latest analysis revealed a growing battle between «FAB» and «Emirates NBD» for leadership in the UAE deposits market.According to consolidated financial statements, the gap between the two banking groups in customer deposits stood at 43.07 USD bn at the end of 2021, before widening to 53.82 USD bn by the end of 2022.However, the competitive landscape began to shift in 2023, as the gap narrowed to 47.74 USD bn, then declined further to 31.48 USD bn by the end of 2024. The sharpest contraction came during 2025, when the difference fell to 14.91 USD bn.By the end of Q1 of 2026, the gap had narrowed once again to 11.13 USD bn, marking its lowest level in five years and reflecting the continued acceleration in convergence between the two banking groups within the UAE deposits market.Looking at the individual performance of both institutions during Q1 of 2026, FAB’s customer deposits increased to 237.09 USD bn by the end of March, compared with 228.92 USD bn at year-end 2025, representing an increase of 8.17 USD bn and a quarterly growth rate of 3.6%.Meanwhile, «Emirates NBD» delivered a stronger performance, with customer deposits rising to 225.96 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 214.01 USD bn at the end of 2025. This represents an increase of 11.95 USD bn in just three months and a quarterly growth rate of 5.6%.These results indicate that the shrinking gap was not driven by slower growth at the market leader. Rather, it was fueled by the faster expansion of «Emirates NBD», which succeeded in attracting new deposits at a pace exceeding that of its competitor, leading directly to the continued reduction in the difference between the two institutions.This competition is particularly significant because deposits represent the cornerstone of banks’ funding structures and remain the lowest-cost source of financing for lending activities and business expansion.Consequently, banks that achieve stronger deposit growth not only expand the size of their balance sheets but also enhance their future capacity for growth and profitability.With the gap reaching its lowest level in five years, the race for leadership in the UAE deposits market appears more open than ever. The key question now is whether «Emirates NBD» can continue narrowing the gap and eventually claim the top spot, or whether «FAB» will regain momentum and maintain its position at the summit?https://en.firstbankeg.com/13199https://en.firstbankeg.com/13199Mahynar MohamedFirst Index: Dirham Stability Supports UAE Banks’ Rankings in First Bank’s largest 100 Arab Banks ListExchange rate movements have become one of the most influential factors affecting bank performance and rankingWed, 22 Jul 2026 10:34:43 +02002026-07-22T10:34:43+02:00Exchange rate movements have become one of the most influential factors affecting bank performance and rankings worldwide, particularly as most regional and international rankings rely on converting financial statements into U.S. dollars to ensure comparability across banking institutions.During Q1 of 2026, geopolitical developments—most notably the military escalation involving the United States, Israel, and Iran—placed pressure on global foreign exchange markets. This affected the currencies of several countries and, consequently, the U.S. dollar value of banks’ financial statements, despite some institutions continuing to record growth in their local currencies.In contrast, UAE banks emerged as key beneficiaries of the stability of the UAE dirham against the U.S. dollar (at approximately AED 3.6725 per USD). This stability helped neutralize the impact of currency fluctuations on financial statements and preserve the dollar value of key financial indicators, supporting the stability of their positions in regional and international rankings.The results of First Bank’s Top 100 Arab Banks ranking by the end of March 2026 confirm this trend. UAE banks demonstrated a high degree of stability compared with many of their regional peers, with 11 out of the 18 UAE banks included in the ranking maintaining their positions unchanged from year-end 2025.First Abu Dhabi Bank retained its position at the top of the ranking, while Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank remained sixth. Dubai Islamic Bank held on to 12th place, Mashreq Bank maintained 13th place, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank remained 19th, and Commercial Bank of Dubai continued to rank 31st.Emirates Islamic Bank also maintained its position at 32nd place, Sharjah Islamic Bank remained 43rd, Ajman Bank held 76th place, while United Arab Bank and Commercial International Bank – UAE retained 80th and 83rd places, respectively.Meanwhile, five UAE banks succeeded in improving their positions in the ranking, supported by growth in their asset bases. Most notably, «Emirates NBD» advanced to third place from fourth, after its assets increased by 4.5% quarter-on-quarter to reach 331.24 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 317.04 USD bn at year-end 2025.National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah also moved up one position to rank 39th by the end of March 2026, compared with 40th at the end of 2025.WIO Bank recorded the strongest upward movement among UAE banks, climbing four places to 55th position from 59th, supported by 5.9% quarter-on-quarter asset growth, with total assets reaching 17.60 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 16.63 USD bn at year-end 2025.Bank of Sharjah advanced three positions to rank 64th by the end of March 2026, compared with 67th at year-end 2025, benefiting from 13.1% quarter-on-quarter asset growth, which lifted its assets to 14.89 USD bn from 13.17 USD bn. The Investment Bank also moved up one position to rank 98th.On the other hand, declines were limited to only two banks. National Bank of Fujairah slipped one position to 50th place, while National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain fell one place to 82nd. These modest movements further highlight the relative stability of UAE banks within the ranking.The first-quarter 2026 results demonstrate that exchange-rate stability contributes not only to currency stability itself but also to enhancing banks’ competitiveness in regional and international rankings.As these rankings are based on U.S. dollar-denominated comparisons, the strength and stability of the UAE dirham provided local banks with a relative advantage by preserving the dollar value of their financial positions. This helped maintain the stability of their rankings compared with banks whose local currencies experienced fluctuations, even when some of those institutions achieved strong growth in local-currency terms.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13195https://en.firstbankeg.com/13195First BankFirst Index: «Al Etihad», «FAB», and «WIO» Among the Fastest-Growing Large Arab Banks by Assets in Q1 2026First Banks ranking of the Top 10 Fastest-Growing Large Arab Banks by Assets in Q1 2026 revealed Bank al EtihTue, 21 Jul 2026 13:53:30 +02002026-07-21T13:53:30+02:00First Bank’s ranking of the Top 10 Fastest-Growing Large Arab Banks by Assets in Q1 2026 revealed Bank al Etihad – Jordan as the top performer, after posting 6.7% quarter-on-quarter growth in total assets, which reached 18.75 USD bn at the end of March 2026, compared with 17.57 USD bn at year-end 2025.This performance enabled the bank to climb three positions in the ranking of the Top 100 Arab Banks, reaching 50th place by the end of March 2026, compared with 53rd place at the end of 2025.The ranking was based on the growth rates of banks’ reported asset portfolios denominated in U.S. dollars, providing a unified basis for comparison across banking institutions. Banks for which official financial data were unavailable were excluded to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the methodology.According to First Bank’s classification, large Arab banks are those with total assets exceeding 15 USD bn.Returning to the ranking, First Abu Dhabi Bank secured second place after recording 6.2% quarter-on-quarter growth in assets, which increased to 405.78 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 382.23 USD bn at year-end 2025.With this growth, «FAB» further consolidated its position as the largest Arab bank, benefiting from a widening gap over its closest competitors.WIO Bank ranked third, after posting 5.9% quarter-on-quarter growth, with assets rising to 17.60 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 16.63 USD bn at year-end 2025. As a result, the bank advanced four positions in the Top 100 Arab Banks ranking, moving to 55th place from 59th place at the end of 2025.Sohar International Bank – Oman came fourth after its assets grew by 5.6% quarter-on-quarter to 25.03 USD bn at the end of March 2026, compared with 23.71 USD bn at year-end 2025. This enabled the bank to move up two places in the Top 100 Arab Banks ranking, reaching 42nd place from 44th place.Fifth place went to Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, which recorded 5.54% asset growth during Q1 2026, bringing total assets to 23.74 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 22.49 USD bn at year-end 2025. Despite this strong growth, the bank maintained its 45th position among the Top 100 Arab Banks, supported by a comfortable lead over its nearest competitors.National Bank of Oman ranked sixth after reporting 5.51% growth in assets during Q1 2026, with total assets reaching 15.32 USD bn, compared with 14.52 USD bn at year-end 2025. This helped the bank climb to 60th place among the Top 100 Arab Banks by the end of March 2026, up from 63rd place at the end of 2025.Al Salam Bank – Bahrain secured seventh place after its assets increased by approximately 5.50% quarter-on-quarter to 22.54 USD bn at the end of March 2026, compared with 21.36 USD bn at year-end 2025, allowing it to maintain its 46th position among the largest Arab banks.National Bank of Bahrain ranked eighth after its asset portfolio expanded by 5.3% during Q1 2026 to 17.53 USD bn, compared with 16.65 USD bn at year-end 2025. The bank advanced two positions within the Top 100 Arab Banks ranking, reaching 56th place by the end of March 2026, compared with 58th place at the end of the previous year.Burgan Bank – Kuwait claimed ninth place with an asset growth rate of 5.06%, as total assets rose to approximately 31.05 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 29.55 USD bn at year-end 2025. This enabled the bank to move up to 38th place among the largest Arab banks, from 39th place at the end of the previous year.Rounding out the ranking was Banque Saudi Fransi, whose assets increased by approximately 5.05% quarter-on-quarter to 86.55 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 82.38 USD bn at year-end 2025. The bank climbed to 14th place among the Top 100 Arab Banks, up from 17th place at the end of the previous year.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13194https://en.firstbankeg.com/13194The Race of Big Numbers: Who Leads the Turkish Banking Sector? A Look at the Competition Between Ziraat Bankası and Türkiye İş BankasıIn a highly competitive banking market, leadership is not merely about having the largest balance sheet it reTue, 21 Jul 2026 13:05:10 +02002026-07-21T13:05:10+02:00In a highly competitive banking market, leadership is not merely about having the largest balance sheet; it reflects a bank’s ability to expand its business base at a pace that outperforms competitors and to translate that growth into higher profitability and better operational efficiency.Data from March 2026 shows that Ziraat Bankası continues to solidify its position as Turkey’s largest bank, maintaining a comfortable lead over Türkiye İş Bankası, which ranks second. This highlights the widening gap between the two institutions across most key financial indicators.According to the data, Ziraat Bankası’s total assets reached approximately $216.84 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $130.09 billion for Türkiye İş Bankası, reflecting the broader scale of its operations and its leadership in the Turkish market.A similar picture emerges in deposits: Ziraat Bankası recorded a deposit portfolio of $136.31 billion, compared to about $75.20 billion for Türkiye İş Bankası by the end of March 2026. This indicates that Ziraat has a larger funding base, giving it greater flexibility to support growth and expansion.The bank also maintained its lead in lending activity, with net loans reaching $115.03 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $65.60 billion for Türkiye İş Bankası during the same period—underscoring its continued dominance in financing various sectors of the economy.This superiority is not only due to its current size but also its growth pace over the past three years (from the end of 2022 to March 2026). Ziraat Bankası recorded asset growth of 58.9%, compared to 41.9% for Türkiye İş Bankası. As a result, the gap between the two banks widened from $44.77 billion at the end of 2022 to $86.75 billion by March 2026.On the deposits side, although Türkiye İş Bankası achieved a higher growth rate of 47.7% compared to 31.5% for Ziraat Bankası over the past three years, Ziraat’s larger starting base allowed it not only to maintain its lead but also widen the gap in deposit volume to $61.11 billion by March 2026, up from $52.78 billion at the end of 2022.In lending, Ziraat Bankası combined both larger scale and faster growth, with its loan portfolio increasing by 51% over the past three years, compared to 39.8% for Türkiye İş Bankası. This pushed the gap between them to $49.42 billion by March 2026, up from $29.27 billion in 2022.This advantage also extended to profitability. Ziraat Bankası recorded net profits of $1.15 billion in Q1 2026, compared to $577.38 million for Türkiye İş Bankası during the same period—demonstrating a stronger ability to convert business growth into actual profits.Efficiency indicators further reflect this strength: return on assets reached 2.12% for Ziraat Bankası versus 1.81% for Türkiye İş Bankası, while return on equity stood at 27.09% compared to 20.12% in Q1 2026, confirming more efficient use of resources and higher returns for shareholders.This dominance is reinforced by a stronger capital base, with Ziraat Bankası’s capital reaching approximately $1.90 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $562.38 million for Türkiye İş Bankası. This provides greater capacity to finance expansion plans, absorb risks, and sustain competitive momentum in the coming years.These indicators suggest that competition between Ziraat Bankası and Türkiye İş Bankası will continue in the years ahead. However, maintaining leadership will depend not only on balance sheet size, but also on each bank’s ability to achieve sustainable growth without compromising asset quality or profitability levels.While Ziraat Bankası enters the next phase supported by a larger business and capital base, Türkiye İş Bankası still has an opportunity to narrow the gap if it can sustain high growth rates and translate them into faster expansion in assets and lending—making the competition between Turkey’s two largest banks likely to intensify as the sector continues to evolve.Despite ongoing competition, the current widening gap places Ziraat Bankası in a stronger position moving forward, backed by the largest asset, lending, and deposit base in the market.Accordingly, the main challenge for Türkiye İş Bankası in the near term will not be overtaking the lead, but gradually narrowing the gap by achieving growth rates that outperform the market, thereby sustaining competitive momentum within the Turkish banking sector.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13193https://en.firstbankeg.com/13193Al Rajhi Bank records the highest profits among Arab banks in the first quarter of 2026Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:59:46 +02002026-07-21T12:59:46+02:00The latest rankings by “First Bank” revealed that Al Rajhi Bank has topped the list of the most profitable Arab banks in the region during the first quarter of 2026.This achievement was supported by net profits of $1.80 billion in Q1 2026, compared to $1.58 billion during the same period in 2025, reflecting a growth rate of 14.4%.The ranking was based on ordering banks according to their announced net profits, converted into U.S. dollars, providing a unified comparison tool across different banking institutions. It also excluded banks lacking official data to ensure accuracy and reliability of the methodology.Overall, Al Rajhi Bank delivered strong performance this year, with income from financing and investments rising by approximately 18.4% to reach $2.24 billion in Q1 2026, compared to $1.89 billion in the corresponding period of 2025.Banking service fees increased to $427.21 million in the first three months of 2026, up from $365.96 million during the same period in 2025, marking a growth rate of 16.7%.Its customer deposits portfolio grew by about 1.7% during Q1 2026, reaching $180.85 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $177.91 billion at the end of 2025.Net financing rose to $200.83 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $200.69 billion at the end of 2025, representing a quarterly growth rate of 0.1%.Shareholders’ equity increased to $40.67 billion by the end of March 2026, up from $38.10 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting approximately 6.7% growth on a quarterly basis.