29 October 2026
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the largest bank in the UAE by assets, earned a net profit attributable to shareholders of AED 5.73 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 6% year on year. For the first nine months of 2026, net profit rose 3% to AED 16.46 billion, operating income grew 7% to AED 29.71 billion and profit before tax increased 5% to AED 20.22 billion. The bank published the results on 29 October 2026 in a release and a statement to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. As of 30 September, loans stood at AED 679 billion, customer deposits at AED 885 billion and total assets at AED 1.47 trillion.
What FAB reported for the third quarter
Third quarter profit before tax was AED 7.01 billion, 9% more than a year earlier. Net interest income for the quarter rose almost 7% to AED 4.8 billion, and net fee and commission income grew 16% to AED 1.4 billion. Group Chief Financial Officer Lars Kramer said operating profit for the quarter was up 11% year on year, driven by business momentum, income generation and cost efficiency.
Two lines moved in the other direction. Net impairment charges for the quarter were AED 1 billion, against AED 850 million in the third quarter of 2025. General, administration and other operating expenses were AED 2.1 billion, compared with AED 2 billion a year earlier. Because income grew faster than both lines, net profit for the quarter still increased 6%.
Nine months: income, profit and returns
Over January to September 2026, net interest income increased 11% to AED 16.98 billion. FAB attributes the growth to higher business volumes and improved margins: the net interest margin was 1.93%, 5 basis points higher than a year earlier. Non-interest income rose 3% to AED 12.73 billion and made up 43% of group operating income. Operating profit grew 8% to AED 23.32 billion.
Profit before tax crossed AED 20 billion for the nine months, at AED 20.22 billion. Net profit grew more slowly, by 3% to AED 16.46 billion. Return on tangible equity was 18.6%, against 20.0% in the first nine months of 2025, and remained above the bank’s medium-term guidance of more than 16%.
Group Chief Executive Officer Hana Al Rostamani said the performance reflects sustained growth across the bank’s businesses and the expansion of its international franchise, and that FAB is maintaining a strong financial position while delivering consistent returns.
Key figures at a glance
| Indicator | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Net profit, Q3 2026 | AED 5.73 bn | +6% year on year |
| Profit before tax, Q3 2026 | AED 7.01 bn | +9% year on year |
| Net fee and commission income, Q3 2026 | AED 1.4 bn | +16% year on year |
| Net profit, 9M 2026 | AED 16.46 bn | +3% year on year |
| Profit before tax, 9M 2026 | AED 20.22 bn | +5% year on year |
| Operating income, 9M 2026 | AED 29.71 bn | +7% year on year |
| Net interest income, 9M 2026 | AED 16.98 bn | +11% year on year |
| Loans and advances | AED 679 bn | +10% since January, +14% year on year |
| Customer deposits | AED 885 bn | +5% since January, +4% year on year |
| Total assets | AED 1.47 trn | +7% since January, +9% year on year |
| NPL ratio | 2.1% | 2.6% a year earlier |
| CET1 ratio | 14.0% | 13.7% a year earlier |
| Return on tangible equity | 18.6% | 20.0% a year earlier |
Balance sheet figures are as of 30 September 2026. The FAB release gives growth since the start of the year, while the statement to the exchange, as reported by The National, compares with September 2025, which is why two growth rates are shown for loans, deposits and assets.
Balance sheet, asset quality and capital
Loans and advances grew 10% since the start of the year to AED 679 billion. According to FAB, the growth was broad based across wholesale and retail clients. Customer deposits rose 5% since January to AED 885 billion, and the bank says this deposit base, together with access to global capital markets, allowed it to keep pricing discipline in a competitive market. In the quarter FAB also issued AED 1 billion of Digitally Native Green Notes.
The non-performing loan ratio fell to 2.1% from 2.6% a year earlier. The common equity Tier 1 ratio strengthened to 14.0% from 13.7% at the end of September 2025, and the liquidity coverage ratio was 140%, against 158% a year earlier. FAB keeps AA- or equivalent credit ratings with stable outlooks from Moody’s, Fitch and S&P.
Results by business
The release breaks down the nine months by division:
- Investment Banking and Markets. Revenue rose 4% to AED 9.33 billion and loans grew 22% since the start of the year. The division ranked first in MENA in the Bonds and Sukuk and Loan Agency league tables, and Global Markets transaction volumes increased 45% year on year.
