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Emirates NBD

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A major UAE banking group created in 2007 through the merger of Emirates Bank International and National Bank of Dubai.

Last updated August 31, 2026

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Overview

Emirates NBD is a major banking group headquartered in Dubai and one of the prominent institutions in the United Arab Emirates banking sector. The group provides retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, investment banking, Islamic finance, private banking, wealth management, treasury services and related financial products. Its customer-facing businesses include conventional Emirates NBD banking, Emirates NBD Islamic and the digitally oriented Liv brand. The group traces its institutional origins to National Bank of Dubai, established on 19 June 1963 by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. National Bank of Dubai was the first national bank founded in the United Arab Emirates. The modern Emirates NBD group was formed when National Bank of Dubai merged with Emirates Bank International in March 2007. Its shares began trading on the Dubai Financial Market on 16 October 2007. Emirates NBD expanded beyond its UAE base through acquisitions, branch development and correspondent relationships. Its international footprint has included Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Singapore and the United Kingdom. In Egypt, the group acquired the Egyptian assets of BNP Paribas in 2013 and operates through Emirates NBD Egypt. In Turkey, it agreed in 2018 to acquire DenizBank from Sberbank; the transaction was completed in 2019 and gave the group a substantial banking platform in the Turkish market. The bank also entered Saudi Arabia earlier than many UAE peers, receiving a licence to operate there in 2004. In the UAE, the group has built a broad financial-services franchise spanning consumer accounts, cards, mortgages, personal lending, business banking, cash management, trade finance, capital-markets services and Islamic banking. Its digital strategy has included mobile and online banking investment and the creation of Liv, a digital banking proposition aimed particularly at younger and digitally engaged customers. Emirates NBD Skywards connects selected banking products with the Emirates airline loyalty ecosystem. The group has also used acquisitions and disposals to adjust its portfolio. It acquired Dubai Bank in 2012 and sold its ordinary-shareholding position in BankIslami Pakistan to JS Bank in 2022. Emirates NBD is listed on the Dubai Financial Market under the symbol ENBD. Its scale, UAE base, government-linked institutional history, regional subsidiaries and technology investment make it one of the most visible banking brands in the Gulf and the wider Middle East.

History

Emirates NBD's history combines the development of Dubai's banking sector with the regionalization of a modern UAE financial group. Its oldest predecessor, National Bank of Dubai, was founded on 19 June 1963 by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. It was the first national bank established in the United Arab Emirates and became closely associated with the economic growth of Dubai. Emirates Bank International was another important UAE banking institution and, before the merger, provided a second large domestic platform. National Bank of Dubai and Emirates Bank International merged in March 2007. The transaction created Emirates NBD, a new banking group with the scale to compete across retail, corporate, investment and Islamic banking. The group's shares were listed on the Dubai Financial Market on 16 October 2007, giving the combined institution a public-market identity under the ENBD ticker. The bank subsequently pursued a combination of domestic consolidation and international expansion. In December 2012 it acquired Dubai Bank, strengthening its position in the local market. In 2013 it acquired the Egyptian assets of BNP Paribas, creating the foundation of its Egyptian subsidiary and extending the group into North Africa. Saudi Arabia had already become part of the group's international strategy: Emirates NBD was the first UAE-based bank to receive a licence to operate in the Kingdom, in 2004. The most significant later international transaction was the acquisition of DenizBank. Emirates NBD agreed in 2018 to buy the Turkish bank from Sberbank, and the transaction was completed in July 2019. DenizBank gave the group a substantial presence in Turkey and broadened its exposure to a large regional banking market. The group also maintained operations or representative activities in India, Singapore and the United Kingdom. In India, it continued developing its network and in 2021 announced plans for additional branches in Gurugram and Chennai following regulatory approval. Portfolio management has included divestments as well as acquisitions. In October 2022, Emirates NBD sold its ordinary shares in BankIslami Pakistan to JS Bank. The transaction illustrated the group's willingness to reshape non-core or minority holdings while concentrating on its principal markets and operating businesses. Alongside geographic expansion, Emirates NBD developed a multi-brand and multi-channel model. Its conventional retail bank serves mass and affluent customers, while Emirates NBD Islamic provides Sharia-compliant products. Liv was created as a digital banking proposition, reflecting the group's effort to attract customers through mobile-first services. Emirates NBD Skywards links banking benefits with the Emirates airline loyalty programme. These offerings sit alongside corporate banking, treasury, investment banking, wealth management and private-banking activities. Today, Emirates NBD is an active listed banking group based in Dubai. Its identity is rooted in the UAE but its business is regional and international. The group competes through balance-sheet scale, a broad product range, subsidiaries in important Middle Eastern markets, Islamic-finance expertise and continued investment in digital customer service.

  • 2022

    BankIslami Pakistan stake disposal

    [1]

    Emirates NBD sold its ordinary shares in BankIslami Pakistan to JS Bank.

  • 2019

    DenizBank acquisition completed

    [1]

    The acquisition of Turkey's DenizBank from Sberbank was completed in July.

  • 2013

    Egyptian expansion

    [1]

    The group acquired BNP Paribas's assets in Egypt.

  • 2012

    Dubai Bank acquisition

    [1]

    Emirates NBD acquired Dubai Bank.

  • 2007

    Emirates NBD is formed

    [1]

    National Bank of Dubai merged with Emirates Bank International in March to form Emirates NBD.

  • 2007

    Dubai Financial Market listing

    [1]

    Emirates NBD shares were officially listed on the Dubai Financial Market on 16 October.