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13192https://en.firstbankeg.com/13192Mahynar Mohamed12 Banking Institutions Achieve the Biggest Rise in First Bank’s Ranking of the Largest Arab Banks by March 2026First Banks ranking of the Top 100 Arab Banks by March 2026 reflected a relatively stable landscape among majTue, 21 Jul 2026 11:04:43 +02002026-07-21T11:04:43+02:00First Bank’s ranking of the Top 100 Arab Banks by March 2026 reflected a relatively stable landscape among major banking institutions. However, a number of banks managed to achieve notable—albeit limited—advances, making them the most prominent movers in the ranking during Q1 of 2026.A total of 12 banking institutions improved their rankings by more than one position during the first 3 months of the year, supported by asset growth rates that exceeded the average growth recorded by banks included in the ranking.In this context, two banks advanced by four positions during Q1 of 2026. The Saudi Investment Bank climbed to 25th place by the end of March 2026, up from 29th place at year-end 2025.Supported by a 4.3% quarter-on-quarter increase in assets to 48.04 USD bn, compared with 46.05 USD bn at the end of 2025.Likewise, WIO Bank advanced to 55th place by the end of March 2026, compared with 59th place at year-end 2025, after its assets grew by 5.9% quarter-on-quarter to 17.60 USD bn, up from 16.63 USD bn, making it one of the strongest candidates to enter the list of the Top 50 Arab Banks.Meanwhile, five banks advanced by three positions compared with their rankings at the end of 2025. Banque Saudi Fransi moved up to 14th place from 17th place, after its assets increased by 5.1% quarter-on-quarter to 86.55 USD bn by the end of March 2026, compared with 82.38 USD bn at year-end 2025.Bank of Africa – Morocco climbed from 27th place at the end of 2025 to 24th place by the end of March 2026, supported by a 2.3% increase in assets during the period under review, reaching 49.08 USD bn versus 47.99 USD bn.Bank al Etihad – Jordan advanced to 50th place from 53rd place, as its asset portfolio expanded by 6.7% during Q1 of 2026 to 18.75 USD bn, compared with 17.57 USD bn at year-end 2025.Similarly, National Bank of Oman rose to 60th place from 63rd place, after recording 5.5% quarter-on-quarter asset growth, with total assets reaching 15.32 USD bn versus 14.52 USD bn at the end of 2025.Bank of Sharjah also climbed from 67th place to 64th place, after its assets increased to 14.89 USD bn by the end of March 2026 from 13.17 USD bn at year-end 2025, posting the highest growth rate among these banks at 13.1% quarter-on-quarter.In addition, five banks improved by two positions within the ranking. Sohar International Bank – Oman advanced to 42nd place from 44th place, following 5.6% quarter-on-quarter asset growth to 25.03 USD bn, compared with 23.71 USD bn at year-end 2025.National Bank of Bahrain moved up to 56th place from 58th place, with assets rising by 5.3% quarter-on-quarter to 17.53 USD bn by the end of March 2026, versus 16.65 USD bn at year-end 2025.Bank Dhofar – Oman climbed to 62nd place from 64th place, driven by 6.7% growth in assets during Q1 of 2026, reaching 14.94 USD bn, compared with 14.00 USD bn at year-end 2025.Meanwhile, Ahli Bank Oman advanced to 69th place from 71st place, after its assets grew by 3.4% quarter-on-quarter to 11.25 USD bn, compared with 10.88 USD bn at year-end 2025.Banque Nationale Agricole – Tunisia rose from 77th place at the end of 2025 to 75th place by the end of March 2026, recording 3.6% asset growth, with assets reaching 9.05 USD bn, compared with 8.73 USD bn.This performance highlights the ability of several Arab banks to improve their positions within the ranking over a relatively short period, benefiting from asset growth rates that exceeded the average growth recorded across the list.Nevertheless, the remaining banks that improved their rankings in First Bank’s classification during Q1 of 2026 advanced by only one position, underscoring the increasingly close competition among Arab banking institutions, where even modest increases in asset size can be sufficient to alter rankings within the list.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13184https://en.firstbankeg.com/13184First Bank61 Gulf Banks Account for 88% of the Profits of the most profitable 100 Arab Banks During Q1 2026First Banks ranking of the Top 100 Arab Banks by Net Profit in Q1 of 2026 revealed the continued dominance ofMon, 20 Jul 2026 15:16:52 +02002026-07-20T15:16:52+02:00First Bank’s ranking of the Top 100 Arab Banks by Net Profit in Q1 of 2026 revealed the continued dominance of Gulf banks across the Arab banking landscape. Banks from the GCC countries occupied 61 positions in the ranking, generating a combined net profit of 17.36 USD bn, accounting for approximately 88% of the total net profits recorded by the 100 banks included in the list.This highlights the continued concentration of profitability within the Arab banking sector in the Gulf economies.The UAE ranked first among GCC countries in terms of total net profits, with its banks generating 6.63 USD bn during Q1 of 2026, representing around 38% of the profits earned by GCC banks included in the ranking. This underscores the significant weight of UAE banks within the Gulf banking sector.«Emirates NBD» led this performance, reporting a net profit of 1.75 USD bn, followed by First Abu Dhabi Bank with 1.37 USD bn. Together, the two banks accounted for nearly half of the profits generated by UAE banks featured in the ranking.Saudi Arabia ranked second, with only a narrow gap behind the UAE, as 10 Saudi banks generated combined net profits of 6.39 USD bn, reflecting the strong profitability base of the Kingdom’s banking sector.Al Rajhi Bank led the Saudi banking sector and topped the ranking of the most profitable Arab banks during Q1 of 2026, reporting net profits of 1.80 USD bn. Saudi National Bank ranked second among Saudi banks with net profits totaling 1.71 USD bn.Qatar came in third place, with 9 Qatari banks recording aggregate net profits of 2.08 USD bnduring Q1 of 2026.Qatar National Bank alone accounted for more than half of the profits generated by Qatari banks included in the ranking, posting net profits of 1.21 USD bn. It was followed by Qatar Islamic Bank, which recorded net profits of 270 USD mn during the period.In Kuwait, 9 banks generated combined net profits of 1.50 USD bn, placing the Kuwaiti banking sector fourth among GCC countries.«Kuwait Finance House» led the Kuwaiti market with net profits of 714 USD mn, benefiting from its position as the country’s largest Islamic bank. «National Bank of Kuwait» ranked second with net profits of 478 USD mn, with both banks continuing to drive profitability within the Kuwaiti banking sector.Bahrain ranked fifth, with 8 banks generating total net profits of 398 USD mn during Q1 of 2026.Al Baraka Banking Group led Bahraini banks with net profits of 93 USD mn, followed by Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait with 69.7 USD mn. The Bahraini banking market remains characterized by relatively balanced profitability levels across several institutions compared with larger Gulf markets.The Sultanate of Oman ranked sixth among GCC countries, with 7 banks reporting combined net profits of 360 USD mn during Q1 of 2026.Bank Muscat led Omani banks with net profits of 166 USD mn, followed by Sohar International Bank with 68 USD mn, reflecting the continued concentration of profitability among a limited number of leading banks within the Omani banking sector.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13162https://en.firstbankeg.com/13162First Bank«First Bank» Ranking of the largest 100 Arab Banks by Loans - March 2026QNB Reinforces Its Leadership with Loans Reaching USD 282.04 BillionStrong Credit Concentration: Top 10 BanksMon, 13 Jul 2026 15:09:36 +02002026-07-13T15:09:36+02:00<h3>QNB Reinforces Its Leadership with Loans Reaching USD 282.04 Billion</h3><h3>Strong Credit Concentration: Top 10 Banks Account for Half of Arab Banking Sector Loans</h3><h3>Top 10 Banks’ Loan Portfolios Reach USD 1.52 Trillion, Up 2.3% in Q1 2026</h3><h3>Relative Stability Among the Largest Lenders in the Arab World</h3>The latest «First Bank» ranking of the Top 100 Arab Banks by loan portfolio as of March 2026 highlighted the continued concentration of credit activity within the Arab banking sector, with the top 10 banks accounting for approximately 50% of the total loans extended by banks included in the ranking.The combined loan portfolio of the top 10 banks reached approximately USD 1.52 trillion, compared with total loans of USD 2.99 trillion for all banks featured in the ranking as of March 2026.The top 10 banks also recorded a 2.3% growth in their aggregate loan portfolios during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the continued lending momentum among the region’s largest banking institutions.The ranking was based on banks’ reported loan portfolios as of March 2026, converted into U.S. dollars to provide a unified basis for comparison across banking institutions.Banks with unavailable official financial data were excluded to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the ranking methodology.The ranking reflected relative stability among the top 10 lenders in the Arab world, with the only change being the advancement of National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) to eighth place, while National Bank of Egypt (NBE) slipped to ninth place compared with the year-end 2025 ranking.This decline was primarily driven by the depreciation of the Egyptian pound against the U.S. dollar amid geopolitical tensions in the region during early 2026, which negatively affected the dollar value of the bank’s loan portfolio.Regarding the ranking of the largest Arab lenders as of March 2026, Qatar National Bank (QNB) retained the top position with a loan portfolio of USD 282.04 billion.Al Rajhi Bank ranked second with loans totaling USD 200.83 billion at the end of March 2026.Saudi National Bank secured third place with a loan portfolio of approximately USD 195.22 billion by the end of the same period.Emirates NBD ranked fourth with loans amounting to approximately USD 184.53 billion as of March 2026.First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) captured fifth place with a loan portfolio of USD 181.73 billion at the end of March.Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) ranked sixth with loans totaling USD 115.90 billion as of March 2026.Riyad Bank came in seventh place, reporting a loan portfolio of approximately USD 100.47 billion at the end of March.National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) ranked eighth with loans of approximately USD 88.87 billion as of March 2026.National Bank of Egypt (NBE) occupied ninth place, with loans reaching approximately USD 87.15 billion by the end of March.The tenth position went to SAB, which reported a loan portfolio of approximately USD 81.78 billion as of March 2026.The ranking included parent banking groups across the Arab world and excluded their foreign subsidiaries and operations outside their home markets.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13126https://en.firstbankeg.com/13126FAB Strengthens Its Regional Leadership Tops «First Bank» Ranking of the 100 Largest Arab Banks as of March 2026Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:58:17 +02002026-06-29T23:58:17+02:00According to «First Bank» ranking of the 100 Largest Arab Banks as of March 2026, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) secured the top position after its total assets increased to US$405.78 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$382.23 billion at the end of 2025, representing a quarter-on-quarter growth rate of 6.2%. The achievement further reinforces the bank’s leadership in the Arab banking sector.The ranking was based on reported total assets as of the end of March 2026, converted into U.S. dollars, providing a standardized basis for comparing banking institutions across the region. Banks without officially disclosed financial data were excluded to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the methodology.In addition to its asset growth, FAB delivered solid financial performance during the first quarter of 2026. Customer deposits increased by 3.6% to reach US$237.09 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$228.92 billion at the end of 2025.The bank’s loan portfolio also recorded strong growth, rising by 8.3% on a quarter-on-quarter basis to US$181.73 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$167.81 billion at the end of 2025.FAB reported net profit of approximately US$1.37 billion during the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$1.40 billion during the first quarter of 2025.Net interest income increased by 7.5% to US$1.31 billion during the first quarter of 2026, up from US$1.22 billion in the corresponding period of 2025.Meanwhile, net income from Islamic financing and investment products surged by 50.0%, reaching US$220.24 million during the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$146.75 million during the first quarter of 2025.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13125https://en.firstbankeg.com/13125QNB Group Leads the Middle East and North Africa’s banks in Customer Deposits and LoansMon, 29 Jun 2026 23:53:35 +02002026-06-29T23:53:35+02:00According to the latest First Bank rankings, QNB Group ranked as the largest banking group in the Middle East and North Africa by both customer deposits and loan portfolio at the end of 2025.The Group's customer deposits reached US$261.40 billion at the end of 2025, while its total loan portfolio stood at US$278.54 billion over the same period.QNB Group continued to strengthen its customer deposit base during the first quarter of 2026, with deposits increasing to US$267.25 billion by the end of March, representing an increase of US$5.85 billion and a growth rate of 2.2%.The Group also expanded its lending portfolio, which grew by 1.3% during the first quarter of 2026 to reach US$282.04 billion at the end of March, an increase of US$3.50 billion.QNB Group also delivered solid financial performance during the first quarter of 2026, demonstrating its resilience amid the region’s ongoing geopolitical challenges. Total assets increased to US$386.91 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$380.67 billion at the end of 2025, representing an increase of US$6.24 billion and a growth rate of 1.6%.The Group reported net profit of US$1.21 billion during the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$1.19 billion during the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 1.7%.Profit before tax reached US$1.59 billion during the first three months of 2026, compared with US$1.52 billion during the corresponding period of 2025, representing a growth rate of 4.2%.Net interest income increased by 8.0% to US$2.59 billion during the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$2.40 billion in the same period of 2025.Meanwhile, net fee and commission income grew by 10.6% to US$373.74 million during the first three months of 2026, compared with US$337.80 million during the corresponding period of 2025.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13122https://en.firstbankeg.com/13122First BankGulf Banks Account for 71% of Profits Among the Middle East and North Africa’s Top 100 Most Profitable BanksMon, 29 Jun 2026 23:35:48 +02002026-06-29T23:35:48+02:00A total of 55 Gulf banking brands secured places in First Bank’s ranking of the Top 100 MostProfitable Banks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for 2025, reinforcing their dominance of the regional banking landscape. Collectively, these banks accounted for approximately 71% of the total profits generated by the institutions on the list, posting combined net earnings of US$61.18 billion.The ranking was based onreported net profits, converted intoU.S. dollars, providing astandardized basis for comparing banking institutions across the region. Banks without officially disclosed financial data were excluded to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the methodology. The ranking coversparent banking institutionsacross MENA and excludes their foreign subsidiaries.UAE banks led the Gulf banking sector, securing 17 positions in the ranking and generating US$25.49 billion in net profits during 2025, representing approximately 27% of the totalprofitsearned by the Top 100 banks.The UAE banks included in the ranking are:Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Mashreq, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Emirates Islamic, National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK), Sharjah Islamic Bank, National Bank of Fujairah, Bank of Sharjah, Wio Bank, National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain, Ajman Bank, United Arab Bank,andCommercial International Bank – UAE.Saudi Arabian banks ranked second, with 10 banks featured in the list, generating combined net profits of US$24.67 billion in 2025 and accounting for approximately 26% of the ranking’s total profits.The Saudi banks included:Saudi National Bank (SNB), Al Rajhi Bank, Riyad Bank, Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), Alinma Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Arab National Bank (ANB), Bank Albilad, Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB),andBank AlJazira.The Kuwaiti banking sector was represented by nine banks, which generated combined net profits of US$5.84 billion, equivalent to approximately 6% of the total profits recorded by the Top 100 banks.The Kuwaiti banks were:Kuwait Finance House (KFH), National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), Commercial Bank of Kuwait, Boubyan Bank, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK), Gulf Bank, Warba Bank, Burgan Bank, andKuwait International Bank (KIB).Meanwhile, the Qatari banking sector secured eight positions in the ranking, accounting for approximately 8.8% of total profits, after generating US$8.23 billion in net earnings during 2025.The Qatari banks included:Qatar National Bank (QNB), Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Commercial Bank of Qatar, Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB), Masraf Al Rayan, Dukhan Bank, Ahlibank Qatar, andDoha Bank.Similarly, Bahraini banks occupied six positions in the ranking, accounting for approximately 1.7% of total profits, with combined net earnings of US$1.57 billion during 2025.The Bahraini banks included:Al Baraka Banking Group, Bank ABC, National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Al Salam Bank, Gulf International Bank (GIB),andBBK (Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait).Banks from the Sultanate of Oman secured five positions in the ranking, generating combined net profits of US$1.36 billion in 2025, representing approximately 1.4% of the Top 100 banks’ total profits.The Omani banks included:Bank Muscat, Sohar International, National Bank of Oman (NBO), Bank Dhofar,andAhli Bank Oman.Overall, the ranking highlights the Gulf banking sector’s continued leadership in profitability, driven primarily by the financial strength ofUAE and Saudi banks, which together accounted for more than half of the total profits generated by the Top 100 Most Profitable Banks in the Middle East and North Africaduring 2025.