- Wholesale Banking. Revenue grew 13% to AED 5.14 billion, with loans up 14% since January. FAB links demand for project finance, guarantees, working capital and liquidity products to activity on Middle East and Asia trade corridors, across energy, infrastructure, industry and trade.
- Personal, Business, Wealth and Privileged Client Banking. Revenue increased 4% to AED 10.00 billion and deposits rose 10% since January. FAB remains the second largest credit card issuer in the UAE, keeps growing its FAB Business platform for small and medium enterprises, and reports assets under management up 11% since January.
- International. Revenue outside the UAE grew 31% year on year and made up 22% of group revenue. International assets reached AED 437 billion, or 30% of the group total.
AI, tokenised deposits and sustainable finance
FAB reports more than 6,000 AI agents built by its employees and a 2026 Enterprise AI Breakthrough of the Year award from Gartner. According to the bank, AI enabled workflows cut trade document processing turnaround times by more than 70% and supported growth of more than 80% in new to bank onboarding volumes in business banking.
FAB also became the first bank in the Middle East and Africa to execute live USD transactions at scale with Citi using tokenised deposits on Swift Ledger. We covered the details in our article on FAB and Citi tokenised deposit transactions on Swift Ledger.
In sustainable finance, the bank has reached AED 417 billion of its AED 500 billion target for 2030, or 83%. In September 2026 it set a separate AED 100 billion blue finance target for 2026 to 2035 and became the first bank in MENA to sign the UN Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles.
What it means for businesses in the UAE
Quarterly results do not change account opening rules, tariffs or lending criteria, and the FAB release does not announce such changes. For a company owner, the figures are public data about a bank they may work with.
- Business banking activity. FAB reports more than 80% growth in new business banking clients onboarded and a 70% faster turnaround for trade documents. Whether a specific company is onboarded, and how quickly, still depends on its activity, shareholders and documents.
- Stability indicators. An NPL ratio of 2.1%, a CET1 ratio of 14.0%, a liquidity coverage ratio of 140% and AA- ratings are the figures to compare when choosing between banks, together with service, fees and minimum balance requirements.
- Peer comparison. Other large UAE banks reported this month as well: see our articles on ADCB nine-month net profit of AED 10.3 billion and Emirates NBD record nine-month income.
Account opening at FAB or any other UAE bank goes through the same compliance review: trade licence, constitutional documents, identification of shareholders and managers, proof of business activity and source of funds. Our guide to opening a bank account in the UAE explains the documents and timelines step by step.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital supports founders with corporate bank account opening in the UAE: choosing banks that fit the activity and shareholder profile, preparing the KYC file and answering questions from the compliance team. For new businesses, we start one step earlier with company setup in the UAE, so that the licence, activities and structure match what banks expect to see.
Conclusion
FAB earned AED 5.73 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 6%, and AED 16.46 billion over nine months, up 3%, with profit before tax above AED 20 billion. Net interest income grew 11% and quarterly fee income 16%, while impairments and expenses were higher than a year earlier. Loans reached AED 679 billion, deposits AED 885 billion and assets AED 1.47 trillion, and the NPL ratio fell to 2.1%. The next reference point will be the full year 2026 results.
Source: FAB, 9M 2026 financial results, The National.
FAQ
How much did First Abu Dhabi Bank earn in the third quarter of 2026?
FAB reported net profit attributable to shareholders of AED 5.73 billion for July to September 2026, up 6% year on year. Profit before tax for the quarter was AED 7.01 billion, up 9%. The results were published on 29 October 2026.
What was FAB net profit for the first nine months of 2026?
Net profit for January to September 2026 was AED 16.46 billion, up 3% year on year. Operating income grew 7% to AED 29.71 billion, profit before tax rose 5% to AED 20.22 billion, and return on tangible equity was 18.6%.
How big are FAB loans, deposits and assets in 2026?
As of 30 September 2026, FAB had loans and advances of AED 679 billion, up 10% since January and 14% year on year, and customer deposits of AED 885 billion, up 5% since January. Total assets were AED 1.47 trillion. The NPL ratio was 2.1% and the CET1 ratio 14.0%.
Do the FAB results change how companies open bank accounts in the UAE?
No. The results do not change account opening rules, tariffs or lending criteria. Companies still go through the standard compliance review with a trade licence, constitutional documents, shareholder identification and proof of business activity. The results are useful as public data on the bank’s asset quality and capital.