  • 2004

    Saudi Arabian banking licence

    [1]

    The bank became the first UAE-based bank to receive a licence to operate in Saudi Arabia.

  • 1963

    National Bank of Dubai is founded

    [1]

    National Bank of Dubai was established on 19 June as the first national bank founded in the United Arab Emirates.

Products and positioning

A large, diversified UAE banking group combining a domestic universal-bank franchise with regional expansion, Islamic finance and digital banking capabilities.

  • Retail banking

    Emirates NBD Retail Banking

    The core consumer franchise offers accounts, deposits, payment cards, personal finance, mortgages, vehicle finance and digital banking. It serves everyday banking customers as well as affluent segments and is distributed through branches, contact centres and online and mobile channels.

  • Islamic banking

    Emirates NBD Islamic

    Emirates NBD Islamic provides Sharia-compliant alternatives across consumer, business and wealth products. Its range is positioned as an Islamic-finance offering within the wider Emirates NBD group rather than as a separate independent banking group.

  • Digital banking

    Liv

    Liv is the group's digital banking brand, designed around mobile onboarding, app-based account management, payments and personal-finance services. It represents Emirates NBD's effort to reach digitally native and younger customers with a less branch-dependent proposition.

  • Loyalty-linked banking

    Emirates NBD Skywards

    Emirates NBD Skywards links selected banking products and customer benefits with Emirates Skywards, the loyalty programme associated with Emirates and flydubai. The proposition uses travel rewards to differentiate cards and selected retail banking relationships.

  • Corporate banking

    Corporate and Institutional Banking

    The corporate and institutional franchise serves companies, financial institutions and government-related entities with lending, transaction banking, trade finance, cash management, treasury, structured finance and capital-markets services.

  • Wealth management

    Private Banking and Wealth Management

    The group provides investment, advisory, portfolio and wealth-planning services for affluent and high-net-worth customers. These activities complement its retail and corporate franchises and extend the relationship beyond deposits and lending.

Brand decisions

  • 2022

    Dispose of BankIslami Pakistan sharesStrategy

    Background

    The group adjusted its portfolio of international holdings.

    Action taken

    Emirates NBD sold 86,316,964 ordinary shares of BankIslami Pakistan to JS Bank.

    Aftermath

    The disposal reduced Emirates NBD's holding in the Pakistani bank.

  • 2018

    Agree to acquire DenizBankM&A

    Background

    Emirates NBD pursued a major expansion of its regional banking footprint through Turkey.

    Action taken

    The group agreed to buy DenizBank from Sberbank.

    Aftermath

    The deal was completed in July 2019 and made DenizBank a significant Turkish platform within the group.

  • 2013

    Acquire BNP Paribas assets in EgyptM&A

    Background

    The transaction provided a route into Egypt's banking market.

    Action taken

    Emirates NBD acquired all of BNP Paribas's assets in Egypt.

    Aftermath

    The acquired platform became the basis for the group's Egyptian banking operations.

  • 2012

    Acquire Dubai BankM&A

    Background

    Dubai Bank was available for acquisition as the UAE banking sector underwent consolidation.

    Action taken

    Emirates NBD acquired Dubai Bank in December 2012.

    Aftermath

    The transaction added Dubai Bank's operations to Emirates NBD's domestic platform.

  • 2007

    Merge National Bank of Dubai with Emirates Bank InternationalM&A

    Background

    The two major UAE banking institutions sought to create a larger domestic banking group.

    Action taken

    They combined in March 2007 under the Emirates NBD name.

    Aftermath

    The resulting group was listed on the Dubai Financial Market later in the same year.

Recent events

  • Reported

    Emirates NBD establishes IPO subscription platform[3]

    Emirates NBD established an end-to-end IPO subscription platform for individual investors to support upcoming IPOs on Dubai’s stock market. Users can register interest, receive offering information and make payments through the website.

  • Reported

    Emirates NBD partners with MoniMove[4]

    Emirates NBD announced a partnership with fintech platform MoniMove to complement the bank’s E20. digital business bank initiative. The alliance will enable Emirates NBD SME clients to conduct local and international transactions on MoniMove’s supply chain management platform.

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    Emirates NBD and MetLife enter insurance partnership[5]

    Emirates NBD entered a strategic partnership with MetLife to provide insurance products and solutions to its wealth, retail, and SME customers across the UAE.

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    Emirates NBD unveils businessONLINE[6]

    Emirates NBD unveiled businessONLINE, a global corporate banking platform offering cash management, trade finance and liquidity management solutions.

  • Union Properties completes debt restructuring with Emirates NBD[7]

    Union Properties announced that it had reached an agreement with Emirates NBD to restructure its AED 946 million debt and had paid the initial amount under the new terms.

  • Unconfirmed

    Bank of America acquired a stake in Emirates NBD[8]

    Bank of America acquired about 1.51% of Emirates NBD for AED 900 million, according to an anonymous source cited by Arabian Business.

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    Emirates NBD wins Celent Model Bank award for transaction banking transformation[9]

    Emirates NBD received Celent's 2020 Model Bank award for Transaction Banking transformation. Celent commended the bank's use of modern technological architecture and co-creation on innovation to improve client experience and operational efficiency.

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    Emirates NBD reports first-quarter 2020 results[10]

    Emirates NBD reported first-quarter 2020 net profit of AED 2.1 billion, down 24% year over year, and attributed the decline to increased impairment charges.

  • Emirates NBD announces AED6.45 billion rights issue[11]

    Emirates NBD announced a proposed AED6.45 billion rights share offering to strengthen its capital base and support future business growth.

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