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13121https://en.firstbankeg.com/13121Huge Gap, Clear Leader.. The Battle for the Top Spot in Jordan’s Banking SectorMon, 29 Jun 2026 23:26:20 +02002026-06-29T23:26:20+02:00The recent trajectories of Arab Bank and Bank al Etihad reflect two distinct growth models within Jordan’s banking sector. While Arab Bank has maintained its position as the country's largest banking institution in terms of size and financial strength, Bank al Etihad has achieved remarkable expansion, strengthening its competitive position through a combination of organic growth and an expansion strategy supported by acquisitions. These acquisitions have accelerated the development of its business base and broadened its banking footprint.An analysis of the financial indicators as of March 2026 shows that Arab Bank continues to dominate the sector in terms of scale, while Bank al Etihad has posted comparatively higher growth rates over recent years. This highlights the contrasting strategies pursued by the two institutions: one built on historical scale and financial resilience, and the other on accelerated growth and increasing market share.According to March 2026 financial data, Arab Bank remains the largest bank in Jordan by total assets, with US$78.97 billion, while Bank al Etihad ranks second with US$18.75 billion, underscoring the significant gap between the two institutions.The disparity is equally evident in customer deposits. Arab Bank's deposit portfolio reached approximately US$55.16 billion by the end of 2025, compared toUS$14.22billion for Bank al Etihad, reflecting the difference in customer base size and the breadth of each bank's business network.The gap also extends to lending activity. Arab Bank's net loan portfolio totaled approximately US$38.18 billion as of March 2026, compared to US$9.65 billion for Bank al Etihad, reaffirming Arab Bank's superior financing capacity.However, a closer look at growth dynamics over the past three years (from the end of 2022 to March 2026) presents a different picture. During this period, Bank al Etihad expanded its total assets by 98.6%, significantly outpacing Arab Bank's 22.5% growth.Despite this impressive expansion, it was not sufficient to narrow the absolute gap between the two banks. Instead, the difference in total assets widened from US$55.02billion at the end of 2022 to US$60.23 billion by March 2026 in favor of Arab Bank.A similar trend is observed in deposits. Bank al Etihad recorded deposit growth of 94.4% over the three-year period, compared with 21.8% for Arab Bank. Consequently, the deposit gap widened to US$40.94 billion by March 2026, up from US$37.97 billion at the end of 2022.On the lending side, Bank al Etihad also posted faster growth, expanding its loan portfolio by 71.4% over the same period, compared with 20.3% for Arab Bank. Nevertheless, the financing gap increased from US$26.10 billion at the end of 2022 to US$28.53 billion by March 2026.Profitability indicators continue to demonstrate the strength of Arab Bank's business model. The bank reported net profit of US$276 million during the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$52 million for Bank al Etihad over the same period.Arab Bank also delivered stronger operational efficiency in terms of Return on AverageAssets (ROAA), posting 1.40%, compared with 1.15% for Bank al Etihad during the first quarter of 2026.Conversely, Bank al Etihad outperformed Arab Bank in Return on Equity (ROE), achieving 18.93% versus 8.38%, reflecting greater efficiency in utilizing shareholders' equity and generating higher returns for investors.Regarding capital strength, Arab Bank maintains a clear advantage that supports its future expansion capacity. As of March 2026, its paid-up capital stood at approximately US$927 million, compared with US$459 million for Bank al Etihad, providing greater financial flexibility to support growth and absorb operational challenges.Overall, the data confirms that Arab Bank continues to lead Jordan's banking sector in terms of size and financial strength, benefiting from a broad business base and a solid financial position. Meanwhile, Bank al Etihad represents a different growth model focused on accelerating expansion and enhancing operational efficiency.Bank al Etihad's strong performance in recent years reflects a combination of organic growth, improved operational performance, and strategic acquisitions that have enabled it to expand its business base and strengthen its market presence, resulting in exceptionally high growth rates over a relatively short period.Nevertheless, the substantial difference in scale continues to favor Arab Bank, remaining the decisive factor behind its market leadership and superior financing capacity.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13124https://en.firstbankeg.com/13124Saudi National Bank the Most Profitable Bank in the Middle East and North AfricaMon, 29 Jun 2026 23:51:29 +02002026-06-23T13:09:00+02:00According to First Bank’s ranking of the Top 100 Most Profitable Banks in the Middle East and North Africa for 2025, Saudi National Bank (SNB) ranked first on the list.The bank secured the top position after reporting net profit of US$6.66 billion in 2025, compared with US$5.61 billion in 2024, representing a year-on-year growth rate of 18.7%.The ranking was based on reported net profits, converted into U.S. dollars, providing a standardized basis for comparing banking institutions across the region. Banks without officially disclosed financial data were excluded to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the methodology.The bank continued to deliver strong earnings during the current year, reporting net profit of US$1.71 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$1.60 billion during the same period of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.4%.Overall, Saudi National Bank maintained solid financial performance during the year. Its total assets increased to US$327.38 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$322.61 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting a quarter-on-quarter growth rate of 1.5%.Customer deposits rose by 4.6% during the first quarter of 2026, reaching US$177.34 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$169.59 billion at the end of 2025.The bank's net financing portfolio increased to US$195.25 billion at the end of March 2026, up from US$194.44 billion at the end of 2025, representing a quarter-on-quarter growth rate of 0.4%.Shareholders’ equity also grew to US$57.20 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$54.34 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting a quarter-on-quarter increase of 5.3%.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13069https://en.firstbankeg.com/13069The Big Numbers Race: Fierce Battle Between »Alinma« and »BSF« for Membership in the Saudi Market's Big Five ClubWed, 17 Jun 2026 17:19:28 +02002026-06-17T17:19:28+02:00The competition between Banque Saudi Fransi and Alinma Bank is no longer merely a comparison between two closely ranked banks; over recent years, it has evolved into a direct race for a place among the top five in the Saudi banking sector, amid a clear convergence in the size of their balance sheets, with a fundamental difference in growth strategy.While Banque Saudi Fransi possesses a well-established banking base and a historical presence among the Kingdom’s largest banks, Alinma Bank has, in recent years, succeeded in building strong growth momentum that enabled it to rapidly narrow the gap, and even surpass its competitor in a number of key indicators, making the competition between the two sides more intense for leading positions.According to March 2026 data, Banque Saudi Fransi ranks fifth among Saudi banks, while Alinma Bank comes sixth.At the level of financial position, Banque Saudi Fransi’s total assets reached approximately $86.55 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $86.41 billion for Alinma Bank during the same period.In the deposits market, Alinma Bank’s portfolio reached approximately $63.84 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $53.18 billion for Banque Saudi Fransi during the same period.In financing, Alinma Bank’s portfolio reached approximately $63.50 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $59.13 billion for Banque Saudi Fransi at the end of the same period.When analyzing growth trends over the past three years—specifically from the end of 2022 to the end of March 2026—clear shifts in the balance of competition between the two banks appear; Alinma Bank’s asset portfolio increased by 62% during that period, compared to a growth of 40.1% for Banque Saudi Fransi.This difference in growth pace led to a significant narrowing of the gap between the two banks, after it stood at about $8.42 billion at the end of 2022, declining to approximately $138.44 million by the end of March 2026.Alinma Bank succeeded in surpassing Banque Saudi Fransi in total assets specifically by the end of 2025, before Banque Saudi Fransi regained the lead by a slight margin during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the intensity of competition and the close positioning of both parties in terms of size.This trend extends to the deposit base, as Alinma Bank achieved growth of about 65.3% over the past three years, compared to 26.8% for Banque Saudi Fransi during the same period.This growth enabled Alinma Bank to surpass its competitor in the deposit portfolio by the end of 2024, and even widen the gap between them to reach approximately $10.66 billion by the end of March 2026.With regard to financing, Alinma Bank recorded strong growth in net loans of 62.9% over the past three years, compared to 39.8% for Banque Saudi Fransi, enabling it to surpass its competitor in this indicator by the end of 2025, with the gap widening between them to approximately $4.47 billion.At the profitability level, Alinma Bank recorded net profits of $447.25 million during the first quarter of 2026, with a return on average assets of 2.11% and a return on average equity of 13.72%.In contrast, Banque Saudi Fransi recorded net profits of $368.01 million, with a return on average assets of 1.74% and a return on average equity of 10.81% during the same period.At the level of the capital base, data shows that both banks have the same level of capital at approximately $6.66 billion by the end of March 2026, reflecting parity in the capital base between the two sides.Based on the above data, the competition between Banque Saudi Fransi and Alinma Bank has gone beyond the current ranking to become a reflection of a fundamental difference in growth models; while Banque Saudi Fransi maintains its position based on a strong banking base and a long history within the market, Alinma Bank continues to strengthen its presence through faster growth rates that have enabled it to narrow the gap in size and strongly approach leading positions.With the continued convergence in performance indicators, competition for a place among the top five banks in the Kingdom has become linked to each party’s ability to maintain growth momentum and transform it into sustainable expansion and more efficient profitability.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13119https://en.firstbankeg.com/13119First BankFirst Index 2026 Outlook..Relative Stability Expected in Saudi Banks’ Rankings within First Bank’s Top 100 Arab Banks ListMon, 29 Jun 2026 23:07:19 +02002026-06-17T11:16:00+02:00In an effort to anticipate the competitive landscape of the Arab banking sector in 2026, «First Bank» has prepared forward-looking estimates for the rankings of Saudi banks within the list of the largest 100 Arab banks, based on the growth trends achieved by these institutions in recent years and their ability to continue expanding their asset bases.The projections were based on calculating the Compound Annual Growth Rate «CAGR» for each bank during the 2022–2025 period and then applying this rate to the asset values recorded at the end of 2025 to estimate their positions by the end of 2026.This model assumes that historical growth trends will continue at similar rates throughout 2026, while recognizing that exceptional developments or unusual performance fluctuations could affect the accuracy of the projections for certain banks.The forecast results indicate a state of relative stability among the ten Saudi banks included in the ranking, with five banks expected to maintain their current positions without change, while the other five may experience limited movements of only one or two places, either upward or downward.Among the banks projected to retain their rankings, Al Rajhi Bank is expected to remain the fifth-largest Arab bank, with assets rising to approximately 309 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 278.15 USD bn at the end of 2025.Saudi Awwal Bank «SAB» is also expected to maintain its position as the 11th-largest Arab bank, with assets growing to around 137 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 121.16 USD bn in 2025.Likewise, Banque Saudi Fransi «BSF» is projected to retain 17th place among Arab banks, with total assets reaching approximately 91 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 82.38 USD bn at the end of 2025.Arab National Bank «ANB» is also expected to maintain its 20th-place ranking, supported by an increase in assets to approximately 82 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 75.02 USD bn in 2025.Meanwhile, Bank AlJazira is forecast to remain in 30th place among Arab banks, with assets increasing to approximately 49 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 44.24 USD bn at the end of 2025.As for the banks expected to record limited movements within the ranking, the data suggest that Saudi National Bank «SNB» may slip to fourth place by the end of 2026 from third place at the end of 2025, while its assets are projected to reach approximately 350 USD bn, compared with 322.61 USD bn.Riyad Bank is expected to advance to ninth place among Arab banks from tenth place, with assets rising to around 157 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 138.50 USD bn at the end of 2025.Similarly, Alinma Bank is projected to move up to 15th place among Arab banks from 16th place, supported by an increase in assets to approximately 96 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 82.93 USD bn at the end of 2025.The Saudi Investment Bank «SAIB» is also expected to climb two positions to rank 27th among Arab banks, compared with 29th place in 2025, with assets projected to reach approximately 53 USD bn by the end of 2026, versus 46.05 USD bn at the end of 2025.On the other hand, Bank Albilad is forecast to decline to 29th place from 28th place, despite its assets being expected to increase to around 51 USD bn by the end of 2026, compared with 46.12 USD bn at the end of 2025.Overall, the projections indicate that Saudi banks will continue to occupy leading positions within the ranking of the largest 100 Arab banks by the end of 2026, supported by expected asset growth and expanding business volumes.Although some banks may experience limited ranking shifts, the broader picture reflects a high degree of relative stability, underscoring the strength of the Saudi banking sector and its solid presence within the Arab banking landscape.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13120https://en.firstbankeg.com/13120Relative Stability Among Levant Banks in «First Bank» Largest Arab Banks Ranking Over the Past Two YearsMon, 29 Jun 2026 23:15:34 +02002026-06-16T14:00:00+02:00«First Bank» Top 100 Arab Banks ranking at the end of 2025 showed that Levant banks demonstrated a moderate level of stability, recording a Stability Index of 56% compared with 2024. This indicates that changes in the rankings of these banks were relatively limited.First Bank introduced the Stability Index to measure banks' movements within the ranking based on four main categories:Full Stability: Banks that maintained the same ranking position.Relative Stability: Banks that moved between one and three positions.Moderate Movement: Banks that shifted between four and ten positions.Major Movement: Banks whose ranking changed by more than ten positions, reflecting significant shifts within the ranking.Among the 14 Levant banks included in the ranking between 2024 and 2025, Bank al Etihad (Jordan) recorded the strongest improvement, climbing 15 places to rank 53rd at the end of 2025, compared with 68th in 2024. The bank is now on the verge of joining the Top 50 Arab Banks, placing it within the Major Movement category.The improvement was supported by a 49.2% increase in total assets during 2025, with assets rising to US$17.57 billion at the end of December 2025, compared with US$11.78 billion a year earlier.<h3>Moderate Movement Category</h3>Five banks fell into the Moderate Movement category.Safwa Islamic Bank (Jordan) advanced eight positions to rank 82nd, up from 90th in 2024, after its assets increased to US$6.05 billion, compared with US$4.99 billion, representing annual growth of 21%.National Bank of Iraq climbed seven places to 92nd, compared with 99th in 2024, following a 26.6% year-on-year increase in assets to US$4.97 billion, up from US$3.93 billion.Bank of Palestine moved up five positions to rank 72nd, compared with 77th in 2024. Its assets grew by 27.4% year-on-year to US$10.65 billion, compared with US$8.36 billion.Arab Islamic International Bank (Jordan) advanced four places to 84th, up from 88th in 2024, after recording 13.3% annual asset growth, with assets reaching US$5.92 billion, compared with US$5.22 billion.In contrast, Bank Audi fell eight positions to 62nd, down from 54th in 2024, as its assets declined by 9.9% year-on-year to US$14.78 billion, compared with US$16.41 billion.<h3>Relative Stability Category</h3>Seven banks were classified under the Relative Stability category.Jordan Islamic Bank climbed three places to rank 73rd, compared with 76th in 2024, supported by 10.8% growth in total assets, which reached US$9.57 billion, up from US$8.64 billion.Cairo Amman Bank (Jordan) advanced two positions to 85th, compared with 87th in 2024. Its total assets increased to US$5.79 billion, up from US$5.53 billion, reflecting annual growth of 4.8%.Capital Bank of Jordan moved up one place to rank 68th, compared with 69th in 2024, after its assets increased by 5.9% year-on-year to US$12.31 billion, from US$11.62 billion.Jordan Ahli Bank also advanced one position, ranking 90th in 2025, compared with 91st in 2024, as its assets grew by 5.6% to US$5.25 billion, up from US$4.97 billion.Bank of Jordan climbed one place to 95th, compared with 96th in 2024, following a modest 3.3% increase in assets to US$4.60 billion, compared with US$4.45 billion.Meanwhile, Arab Bank (Jordan) slipped one position to 18th, compared with 17th in 2024, despite reporting 9.8% annual growth in assets, which reached US$78.19 billion, compared with US$71.23 billion.Similarly, Housing Bank for Trade and Finance (Jordan) fell one place to 65th, compared with 64th in 2024. The bank recorded a marginal 1.8% increase in assets to US$13.25 billion, compared with US$13.01 billion, placing it within the same category.<h3>Full Stability Category</h3>Only one bank achieved Full Stability.Jordan Kuwait Bank maintained its 78th position in both 2024 and 2025, despite a 3% year-on-year decline in assets to US$7.70 billion, compared with US$7.94 billion at the end of 2024.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13118https://en.firstbankeg.com/13118First Bank14 Banks Maintain Their Rankings in «First Bank» List of the Top 50 Arab BanksMon, 29 Jun 2026 23:05:11 +02002026-06-14T16:15:00+02:00«The First Bank» Top 100 Arab Banks Ranking for 2025 revealed that a number of leading Arab banking institutions successfully maintained their positions within the list of the largest 50 Arab banks compared with 2024, reflecting the stability of their financial standing and their ability to achieve growth while preserving their competitive positions.In this context, six banks retained their positions within the top ten. Saudi National Bank «SNB» remained in third place for the second consecutive year, supported by a 9.8% year-on-year increase in assets, which reached 322.61 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 293.89 USD bn at the end of 2024.«Emirates NBD» also maintained fourth place after its assets grew by 16.8% during 2025 to reach 317.04 USD bn by the end of December, compared with 271.36 USD bn at the end of 2024.Meanwhile, Al Rajhi Bank retained fifth place for the second consecutive year, supported by a 7.5% year-on-year increase in assets to 278.15 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 258.84 USD bn at the end of 2024.Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank «ADCB» ranked sixth for the second consecutive year after its assets increased by 18.5% during 2025, reaching 210.64 USD bn at year-end, compared with 177.75 USD bn at the end of 2024.National Bank of Egypt «NBE» also maintained seventh place, benefiting from a 19.3% year-on-year increase in assets to 191.03 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 160.06 USD bn at the end of 2024.Likewise, National Bank of Kuwait «NBK» retained eighth place for the second consecutive year after recording asset growth of approximately 13% during 2025, bringing total assets to 148.14 USD bn by the end of December, compared with 130.97 USD bn at the end of 2024.At the level of banks ranked from 11th to 50th place, eight additional banks successfully maintained their positions without change. «SAB» remained in 11th place for the second consecutive year, supported by a 13.6% year-on-year increase in assets, which reached 121.16 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 106.63 USD bn at the end of 2024.Dubai Islamic Bank «DIB» also retained 12th place in both 2024 and 2025 after its assets rose by 20.7% year-on-year to 113.25 USD bn at the end of December 2025, compared with 93.85 USD bn at the end of 2024.Meanwhile, Bank ABC – Bahrain maintained 25th place for the second consecutive year, supported by a 7.9% increase in assets during 2025, which reached 49.91 USD bn by the end of December, compared with 46.27 USD bn at the end of 2024.The Saudi Investment Bank remained in 29th place after its assets increased to 46.05 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 41.81 USD bn at the end of 2024, reflecting a growth rate of 10% during the year.Likewise, Bank Muscat retained 33rd place in both 2024 and 2025 after recording asset growth of 8.7% during 2025, bringing total assets to 39.30 USD bn by the end of December, compared with 36.14 USD bn at the end of 2024.Burgan Bank of Kuwait ranked 39th for the second consecutive year after its assets increased by 11.6% year-on-year to 29.55 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 26.49 USD bn at the end of 2024.Meanwhile, Crédit Populaire d’Algérie maintained 41st place for the second consecutive year, with assets growing by 6.7% during 2025 to reach 25.41 USD bn, compared with 23.84 USD bn at the end of 2024.Gulf Bank of Kuwait also remained in 42nd place for the second consecutive year, supported by a 3% year-on-year increase in assets, which reached 25.01 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 24.29 USD bn at the end of 2024.These results reflect the stability of the competitive landscape among leading Arab banks, particularly given the relatively close asset sizes of many major banking institutions across the region.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13117https://en.firstbankeg.com/1311712 Banking Brands Achieve Significant Advances in «First Bank» Ranking of the Largest Arab BanksMon, 29 Jun 2026 22:52:08 +02002026-06-11T14:00:00+02:00«First Bank» Top 100 Arab Banks Ranking for 2025 revealed notable movement within the classification, as a number of banks achieved substantial jumps compared with their positions in 2024. These advances were driven by strong asset growth and the expansion of banking activities, highlighting the intensifying competition among Arab financial institutions to strengthen their standing within the ranking.<h3>Major Leaps in the Ranking: Banks Advancing by More Than 10 Positions</h3>Bank al Etihad – Jordan topped the list of the most improved banks, climbing 15 positions in a single year to rank 53rd by the end of 2025, compared with 68th at the end of 2024, bringing it closer to joining the top 50 largest Arab banks.This progress coincided with a 49% increase in the bank’s assets during 2025, which reached 17.57 USD bn by the end of December, compared with 11.78 USD bn at the end of 2024.«Wio Bank – UAE» ranked second among the most improved banks, advancing 13 places to reach 59th position by the end of 2025, compared with 72nd in 2024.This performance reflects the bank’s exceptional asset growth, which surged by 63.5% year-on-year to 16.63 USD bn by the end of 2025, compared with 10.17 USD bn in 2024, making it the fastest-growing large Arab bank according to «First Bank’s ranking».Meanwhile, National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain «NBQ» – UAE advanced 12 positions during 2025 to secure 81st place, compared with 93rd in 2024, supported by a 28% year-on-year increase in assets to 6.23 USD bn, up from 4.87 USD bn.<h3>Strong Upward Momentum: Banks Advancing by More Than Five Positions</h3>The ranking witnessed three banks advancing by eight positions each.«CIH Bank – Morocco» rose to 52nd place by the end of 2025, compared with 60th in 2024, after its assets increased by 29% year-on-year to 17.95 USD bn, compared with 13.91 USD bn.Similarly, Ajman Bank – UAE climbed to 76th place by the end of 2025 from 84th in 2024, supported by a 44% increase in assets to 8.95 USD bn, compared with 6.22 USD bn.In the same context, Safwa Islamic Bank – Jordan advanced to 82nd place by the end of 2025, compared with 90th in 2024, after its assets reached 6.05 USD bn, up from 4.99 USD bn, representing annual growth of approximately 21%.Five banks also moved up by seven positions within the ranking, led by Commercial International Bank «CIB» – Egypt, which climbed to 38th place by the end of 2025 from 45th in 2024. The bank benefited from a 26.6% increase in assets during the year, reaching 30.11 USD bn compared with 23.79 USD bn.Crédit Agricole du Maroc advanced to 49th place by the end of 2025 from 56th in 2024, as its assets grew to 19.27 USD bn from 15.58 USD bn, achieving an annual growth rate of 23.7%.Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt also climbed to 87th place from 94th in 2024 after its assets increased by 14.5% to 5.41 USD bn, compared with 4.72 USD bn.Tunisia’s «STB» moved up to 88th place by the end of 2025 from 95th in 2024, following a 15% year-on-year increase in assets to 5.39 USD bn, compared with 4.68 USD bn.Meanwhile, National Bank of Iraq advanced to 92nd place from 99th in 2024 after recording asset growth of 26.6% during the year, with total assets reaching 4.97 USD bn compared with 3.93 USD bn.On the other hand, AlexBank improved by six positions, ranking 91st by the end of 2025 compared with 97th in 2024. The bank’s advancement was supported by a 20.3% year-on-year increase in assets, which reached 5.07 USD bn compared with 4.22 USD bn.These movements demonstrate that competition within the Arab banking sector is no longer limited to the largest institutions. A broad group of mid-sized and emerging banks has successfully accelerated growth over the past year, strengthening their positions within the regional banking landscape.The significant advances achieved by these institutions also suggest that the ranking remains open to further changes in the coming years, particularly as several banks continue to record growth rates exceeding the sector average, potentially enabling them to secure even higher positions among the largest Arab banks.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13032https://en.firstbankeg.com/13032The Battle of Big Numbers: Emirates NBD and ADCB Compete for Second Place in the UAE Banking SectorWed, 10 Jun 2026 16:46:27 +02002026-06-10T16:46:27+02:00Amid intensifying competition among the UAE’s banking giants, a new edition of the “Battle of Big Numbers” series examines the rivalry between Emirates NBD and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) for the position of the country’s second-largest banking institution.According to March 2026 financial data, Emirates NBD continues to rank as the UAE’s second-largest bank by assets, while ADCB maintains its position as the third-largest lender, making their competition one of the most notable features of the UAE banking landscape.An analysis of key financial indicators reveals Emirates NBD’s clear lead in terms of scale, with total assets rising to $331.24 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with $220.20 billion for ADCB during the same period.The advantage also extends to deposits, as Emirates NBD’s customer deposits reached $225.96 billion by the end of March 2026, compared with $142.41 billion for its rival, reflecting the bank’s stronger ability to attract savings and secure low-cost funding sources.On the lending front, Emirates NBD continued to dominate, reporting net customer loans of $184.53 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with $115.90 billion for ADCB during the same period.Despite Emirates NBD’s larger scale, growth metrics paint a more competitive picture over the past three years (from the end of 2022 to March 2026). Emirates NBD recorded asset growth of 63.9%, while ADCB posted a closely matched 62.4% increase, highlighting the latter’s ability to keep pace with the expansion of its larger competitor.However, the similarity in growth rates was not enough to narrow the gap between the two banks. The difference in total assets widened to $111.04 billion by the end of March 2026, up from $66.48 billion at the end of 2022.In the deposits race, ADCB outperformed with a 69.3% growth rate over the past three years, compared with 65.0% for Emirates NBD during the same period. Nevertheless, Emirates NBD’s larger deposit base pushed the gap between the two banks from $52.84 billion at the end of 2022 to $83.55 billion by March 2026.ADCB also achieved stronger growth in net customer loans, posting a 64.6% increase over the past three years, compared with 62.7% for Emirates NBD. Yet this was insufficient to reduce the lending gap between the two institutions, which widened to $68.63 billion by the end of March 2026, compared with $43.06 billion at the end of 2022.In terms of profitability, Emirates NBD continues to strengthen its lead, reporting net profit of $1.75 billion during the first quarter of 2026—nearly double ADCB’s $915 million profit during the same period.The bank also demonstrated superior operating efficiency and profitability in the first quarter of 2026, achieving a return on average assets (ROAA) of 2.15%, compared with 1.70% for ADCB, reflecting a stronger ability to generate earnings from its asset base.Similarly, Emirates NBD posted a return on average equity (ROAE) of 17.73%, compared with 15.41% for ADCB, indicating greater efficiency in deploying shareholders’ funds and generating returns on invested capital.Despite this, ADCB still retains an important competitive advantage in the form of a larger capital base. The bank’s capital stood at $2.15 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with $1.72 billion for Emirates NBD, providing greater flexibility to support future growth plans and strengthen its resilience against economic and operational challenges.These figures underscore that Emirates NBD has not only maintained its leadership in terms of size but has also continued to grow at a pace comparable to its competitor, resulting in a wider gap across its key financial portfolios by the end of March 2026.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13031https://en.firstbankeg.com/13031Al Rajhi Bank Tops Global Islamic Banking Rankings at End-March 2026According to the latest rankings released by First Bank, Al Rajhi Bank ranked first among the worlds 20 largeWed, 10 Jun 2026 16:39:53 +02002026-06-10T16:39:53+02:00According to the latest rankings released by First Bank, Al Rajhi Bank ranked first among the world’s 20 largest Islamic banks at the end of March 2026.The bank’s total assets reached $280.11 billion at the end of March 2026, compared to $278.15 billion at the end of 2025, representing a 0.7% quarter-on-quarter growth rate.The ranking was based on the size of reported assets denominated in U.S. dollars, providing a standardized comparison tool among Islamic banking institutions. Banks lacking officially disclosed financial data were excluded from the ranking to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the methodology.The ranking covered parent banking groups across various Arab countries and did not include their foreign subsidiaries.In addition to asset growth, Al Rajhi Bank delivered a strong financial performance during the current year. Net profit rose to $1.80 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared to $1.58 billion during the same period in 2025, marking a 14.4% increase.Income from financing and investment activities surged by 18.4%, reaching $2.24 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up from $1.89 billion in the corresponding period of 2025.Banking service fees increased to $427.21 million during the first three months of 2026, compared to $365.96 million in the same period of 2025, reflecting a 16.7% growth rate.Customer deposits grew by approximately 1.7% during the first quarter of the year, reaching $180.85 billion at the end of March 2026, compared to $177.91 billion at the end of 2025.Net financing increased to $200.83 billion at the end of March 2026, compared to $200.69 billion at the end of 2025, representing a 0.1% quarter-on-quarter growth rate.Meanwhile, shareholders’ equity rose to $40.67 billion at the end of March 2026, compared to $38.10 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting a 6.7% quarter-on-quarter increase.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13123https://en.firstbankeg.com/13123Al Rajhi Bank the World’s Largest Islamic Bank as of the end of March 2026Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:48:49 +02002026-06-10T12:12:00+02:00According to the latest First Bank rankings, Al Rajhi Bank has retained its position as the largest Islamic bank in the world as of March 2026.The bank's total assets reached US$280.11 billion at the end of March 2026, up from US$278.15 billion at the end of 2025, representing a quarter-on-quarter growth rate of 0.7%.The ranking was based on reported total assets, converted into U.S. dollars, providing a standardized basis for comparing Islamic banking institutions worldwide. Banks without officially disclosed financial data were excluded to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the methodology. The ranking covers parent banking groups across the Arab world and excludes their foreign subsidiaries.Alongside its asset growth, Al Rajhi Bank delivered a strong financial performance during the current year. Its net profit increased to US$1.80 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$1.58 billion during the same period in 2025, reflecting a 14.4% year-on-year increase.Income from financing and investments rose by 18.4%, reaching US$2.24 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$1.89 billion during the corresponding period of the previous year.Banking service fees also recorded solid growth, increasing to US$427.21 million during the first three months of 2026, compared with US$365.96 million in the same period of 2025, representing a 16.7% year-on-year increase.Customer deposits expanded by 1.7% during the first quarter of 2026, reaching US$180.85 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$177.91 billion at the end of 2025.The bank's net financing portfolio increased to US$200.83 billion by the end of March 2026, up slightly from US$200.69 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting a 0.1% quarter-on-quarter growth rate.Meanwhile, shareholders’ equity rose to US$40.67 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$38.10 billion at the end of 2025, representing a 6.7% quarter-on-quarter increase.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13108https://en.firstbankeg.com/13108Mahynar Mohamed«First Bank» Analysis.. Expected Changes in the Ranking of the Top 20 Arab Banks by the End of 2026As part of its forward-looking assessment of the Arab banking sector, First Bank has developed an analyticalSun, 28 Jun 2026 18:19:43 +02002026-06-09T15:18:00+02:00As part of its forward-looking assessment of the Arab banking sector, «First Bank» has developed an analytical model to forecast the ranking of the Top 20 Arab banks by the end of 2026, amid ongoing competition among regional lenders to expand their asset bases and strengthen their market positions.The projections were based on calculating each bank's Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the 2022–2025 period and applying that growth rate to the bank's total assets at the end of 2025 to estimate its asset size by the end of 2026.The model assumes that historical growth trends will continue at the same pace throughout 2026. However, it also recognizes that exceptional events or unexpected fluctuations in performance could affect the accuracy of the forecasts for some banks.The results indicate a high degree of stability within the ranking of the Top 20 Arab banks, According to the model, 11 banks are expected to retain their current positions compared with the 2025 ranking, while the anticipated changes are limited to a small number of position swaps among banks with relatively similar asset sizes.At the top of the ranking, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is projected to maintain its position as the largest Arab bank by the end of 2026, while Qatar National Bank (QNB) is expected to remain in second place, unchanged from the 2025 ranking.The most notable movement within the top five is expected to occur between the third and fourth positions, with Emirates NBD projected to advance to third place, while Saudi National Bank (SNB) is expected to slip to fourth place. Al Rajhi Bank is forecast to retain its fifth-place ranking.The remainder of the top ten is also expected to remain relatively stable. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) is projected to hold sixth place, followed by the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) in seventh, and the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) in eighth.Meanwhile, Riyad Bank is expected to move up to ninth place, while Kuwait Finance House (KFH) is projected to decline to tenth, compared with the 2025 ranking.Within the 11th to 20th positions, somewhat more noticeable—though still limited—changes are expected. SAB is forecast to remain 11th, Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB)12th, and Mashreq Bank13th.Attijariwafa Bank is projected to advance to 14th place, up from 15th, while Alinma Bank is expected to climb to 15th, from 16th.Conversely, Banque Misr is forecast to decline to 16th place, compared with 14th in the 2025 ranking.The projections also indicate that Banque Saudi Fransi will retain 17th place, while Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) is expected to rise to 18th, overtaking Arab Bank (Jordan), which is projected to slip to 19th, Arab National Bank (ANB) is expected to maintain its 20th-place position.Overall, the findings suggest that the ranking of the largest Arab banks is likely to remain broadly stable through the end of 2026. The anticipated changes are largely confined to limited position swaps among similarly sized institutions, while the balance of power at the top of the Arab banking sector is expected to remain fundamentally unchanged.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13006https://en.firstbankeg.com/1300624 banks operating in the Egyptian market included in First Bank’s list of the Top 100 deposit banks in MENASun, 07 Jun 2026 15:49:05 +02002026-06-07T15:49:05+02:00A recent ranking issued by First Bank of the Top 100 banks in deposits in the Middle East and North Africa by the end of 2025 revealed the presence of 24 banks operating in the Egyptian market, including 11 local banks carrying Egyptian brands and 13 foreign banking groups operating in Egypt.The ranking was based on the classification of banks according to the volume of customer deposits announced at the end of 2025 and denominated in U.S. dollars, providing a unified comparison tool between different banking institutions. The ranking also excluded banks for which no official data was available, in order to ensure the accuracy of the results and the reliability of the adopted methodology.Egyptian banks included in the rankingThe National Bank of Egypt seized the 8th place in the Middle East and North Africa region and ranked first among Egyptian banks, with total deposits amounting to $121.57 billion at the end of 2025.Banque Misr seized the 17th place in the Middle East and North Africa region and ranked second among Egyptian banks, with deposits reaching $63.49 billion at the end of 2025.Commercial International Bank–Egypt (CIB) ranked 38th in the Middle East and North Africa region and third among Egyptian banks, with its deposit portfolio reaching around $23.17 billion at the end of 2025.The Arab African International Bank ranked 48th in the Middle East and North Africa region and fifth among Egyptian banks, with deposits of $14.40 billion at the end of 2025.Banque du Caire ranked 69th in the Middle East and North Africa region and sixth among Egyptian banks, with a deposit portfolio recorded at $8.41 billion at the end of 2025.Suez Canal Bank ranked 84th in the Middle East and North Africa region and 12th among Egyptian banks, with deposits recorded at $4.38 billion at the end of 2025.Faisal Islamic Bank ranked 88th in the Middle East and North Africa region and 13th among Egyptian banks, with deposits of $4.1 billion at the end of 2025.Bank of Alexandria ranked 90th in the Middle East and North Africa region and 14th among Egyptian banks, with deposits of $3.89 billion at the end of 2025.Housing and Development Bank ranked 91st in the Middle East and North Africa region and 16th among Egyptian banks, after its deposits recorded around $3.76 billion at the end of 2025.Export Development Bank of Egypt (EBank) ranked 98th in the Middle East and North Africa region and 19th among Egyptian banks, with total deposits amounting to $3.06 billion at the end of 2025.The SABA International Bank (saib) ranked 100th in the Middle East and North Africa region and 22nd among Egyptian banks, with deposits of $2.95 billion at the end of 2025.Banks operating in Egypt with parent groups included in the rankingQatar National Bank Group seized the top position in the list, recording about $261.4 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary bank in Egypt recorded deposits of about $16.34 billion, ranking 4th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.First Abu Dhabi Bank ranked second, recording about $228.92 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $7 billion, ranking 7th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Emirates NBD Group ranked 3rd in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $214.01 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $3.56 billion, ranking 17th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank ranked 7th in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $136.07 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $3.15 billion, ranking 18th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Kuwait National Bank Group ranked 12th in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $84.65 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary bank in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $3.77 billion, ranking 15th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Kuwait Finance House Group ranked 16th in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $68.3 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary bank in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $2.96 billion, ranking 20th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Group ranked 18th in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $62.38 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary bank in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $5.83 billion, ranking 8th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Attijariwafa Bank Group ranked 20th in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $57.81 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary bank in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $2.76 billion, ranking 23rd among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait Group ranked 51st in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $13.22 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary bank in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $2.96 billion, ranking 21st among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.Al Baraka Group ranked 73rd in the Middle East and North Africa region, recording about $8.17 billion at the end of 2025, while its subsidiary bank in Egypt recorded a deposit portfolio of about $2.57 billion, ranking 25th among the largest banks in terms of deposits in the Egyptian market at the end of the same year.It is worth noting that both Mashreq Bank and Arab Bank were included in the list, ranking 22nd and 23rd in the Middle East and North Africa region, with deposits of $55.78 billion and $54.62 billion respectively at the end of 2025. However, neither of them disclosed their subsidiary deposits in Egypt.To view the full list.. click <a href="https://www.firstbankeg.com/44630?utm_source=chatgpt.com">here</a>https://en.firstbankeg.com/13003https://en.firstbankeg.com/13003first bankADCB Strengthens Its Position Among the Largest Banks in the Middle East and North AfricaSun, 07 Jun 2026 14:15:57 +02002026-06-07T14:15:57+02:00First Bank’s ranking of the Top 100 Banks in the Middle East and North Africa revealed that Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) regained the sixth position in the ranking by the end of March 2026, after slipping to seventh place at the end of 2025, supported by strong financial performance during the first quarter of the year.The bank continued to expand its business volumes, with total assets increasing by 4.5% during Q1 2026 to reach $220.20 billion at the end of March, compared to $210.64 billion at the end of 2025, representing an increase of $9.55 billion.In addition to asset growth, the bank delivered solid performance during the first quarter of 2026, with customer deposits rising by 4.7% to $142.40 billion at the end of March, up from $136.07 billion at the end of 2025.The bank’s loan portfolio also expanded by 4.9% during the first three months of 2026, reaching $115.90 billion at the end of March, compared to $110.53 billion at the end of 2025.On the profitability front, ADCB recorded a strong 37.4% increase in net profit during the first quarter of 2026, reaching $915 million, compared to $666 million during the same period of 2025.Net interest income grew by approximately 8.4% during Q1 2026 to $831 million, compared to $766 million in the corresponding period of 2025.Meanwhile, net income from Islamic financing and Islamic investment products increased by 18.5% during the first three months of the year, reaching $187 million, compared to $158 million in the same period of 2025.In the same context, profit before tax rose by around 30% during Q1 2026 to $1.03 billion, compared to $791 million in the first quarter of 2025.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13002https://en.firstbankeg.com/13002Mahynar MohamedSurge in Rankings Reshuffles North African Banks in Latest «First Bank» List of Top 100 Arab Bankslatest First Banklist of the Top 100 Arab Banks as of the end of 2025 revealed remarkable movement in the pSun, 07 Jun 2026 14:06:14 +02002026-06-07T14:06:14+02:00latest «First Bank» list of the Top 100 Arab Banks as of the end of 2025 revealed remarkable movement in the positions of North African banks within the ranking. The Stability Index recorded only about 25% compared to 2024 data, reflecting the magnitude of changes experienced by banks in the North Africa region during the year.«First Bank» had launched the Stability Index to measure the movement of banks within the list, according to four main levels: Banks that maintained their positions without change are classified under the “Full Stability” category, while banks that moved between one and 3 positions are classified under the “Relative Stability” category.Banks that witnessed a change ranging between 4 and 10 positions fall under the “Medium Movement” category, while banks whose ranking changed by more than 10 positions are classified under the “Major Movements” category, reflecting sharp changes in their positions within the ranking.Regarding the performance of North African banks (24 banks listed in the ranking) between 2024 and 2025, the National Bank of Egypt maintained its position among the top ten, stable at the 7th rank, thus falling under the “Full Stability” category. Credit Populaire D’Algerie also maintained its 41st position without change between 2024 and 2025, also classified under the “Full Stability” category.Meanwhile, 4 banks fell under the “Relative Stability” category. Attijariwafa Bank – Morocco rose one position to rank 15th by the end of 2025, compared to 16th at the end of 2024, after its assets grew to $87.23 billion, compared to $71.68 billion.Centrale Populaire Banque – Morocco rose one position to rank 21st, compared to 22nd at the end of 2024, supported by an increase in its assets to $62.64 billion compared to $53.63 billion.Bank of Africa – Morocco also advanced one position to occupy the 27th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 28th rank at the end of 2024, after its assets rose to $47.99 billion compared to $41.76 billion. The Arab African International Bank – Egypt advanced two positions to reach the 47th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 49th rank at the end of 2024, after its assets increased to $20.01 billion compared to $18.15 billion, thus falling under the same category.In contrast, 15 banks fell under the “Medium Movement” category, Banque Misr advanced four positions to occupy the 14th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 18th rank at the end of 2024, supported by an increase in its assets to $90.75 billion compared to $70.95 billion.The Commercial International Bank (CIB) – Egypt witnessed a remarkable improvement after jumping seven positions at once to the 38th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 45th rank at the end of 2024, supported by asset growth to $30.11 billion compared to $23.76 billion.Credit Agricole du Maroc achieved a notable advance by climbing seven positions to the 49th rank, compared to the 56th rank at the end of 2024, supported by an increase in its assets to $19.27 billion compared to $15.58 billion.CIH Bank-Morocco recorded the biggest rise among North African banks in the list, after advancing eight positions to reach the 52nd rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 60th rank at the end of 2024, with its assets growing to $17.95 billion compared to $13.91 billion.Banque de Developpement local Algeria advanced five positions to occupy the 57th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 62nd rank at the end of 2024, after its assets rose to $16.88 billion compared to $13.51 billion.Saham Bank-Morocco advanced five positions to the 61st rank, compared to the 66th, supported by an increase in its assets to $14.93 billion compared to $12.58 billion.Al Barid Bank – Morocco rose four positions to reach the 69th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 73rd rank at the end of 2024, with its assets growing to $11.24 billion compared to $9.78 billion.Banque du Caire advanced five positions to occupy the 70th rank, compared to the 75th, after its assets rose to $11.16 billion compared to $9.49 billion.Banque internationale Arabe de Tunisie (BIAT) advanced five positions to reach the 74th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 79th rank at the end of 2024, supported by an increase in its assets to $9.36 billion compared to $7.84 billion.Credit du Maroc advanced five positions to occupy the 75th rank by the end of last year, compared to the 80th rank at the end of 2024, with its assets rising to $9.18 billion compared to $7.31 billion.Banque Nationale Agricole BNA – Tunisia rose five positions to the 77th rank, compared to the 82nd, after recording assets worth $8.73 billion compared to $7.04 billion.Faisal Islamic Bank advanced seven positions to occupy the 87th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 94th rank at the end of 2024, with its assets growing to $5.41 billion compared to $4.72 billion.STB Bank – Tunisia advanced seven positions to reach the 88th rank, compared to the 95th, after its assets rose to $5.39 billion compared to $4.68 billion.Alex Bank advanced six positions to occupy the 91st rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 97th rank at the end of 2024, with its assets rising to $5.07 billion compared to $4.22 billion.Amen Bank, it rose four positions to the 96th rank by the end of 2025, compared to the 100th rank at the end of 2024, supported by asset growth to $4.45 billion compared to $3.72 billion, thus also falling under the “Medium Movement” category.The 2025 ranking witnessed the entry of 3 North African banks into the list compared to the 2024 ranking. Suez Canal Bank came in the 86th position, while Housing and development Bank occupied the 93rd position, and Ebank ranked 97th.The results of the ranking confirm that North African banks were among the most active banking groups in terms of movement within the list during 2025. The changes in positions were based on the accelerated growth of assets and the entry of new players into the ranking, reflecting the growing competitive strength of the banking sector in the North Africa region and its ability to enhance its presence among the largest Arab banks.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13107https://en.firstbankeg.com/13107First BankADIB and Qatar Islamic Bank Battle for a Place Among the World's Top Five Islamic BanksSun, 28 Jun 2026 17:34:11 +02002026-06-03T14:22:00+02:00The landscape of the world's largest Islamic banks has been undergoing rapid transformation in recent years, driven by the growing demand for Islamic banking services and intensifying competition among major Gulf financial institutions for leading positions within the industry.Against this backdrop, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) and Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) have emerged as two of the region's and the world's leading competitors, particularly as both banks continue to expand while following increasingly different growth trajectories.According to data as of March 2026, ADIB ranks as the fifth-largest Islamic bank globally by total assets, while Qatar Islamic Bank occupies the sixth position. Over recent years, ADIB has steadily strengthened its lead and widened the gap over its Qatari rival across assets, deposits, and financing portfolios.ADIB's total assets reached US$78.15 billion at the end of March 2026, compared with US$61.48 billion for Qatar Islamic Bank during the same period.ADIB also maintained a clear advantage in deposits, which stood at US$65.16 billion at the end of March 2026, versus US$52.20 billion for Qatar Islamic Bank.The bank also preserved its leadership in financing activities, with net customer financing totaling US$52.76 billion by the end of March 2026, compared with US$40.18 billion for Qatar Islamic Bank over the same period.The shift in the competitive landscape becomes even more apparent when examining growth rates over the past three years—from the end of 2022 through March 2026. During this period, ADIB recorded 70.3% growth in total assets, compared with only 21.6% for Qatar Islamic Bank.This strong performance enabled ADIB to overtake Qatar Islamic Bank by the end of 2023, before further widening the asset gap to US$16.67 billion by the end of March 2026.In terms of deposits, ADIB posted robust growth of 73.2% over the past three years, while Qatar Islamic Bank recorded a marginal decline of 0.05% during the same period.As a result, the deposits gap between the two banks expanded to US$12.96 billion by the end of March 2026, up from approximately US$3.39 billion at the end of 2022.On the financing front, ADIB achieved 79.9% growth in net customer financing over the past three years, compared with 22.6% growth for Qatar Islamic Bank.This enabled ADIB to gradually narrow the financing gap before overtaking Qatar Islamic Bank by the end of 2024, ultimately expanding its lead to US$12.58 billion by the end of March 2026.ADIB's advantage extends beyond growth momentum to profitability and operating efficiency. During the first quarter of 2026, the bank generated net profit of US$496.85 million, significantly exceeding Qatar Islamic Bank's US$270.48 million over the same period.ADIB also outperformed its competitor in profitability metrics, posting a return on average assets (ROAA) of 2.57% during the first quarter of 2026, compared with 1.77% for Qatar Islamic Bank.In addition, ADIB recorded a return on average equity (ROAE) of 23.38%, versus 11.77% for Qatar Islamic Bank, reflecting superior efficiency in utilizing both assets and shareholders' equity to generate earnings.On the capital front, ADIB also enjoys a strong relative advantage, with capital totaling US$988.76 million at the end of March 2026, compared with US$648.55 million for Qatar Islamic Bank. This provides the bank with greater financial flexibility to support its future expansion plans and strengthen its resilience against potential shocks.These indicators suggest that competition between ADIB and Qatar Islamic Bank is no longer limited to maintaining their positions among the world's largest Islamic banks. Instead, it has evolved into a race defined by the speed of expansion, the efficiency of growth, and the ability to generate sustainable profitability.While ADIB has successfully consolidated its leadership over recent years, maintaining this momentum could further reshape the competitive landscape among the world's leading Islamic banking institutions, particularly as the global Islamic finance industry continues to expand at an accelerated pace.https://en.firstbankeg.com/13106https://en.firstbankeg.com/13106First BankLarge Banks Show the Greatest Stability While Emerging Banks Reshuffle the Rankings.. How Did the Top 100 Arab Banks ranking change over two years?Data First Bank Top 100 Arab Banks ranking revealed significant shifts between Arab banks during 2024 andSun, 28 Jun 2026 17:24:30 +02002026-06-02T13:24:00+02:00Data from First Bank Top 100 Arab Banks ranking revealed significant shifts between Arab banks during 2024 and 2025, highlighting the remarkable stability of the largest institutions alongside substantial movement among mid-sized and emerging banks.The analysis classified banks into three main groups: The first comprises large banks with total assets exceeding US$50 billion, the second includes mid-sized banks with assets ranging between US$15 billion and US$50 billion, while the third consists of emerging banks with assets below US$15 billion.Between 2024 and 2025, several Arab banks advanced to higher tiers within the ranking, reflecting strong growth in their asset bases.Leading this upward movement were Commercial Bank of Qatar and Gulf International Bank, both of which graduated from the second tier to the first, joining the league of the region's largest banks.Meanwhile, the second tier welcomed six new entrants promoted from the third group: Credit Immobilier et Hotelier (CIH) of Morocco, Bank al Etihad of Jordan, Local Development Bank of Algeria, National Bank of Bahrain, Wio Bank of the UAE, and Kuwait International Bank.On the other hand, Bank Audi of Lebanon dropped from the second tier to the third, reflecting the ongoing challenges facing the Lebanese banking sector.The analytical indicators revealed notable differences in stability across the three groups. The first tier emerged as the most resilient, recording a 91.67% stability rate, underscoring the difficulty of displacing the region's leading banking institutions.The second tier ranked next with a 77.14% stability rate, while the third tier experienced the highest degree of volatility, with a full stability rate of only 6.1%, reflecting intense competition among banks in this segment.From a geographical perspective, Gulf banks continued to dominate the regional landscape, accounting for 58 banks in the ranking and recording the highest full stability rate at 24.1%, highlighting the strength of their financial positions and their ability to maintain their competitive standing.In contrast, banks in North Africa and the Levant displayed greater movement in their rankings, posting comparatively low full stability rates of 10% and 7.1%, respectively, indicating a higher sensitivity to domestic economic conditions and geopolitical developments.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12966https://en.firstbankeg.com/12966First BankSaudi National Bank Ranked as the Most Profitable Arab Bank During 2025Mon, 25 May 2026 01:21:06 +02002026-05-21T13:08:00+02:00The latest ranking by «First Bank» revealed that Saudi National Bank topped the list of the most profitable Arab banks during 2025.This came after the bank recorded net profits worth $6.66 billion during 2025, compared to $5.61 billion in 2024, reflecting an annual growth rate of 18.7%.The ranking was based on banks’ reported net profits denominated in U.S. dollars, providing a unified comparison tool among different banking institutions. The ranking also excluded banks for which official data was unavailable, in order to ensure the accuracy of the results and the reliability of the adopted methodology.The bank continued to deliver strong profitability during the current year, as its net profit reached $1.71 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared to $1.60 billion during the same period of 2025, marking a growth rate of 7.4%.Overall, Saudi National Bank recorded solid performance during the current year, with its asset portfolio rising to $327.38 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $322.61 billion at the end of 2025, representing quarterly growth of 1.5%.Its customer deposit portfolio increased by 4.6% during the first quarter of the current year, reaching $177.34 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $169.59 billion at the end of 2025.The bank’s net financing portfolio rose to $195.25 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $194.44 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting quarterly growth of 0.4%.Meanwhile, shareholders’ equity jumped to $57.20 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $54.34 billion at the end of 2025, recording quarterly growth of 5.3%.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12978https://en.firstbankeg.com/12978First BankDespite ADIB’s Accelerating Growth, Dubai Islamic Bank Maintains Sole Leadership of the UAE Islamic Banking SectorTue, 26 May 2026 04:28:01 +02002026-05-20T13:00:00+02:00Amid intensifying competition within the Islamic banking sector in the UAE market, and the divergence in growth and expansion strategies among banks, the gap between the major institutions has become increasingly evident over time, particularly when analyzing key financial indicators and medium-term growth rates.This comes as banks seek to strengthen their market shares through expanding lending activities and growing deposit bases, while simultaneously maintaining strong profitability levels.According to March 2026 data, Dubai Islamic Bank continues to lead the UAE Islamic banking sector, with total assets reaching approximately $114.32 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to around $78.15 billion for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank during the same period.Dubai Islamic Bank’s superiority also extends to its deposit base, with deposits totaling approximately $87.66 billion by the end of March 2026, versus $65.16 billion for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank during the same period.The bank also maintained its lead in financing activity, recording net customer financing of $73.68 billion, compared to $52.76 billion for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank by the end of March 2026.However, the competitive landscape appears more dynamic when examining growth rates over the past three years, specifically from the end of 2022 through March 2026. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank achieved asset growth of 70.3%, compared to 45.6% for Dubai Islamic Bank during the same period.Despite Dubai Islamic Bank’s continued dominance in terms of size, the asset gap between the two banks widened to $36.17 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $32.60 billion at the end of 2022. This reflects Dubai Islamic Bank’s continued ability to maintain its leadership despite the accelerating growth pace of its competitor.In terms of deposits, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank posted strong growth of 73.2% over the last three years, compared to 62.1% for Dubai Islamic Bank during the same period.Nevertheless, the gap between the two banks in deposits expanded to $22.50 billion by the end of March 2026, up from $16.48 billion at the end of 2022, driven by the continued strong growth of Dubai Islamic Bank’s customer base and its larger market size.Regarding financing activity, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank achieved strong growth in net customer financing of 79.9% over the last three years, compared to 45.4% for Dubai Islamic Bank. This resulted in a slight narrowing of the financing gap to $20.92 billion by the end of March 2026, versus $21.33 billion at the end of 2022.Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank’s advantage is not limited to growth momentum alone; it also extends to profitability and operational efficiency indicators. The bank recorded net profits of $496.85 million during the first quarter of 2026, surpassing Dubai Islamic Bank’s profits of $489.68 million during the same period.Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank also outperformed in return metrics, posting a return on average assets of 2.57% during the first quarter of 2026, compared to 1.72% for Dubai Islamic Bank. In addition, it achieved a return on average equity of 23.38%, compared to 13.33% for the latter, reflecting higher efficiency in utilizing assets and shareholders’ equity to generate profits.On the other hand, Dubai Islamic Bank still retains a strong relative advantage in terms of capital base, with capital reaching approximately $1.97 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to $988.76 million for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. This gives it greater flexibility to support future expansion plans and enhance its ability to absorb shocks and potential market fluctuations.In light of the above, Dubai Islamic Bank continues to outperform in terms of portfolio size, while Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank demonstrates more dynamic performance in growth rates and profitability efficiency.Despite the widening gap in some key indicators, the accelerating growth pace of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank across several areas reflects an improvement in its competitive capabilities.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12977https://en.firstbankeg.com/12977Strong Competition Between Warba Bank and CIH Bank Over the Largest Arab Banks by Deposits RankingTue, 26 May 2026 04:22:28 +02002026-05-19T15:14:00+02:00The First Bank  ranking of the largest 100 Arab banks by deposits at the end of 2025 revealed the continued intensity of competition among Arab banks within the mid-tier segment, amid the relative convergence in deposit portfolio sizes among several closely ranked banks.In this context, strong competition has emerged between Warba Bank and CIH Bank to break into the list of the top 50 Arab banks by deposit size.According to the ranking, Warba Bank came in 50th place after recording deposits of approximately $11.40 billion by the end of 2025, while CIH Bank ranked 51st with a deposit portfolio totaling $10.91 billion, leaving a gap of no more than $488 million between the two banks, reflecting the close proximity in size between them.To anticipate the potential direction of competition by the end of 2026, customer deposit growth at both banks was analyzed over the period from 2022 to 2025. Warba Bank recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9%, with its deposit portfolio rising from $8.74 billion at the end of 2022 to $11.40 billion by the end of 2025.In contrast, CIH Bank achieved a faster growth pace, recording a CAGR of around 22%, as its deposits jumped from approximately $5.99 billion at the end of 2022 to $10.91 billion by the end of 2025. This rapid expansion significantly narrowed the gap with Warba Bank.Based on these figures, and assuming the continuation of the current growth rates, projections indicate that CIH Bank could overtake Warba Bank by the end of 2026. CIH Bank’s deposits are expected to rise to approximately $13.32 billion, compared with around $12.45 billion for Warba Bank, potentially leading to a shift in their positions within the ranking of the top 50 Arab banks by deposits.These indicators reflect the growing intensity of competition for mid-tier positions within the ranking, particularly given the narrow differences in deposit volumes among several banks. As a result, maintaining positions within the list is becoming increasingly tied to the ability to achieve sustainable growth and accelerate the expansion of deposit bases in the coming periods.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12976https://en.firstbankeg.com/12976Between Strong Growth and Stability… How Did UAE Banks Move in the «First Bank» Ranking of the Largest Arab Banks?Tue, 26 May 2026 04:19:45 +02002026-05-19T12:10:00+02:00 «First Bank» ranking of the largest 100 Arab banks by the end of 2025 revealed a state of relative stability in the performance of UAE banks within the ranking, with the Stability Index reaching nearly 71% compared with 2024 data.The UAE banking sector secured 18 spots in the ranking by the end of 2025, compared with 17 spots at the end of 2024, reflecting the continued strong presence of UAE banks among the largest Arab banking institutions.“First Bank” had previously launched the Stability Index to measure banks’ movements within the ranking based on four main categories. Banks that maintained their positions without change are classified under “Full Stability,” while banks that moved between one and three positions fall under the “Stable Movement” category.Banks whose rankings changed between four and ten positions are classified under “Moderate Movement,” while banks that shifted by more than ten places are categorized under “Major Movements,” reflecting sharp changes in their standings within the ranking.The index also divided Arab banks in the ranking into three main groups. The first group includes large banks with assets exceeding $50 billion, the second group includes mid-sized banks with assets ranging between $15 billion and $50 billion, while the third group includes emerging banks with assets below $15 billion.The ranking revealed the presence of six UAE banks within the first group — banks with assets exceeding $50 billion — which appeared to be the most stable segment. Three of these banks maintained their positions without change compared with 2024 data, placing them within the “Full Stability” category: Emirates NBD in fourth place, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank in sixth place, and Dubai Islamic Bank in 12th place.Meanwhile, the other three banks recorded limited upward movements ranging between one and two positions, placing them within the “Stable Movement” category. First Abu Dhabi Bank climbed to the top of the ranking by the end of 2025, compared with second place at the end of 2024.Mashreq Bank also advanced to 13th place by the end of 2025, compared with 15th place at the end of 2024, while Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank rose to 19th place instead of 20th place at the end of 2024.As for the second group — banks with assets ranging between $15 billion and $50 billion — it included six UAE banks, where movements appeared more diverse compared with the first group. Four banks recorded movements ranging between one and three positions, placing them within the “Stable Movement” category.Commercial Bank of Dubai climbed to 31st place by the end of 2025, compared with 32nd place at the end of 2024, while National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah advanced to 40th place compared with 43rd place at the end of 2024.Sharjah Islamic Bank also rose to 43rd place by the end of 2025, compared with 46th place at the end of 2024, while National Bank of Fujairah advanced to 50th place at the end of last year instead of 52nd place.In contrast, Emirates Islamic recorded a moderate movement of five positions after climbing to 32nd place by the end of 2025, compared with 37th place at the end of 2024, placing it within the “Moderate Movement” category.Meanwhile, Wio Bank achieved the largest jump within the ranking after advancing 13 positions at once, supported by recording the highest asset growth rate among UAE banks in the ranking. Its assets increased by approximately 63.5% during 2025, allowing it to reach 59th place compared with 72nd place at the end of 2024.At the level of the third group — banks with assets below $15 billion — which included five UAE banks, movements appeared more volatile despite Bank of Sharjah maintaining its position in 67th place without change, placing it within the “Full Stability” category.Commercial International Bank UAE joined the “Stable Movement” category after advancing three positions to 83rd place by the end of 2025, compared with 86th place at the end of 2024.Two banks fell under the “Moderate Movement” category, as Ajman Bank advanced eight positions to 76th place by the end of 2025, compared with 84th place at the end of 2024, while United Arab Bank climbed five positions to 80th place compared with 85th place at the end of 2024. Meanwhile, National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain joined the “Major Movements” category after advancing 12 positions at once to 81st place by the end of 2025, compared with 93rd place at the end of 2024.As for The Investment Bank, it joined the ranking by the end of 2025 after occupying 99th place, while it had been outside the list of the largest 100 Arab banks at the end of 2024.According to the data, the UAE banking sector continued strengthening its presence within the ranking of the largest 100 Arab banks amid a state of relative stability in rankings, especially among major banks. This reflects the strength of their capital bases and the continued balanced growth of UAE banks.The recorded movements within the ranking also carried an entirely positive tone, as all UAE banks either maintained or improved their positions within the list, with no bank recording a decline in ranking compared with 2024 data.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12938https://en.firstbankeg.com/12938The philosophy of Amr El-Shafie has helped shape a strong presence for Emirates NBD in the retail banking market.Sun, 17 May 2026 16:06:21 +02002026-05-17T16:06:21+02:00The retail banking market in Egypt is witnessing a deep structural transformation, driven by changing customer behavior, accelerating digital transformation, and growing demand for more flexible and customized financing products. This has pushed banks to fundamentally redesign their competitive strategies in order to expand market share and strengthen their presence in an increasingly competitive environment.Within this context, the philosophy of Amr El-Shafie, CEO of Emirates NBD Egypt, who took office in early 2023, stands out in redefining growth within retail banking. His approach is based on operational flexibility, expanding the target customer base, and maximizing the use of digital solutions and innovation, rather than relying on traditional branch expansion and geographic spread.This vision has been clearly reflected in a series of decisive executive moves, including a comprehensive restructuring of the retail banking division and the appointment of Mostafa Ramzy as Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management in early 2023, which enhanced management efficiency and improved the speed and quality of decision-making within one of the bank’s most critical sectors.The strategy also extended to reshaping the operational infrastructure of the division by developing distribution channels, accelerating digital transformation, and launching more advanced financing products closely aligned with customers’ actual needs, strengthening the bank’s ability to compete in a highly dynamic and saturated market.Financial indicators since El-Shafie assumed leadership clearly reflect the impact of this strategy, as the retail loan portfolio surged by 93.8% to reach EGP 24.22 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 12.50 billion at the end of 2022—an increase of EGP 11.72 billion.This expansion did not come at the expense of portfolio quality, as asset quality slightly improved to 99.54% by March 2026, compared to 99.16% in 2022, supported by a decline in the non-performing loans ratio for individuals to 0.46% from 0.84%, reflecting strong risk management and sound credit policies.The bank’s retail loan portfolio is structured according to a well-balanced framework that reflects a diversification strategy and return optimization, including personal loans, auto loans, and credit cards as the main growth drivers in retail banking.Personal loans remain the largest component of the portfolio, growing by 70.8% during the period to reach EGP 18.57 billion by March 2026, compared to EGP 10.87 billion at the end of 2022.Auto loans delivered exceptional growth, rising from EGP 1.07 billion in 2022 to EGP 3.39 billion by March 2026, a 217.5% increase, reflecting an aggressive expansion into one of the fastest-growing consumer finance segments.Credit card balances also increased significantly by 305.2%, reaching EGP 2.25 billion by March 2026, compared to EGP 556.49 million in 2022.Overall, the performance of Emirates NBD Egypt reflects a successful and balanced expansion strategy in retail banking under the leadership of Amr El-Shafie and his team, combining strong growth in retail lending with sustained portfolio quality.As the market continues to evolve and competition intensifies, the key challenge for the bank remains maintaining this momentum while further enhancing innovation and digital expansion.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12937https://en.firstbankeg.com/1293726 banks operating in the Egyptian market ranked among First Bank’s Top 100 Most Profitable Arab Banks.A recent ranking issued by First Bank for the Top 100 Most Profitable Arab Banks in 2025 revealed the presenceSun, 17 May 2026 15:59:07 +02002026-05-17T15:59:07+02:00A recent ranking issued by First Bank for the Top 100 Most Profitable Arab Banks in 2025 revealed the presence of 26 banks operating in the Egyptian market during 2025, including 13 local banks carrying Egyptian brands and 13 banks affiliated with foreign banking groups operating in Egypt.The ranking was based on banks’ reported net profits converted into U.S. dollars, providing a unified comparison tool among different banking institutions. The ranking also excluded banks with unavailable official data to ensure the accuracy of the results and the reliability of the adopted methodology.<h3>Egyptian Banks in the Ranking</h3>National Bank of Egypt secured the sixth position among Arab banks and ranked first among Egyptian banks after recording net profits of approximately $3.68 billion during 2025.Banque Misr came in 14th place among Arab banks and second among Egyptian banks, with net profits totaling $1.90 billion during 2025.CIB ranked 16th among Arab banks and third among Egyptian banks after posting net profits of $1.72 billion during 2025.Arab African International Bank ranked 36th among Arab banks and sixth among Egyptian banks, with net profits of $362.12 million. It was followed by Housing and Development Bank in 37th place among Arab banks and seventh among Egyptian banks after reporting net profits of approximately $360.71 million during 2025.Banque du Caire captured 41st place among Arab banks and ninth among Egyptian banks with net profits of $338.21 million during 2025, while Bank of Alexandria ranked 45th among Arab banks and 10th among Egyptian banks with net profits of $289.08 million during the same year.Suez Canal Bank ranked 70th among Arab banks and 14th among Egyptian banks with net profits of $134.62 million, followed by Export Development Bank of Egypt in 75th place among Arab banks and 16th among Egyptian banks after recording net profits of $125.91 million during 2025.Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt ranked 83rd among Arab banks and 19th among Egyptian banks after posting net profits of $90.78 million, followed by EGBANK in 85th place among Arab banks and 20th among Egyptian banks with net profits of $85.65 million during 2025.BANK NXT secured 89th place among Arab banks and 24th among Egyptian banks with net profits totaling $66.64 million during 2025.United Bank of Egypt came in 96th place among Arab banks and 26th among Egyptian banks with net profits of $48.34 million during 2025.<h3>Foreign Banking Groups Operating in Egypt Included in the Ranking</h3>Emirates NBD ranked third among Arab banks after recording approximately $6.54 billion in profits during 2025, while the group’s subsidiary in Egypt posted net profits of around $127.52 million during the same year.First Abu Dhabi Bank ranked fourth among Arab banks with profits of approximately $5.77 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary recorded net profits of about $349.25 million during the same year.QNB ranked fifth among Arab banks after generating approximately $4.75 billion in profits during 2025, while the group’s Egyptian subsidiary recorded net profits of around $610.49 million during the same year.Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank ranked seventh among Arab banks after posting approximately $3.12 billion in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary achieved net profits of around $120.04 million during the same year.Kuwait Finance House ranked ninth among Arab banks after generating approximately $2.34 billion in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary posted net profits of around $85.62 million during the same year.National Bank of Kuwait ranked 12th among Arab banks after generating approximately $2 billion in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary recorded net profits of approximately $169.60 million during the same year.Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank ranked 13th among Arab banks after recording approximately $1.93 billion in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary posted net profits of around $256.27 million during the same year.Attijariwafa Bank ranked 20th among Arab banks after recording approximately $1.36 billion in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary generated net profits of around $73.61 million during the same year.Al Baraka Group ranked 39th among Arab banks after posting approximately $356.82 million in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary recorded net profits of around $84.28 million during the same year.Bank ABC ranked 44th among Arab banks after generating approximately $327 million in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary posted net profits of around $50.51 million during the same year.Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait ranked 59th among Arab banks after generating approximately $204.51 million in profits during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary recorded net profits of around $102.70 million during the same year.It is worth noting that both Mashreq Bank and Arab Bank were included in the ranking in 15th and 22nd places among Arab banks, respectively. Mashreq Bank recorded net profits of $1.9 billion, while Arab Bank posted net profits of $1.13 billion during 2025. However, neither bank disclosed the profits generated from their operations in Egypt.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12936https://en.firstbankeg.com/12936QNB Egypt positions itself at the forefront of private-sector banks in personal lendingQNB Egypt successfully regained its position as the leading private-sectorbankin personal lending by the endSun, 17 May 2026 15:47:18 +02002026-05-17T15:47:18+02:00QNB Egypt successfully regained its position as the leading private-sector bank in personal lending by the end of March 2026, after an absence that lasted nearly five years since losing the top spot in 2020 and falling to second place, reflecting the bank’s strong performance and accelerating growth within one of the most competitive banking segments.This shift comes supported by a clear expansion strategy led by Mohamed Bedeir and his executive team, as part of the bank’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its presence in the retail banking market and expand its ability to attract new customer segments.Previously, First Bank published a report on April 15 highlighting the narrowing gap between CIB and QNB Egypt in personal lending, under the headline: “The gap between CIB and QNB Egypt in personal lending reaches its lowest level in 5 years.”According to the standalone financial statements of both banks, QNB Egypt’s personal lending portfolio rose to EGP 68.07 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 62.14 billion at the end of 2025, recording a quarterly growth rate of 9.5%.Meanwhile, CIB recorded a personal lending portfolio of approximately EGP 66.26 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 62.99 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting quarterly growth of 5.2%.This competitive performance in personal lending by QNB Egypt comes as part of broader improvements across its key indicators during the first quarter of 2026, which was clearly reflected in the bank’s profitability and expansion of its operating positions.The bank posted net profits of around EGP 8.86 billion during the first quarter of 2026, compared to EGP 6.95 billion during the same period of 2025, marking a growth rate of 27%.Net interest income also increased by approximately 24% during the first three months of 2026, reaching EGP 13.68 billion, compared to EGP 11 billion during the corresponding period of 2025, while net fees and commissions income amounted to approximately EGP 1.63 billion.On the balance sheet side, total assets grew by around 12% during the first quarter of the year, reaching EGP 1.03 trillion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 915.56 billion at the end of 2025.Customer deposits also climbed by around 13% during the same period, reaching EGP 880.94 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 779.31 billion at the end of 2025, while customer loans increased by around 6% to EGP 465.92 billion, compared to EGP 440.65 billion at the end of 2025https://en.firstbankeg.com/12975https://en.firstbankeg.com/12975First BankRelative Stability Dominates the Ranking of Largest Arab Banks by Deposits in Q4 2025Tue, 26 May 2026 04:12:19 +02002026-05-17T15:16:00+02:00«First Bank» ranking of the largest 100 Arab banks by deposits at the end of 2025 revealed a state of stability among the top 20 banks, with the Stability Index reaching nearly 100%. The banks maintained their positions within the top 20 club, despite some minor reshuffling in rankings compared with September 2025 data.«First Bank» had previously launched the Stability Index to measure banks’ movements within the ranking based on four key categories. Banks that maintained their positions without change are classified under “Full Stability,” while those that moved between one and three positions fall under the “Stable Movement” category.Banks whose rankings changed between four and ten positions are classified under “Moderate Movement,” while banks whose positions shifted by more than ten places are categorized under “Major Movements,” reflecting sharp changes in their standings within the ranking.The data showed that the list of the top 10 banks by deposits was the most stable segment within the ranking, as banks from first to eighth place maintained their positions without any change, placing them within the “Full Stability” category.Despite this stability, the top 10 list witnessed an exchange in the final two positions, as Dubai Islamic Bank succeeded in capturing the ninth position, while Saudi Awwal Bank SAB slipped to tenth place. This movement falls within the “Stable Movement” category, given that it involved only a limited ranking shift.As for banks ranked from 11th to 20th, the pace of movement appeared more diverse compared with the top 10, although it still remained within the range of relative stability.Both National Bank of Kuwait and Kuwait Finance House maintained their 11th and 12th positions respectively without any change compared with September 2025 data, allowing them to remain within the “Full Stability” category. This reflects the stability of their business volumes and their ability to preserve positions within the tier closest to entering the top 10.Meanwhile, most of the other banks within this segment fell under the “Stable Movement” category, as eight banks recorded slight movements ranging between one and two positions upward or downward, reflecting the continued convergence in business volumes among major banks.Banque Misr advanced to 13th place by the end of 2025, compared with 14th place at the end of last September, while Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank moved up to 14th place from 15th during the same period.In contrast, Alinma Bank slipped to 15th place by the end of 2025 after occupying 13th place at the end of last September.The ranking also witnessed an exchange in positions between Attijariwafa Bank and Arab National Bank, with the former rising to 16th place while the latter retreated to 17th by the end of 2025.Meanwhile, Mashreq Bank advanced to 18th place by the end of 2025, compared with 20th place at the end of last September, while Arab Bank fell to 19th place from 18th during the same period.As for Banque Saudi Fransi, it declined to 20th place by the end of 2025, compared with 19th place at the end of September 2025.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12973https://en.firstbankeg.com/1297326 Banks Operating in Egypt Included in «First Bank» Ranking of the Top 100 Most Profitable Arab BanksTue, 26 May 2026 03:59:04 +02002026-05-17T14:16:00+02:00A recent ranking issued by «First Bank» for the Top 100 Most Profitable Arab Banks in 2025 revealed the presence of 26 banks operating in the Egyptian market, including 13 local banks carrying Egyptian brands and 13 banks affiliated with foreign banking groups operating in Egypt.The ranking was based on banks’ reported net profits converted into U.S. dollars, providing a unified comparison tool among different banking institutions. The ranking also excluded banks that did not disclose official financial data, in order to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the adopted methodology.<h3 data-end="742" data-section-id="som8qh" data-start="701">Egyptian Banks Included in the Ranking</h3>National Bank of Egypt secured the 6th position among Arab banks and ranked first among Egyptian banks after recording net profits of approximately $3.68 billion during 2025.Banque Misr came in 14th place regionally and second among Egyptian banks, with net profits amounting to $1.90 billion during 2025.Meanwhile, Commercial International Bank “CIB” ranked 16th among Arab banks and third among Egyptian banks after posting net profits of $1.72 billion during 2025.Arab African International Bank ranked 36th regionally and sixth among Egyptian banks with net profits of $362.12 million, followed by Housing and Development Bank in 37th place regionally and seventh locally after generating net profits of approximately $360.71 million during 2025.Banque du Caire captured the 41st position regionally and ninth among Egyptian banks with net profits of $338.21 million during 2025, while Bank of Alexandria ranked 45th regionally and tenth locally with net profits totaling $289.08 million during the same year.Suez Canal Bank secured the 70th position regionally and 14th among Egyptian banks with net profits of $134.62 million, followed by Export Development Bank of Egypt in 75th place regionally and 16th locally after recording net profits of $125.91 million during 2025.Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt ranked 83rd regionally and 19th among Egyptian banks after posting net profits of $90.78 million, followed by EGBANK in 85th place regionally and 20th locally with net profits of $85.65 million during 2025.BANK NXT came in 89th place regionally and 24th among Egyptian banks with net profits amounting to $66.64 million during 2025.Meanwhile, The United Bank ranked 96th regionally and 26th among Egyptian banks with net profits of $48.34 million during 2025.<h3 data-end="2828" data-section-id="2nnhg7" data-start="2758">Banks Operating in Egypt with Parent Groups Included in the Ranking</h3>Emirates NBD ranked third among Arab banking groups after recording profits of approximately $6.54 billion during 2025, while the group’s Egyptian subsidiary generated net profits of about $127.52 million during the same year.First Abu Dhabi Bank captured the 4th position regionally with profits totaling approximately $5.77 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary posted net profits of around $349.25 million during the same year.Qatar National Bank ranked 5th among Arab banking groups after recording profits of approximately $4.75 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary achieved net profits of about $610.49 million during the same year.Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank came in 7th place regionally with profits totaling approximately $3.12 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary generated net profits of about $120.04 million during the same year.Kuwait Finance House secured the 9th position regionally after recording profits of approximately $2.34 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary achieved net profits of about $85.62 million during the same year.National Bank of Kuwait ranked 12th regionally with profits of nearly $2 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary posted net profits of approximately $169.60 million during the same year.Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank came in 13th place regionally after generating profits of around $1.93 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary recorded net profits of approximately $256.27 million during the same year.Attijariwafa Bank ranked 20th regionally with profits totaling approximately $1.36 billion during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary posted net profits of around $73.61 million during the same year.Al Baraka Group ranked 39th regionally after recording profits of approximately $356.82 million during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary generated net profits of about $84.28 million during the same year.Bank ABC occupied the 44th position regionally with profits of approximately $327 million during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary posted net profits of about $50.51 million during the same year.Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait ranked 59th regionally after recording profits of approximately $204.51 million during 2025, while its Egyptian subsidiary generated net profits of around $102.70 million during the same year.It is worth noting that both Mashreq Bank and Arab Bank were also included in the ranking, occupying the 15th and 22nd positions respectively among Arab banks. Mashreq Bank recorded net profits of $1.9 billion, while Arab Bank posted net profits of $1.13 billion during 2025. However, neither bank disclosed the profitability of its Egyptian operations.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12932https://en.firstbankeg.com/12932First Bank«First Advice»: National Bank of Egypt Chases Standard Bank… The Battle for African Leadership Reveals the Other Side of Exchange Rates!Sun, 17 May 2026 12:18:41 +02002026-05-17T12:18:41+02:00In one of the hottest banking races across the African continent, the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) continues to pursue Standard Bank Group for leadership of Africa’s banking sector, amid rapid transformations reshaping the map of banking power.Over the past three years — specifically from the end of 2022 until the end of 2025 — Standard Bank Group succeeded in capturing the top position in Africa after its total assets rose to $218.55 billion by the end of 2025, compared to $169.89 billion at the end of 2022, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%.Meanwhile, the National Bank of Egypt ranked second in Africa, despite increasing its total assets to approximately $191.03 billion by the end of 2025, compared to around $176.55 billion at the end of 2022, recording a CAGR of 2.7%. This reflects an apparent gap in dollar-denominated growth compared to its South African rival.However, reading these figures solely in U.S. dollar terms does not present the full picture of actual performance.Analyzing the asset size in local currencies for both banks reveals a different reality, highlighting the National Bank of Egypt’s clear superiority in terms of operational growth momentum.NBE’s assets in local currency increased to EGP 9.1 trillion by the end of 2025, compared to EGP 4.37 trillion at the end of 2022, reflecting a strong CAGR of 27.7%. This demonstrates substantial and genuine expansion in banking activity within the Egyptian market.In contrast, Standard Bank Group recorded lower growth in its local currency, as its assets rose to ZAR 3.62 trillion by the end of 2025, compared to ZAR 2.88 trillion at the end of 2022, achieving a CAGR of 7.9%.Here lies the key paradox: while dollar-based measurement gives Standard Bank Group the advantage in leading the continent, measurement in local currencies reveals the National Bank of Egypt’s clear superiority in terms of real operational growth strength and expansion within its domestic market.This divergence is largely linked to exchange rate fluctuations during the analyzed period. The Egyptian pound lost a significant portion of its value after the U.S. dollar surged by 92.7% from the end of 2022 until the end of 2025, placing heavy pressure on the dollar valuation of NBE’s assets despite its strong domestic growth.On the other hand, the South African rand appreciated by around 2.4% against the U.S. dollar during the same period, supporting the dollar valuation of Standard Bank Group’s assets and giving it a clear advantage in rankings denominated in U.S. currency.Accordingly, the competition between the two banks appears to go beyond a simple numerical comparison of dollar-denominated assets. At its core, it reflects structural differences in the economic and monetary environments of the two largest banking sectors on the African continent.It also confirms that assessing the true strength of banks should not rely solely on dollar-based valuations, but should extend to analyzing real growth in local currencies and measuring each bank’s ability to sustain expansion and maintain operational momentum despite sharp disparities in economic conditions and foreign exchange markets.In light of the above, if exchange rates in Egypt stabilize while the National Bank of Egypt maintains its strong growth momentum, these developments could strengthen its chances of reaching the top of Africa’s banking sector by the end of 2026.https://en.firstbankeg.com/12919https://en.firstbankeg.com/12919A historic leap in «CIB»deposits over five years, with growth reaching 359%, and the portfolio surpassing EGP 1.56 trillion by the end of March 2026.Thu, 14 May 2026 12:54:55 +02002026-05-14T12:54:55+02:00«CIB»boosted its deposit base significantly over the past five years, as reflected in the portfolio rising to EGP 1.56 trillion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 340.09 billion at the end of 2020, representing a growth rate of 359% and an absolute increase of EGP 1.22 trillion.Tracking its performance over the analysis period shows that 2024 recorded the highest annual growth rate and the largest increase in the portfolio, with customer deposits rising to EGP 967.9 billion by the end of 2024, compared to EGP 675.31 billion at the end of 2023, representing a growth rate of 43.3% and an increase of EGP 292.59 billion.During the current year, the deposit portfolio continued its upward trajectory, reaching EGP 1.21 trillion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 1.11 trillion at the end of 2025, reflecting a quarterly growth rate of 9.5%.Alongside deposit growth, CIB delivered strong profitability performance during the current year, recording net profits of EGP 17.74 billion in Q1 2026, compared to EGP 16.60 billion in the same period of 2025, representing a growth rate of 6.9% and an absolute increase of EGP 1.14 billion.Pre-tax profit rose to EGP 25.46 billion in Q1 2026, compared to EGP 22.70 billion in the same period of 2025, reflecting growth of around 12.2%.Net interest income increased to EGP 29.53 billion in the first three months of 2026, compared to EGP 25.30 billion in the same period of 2025, representing a growth rate of 16.7%.Net fees and commissions income jumped by 13.6% to reach EGP 2.19 billion in Q1 2026, compared to EGP 1.92 billion in the same period of 2025.On the balance sheet side, total assets rose to EGP 1.56 trillion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 1.44 trillion at the end of 2025, representing quarterly growth of 8.6%.Customer loan portfolio increased to EGP 545.90 billion by the end of March 2026, compared to EGP 503.36 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting growth of approximately 8.5% on a quarterly basis.