12 November 2026
Total assets of banks operating in the UAE reached AED 5.815 trillion at the end of September 2026, up 4% over the third quarter and 11.8% year on year, according to the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). Gross credit rose 17.3% over twelve months to AED 2.908 trillion, total deposits grew 12% to AED 3.568 trillion, and deposits of non-residents added 9.1% in the quarter to AED 317.9 billion. The figures come from the CBUAE quarterly report on monetary, banking and financial market developments and were reported on 12 November 2026.
Q3 2026 at a glance
| Indicator | End of September 2026 | Change over Q3 | Change over 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total bank assets | AED 5.815 trillion | +4% | +11.8% |
| Gross credit | AED 2.908 trillion | +5.5% | +17.3% |
| Total deposits | AED 3.568 trillion | +2.7% | +12% |
| Resident deposits | about AED 3.25 trillion | +2.2% | not disclosed |
| Non-resident deposits | AED 317.9 billion | +9.1% | not disclosed |
Over the year credit grew faster than deposits, 17.3% against 12%. On our calculation, loans were equal to about 81.5% of deposits at the end of September, compared with 81.2% at the end of August.
Month by month: July, August and September
The quarterly result adds up three monthly CBUAE releases, which we covered as they came out: the July 2026 bank assets report and the August 2026 lending figures.
| End of month | Bank assets | Gross credit | Non-resident deposits |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | AED 5,669.1 billion (+1.3%) | AED 2,798.9 billion (+AED 41.2 billion) | AED 311.4 billion (+6.8%) |
| August 2026 | AED 5,741.3 billion (+1.3%) | AED 2,871.4 billion (+AED 72.4 billion) | AED 305.5 billion |
| September 2026 | AED 5,815 billion (+1.3%) | AED 2,908 billion (+AED 36.7 billion) | AED 317.9 billion (+4.1%) |
August was the strongest month for lending in the quarter, with credit up AED 72.4 billion. In September credit grew by AED 36.7 billion, or 1.3%, and domestic credit rose 1.6% to about AED 2.305 trillion. Non-resident deposits fell in August and grew again in September, closing the quarter at AED 317.9 billion.
Where the deposit growth came from
Resident deposits rose 2.2% in the quarter to about AED 3.25 trillion. Government-related entities (GREs) contributed about 1.4 percentage points of that growth, and private sector deposits contributed 0.6 percentage points.
In September alone, total deposits rose 0.9%, from about AED 3.535 trillion at the end of August to about AED 3.568 trillion. Within that month:
- resident deposits rose 0.6% to AED 3.25 trillion;
- non-resident deposits rose 4.1% to AED 317.9 billion;
- GRE deposits rose 9.6% to AED 378.2 billion;
- deposits of other financial corporations rose 7.2% to AED 66.2 billion;
- private sector deposits held steady at AED 2.345 trillion;
- government sector deposits were unchanged at AED 460.4 billion.
Non-resident money in UAE banks
Non-resident deposits are funds held in UAE banks by companies and individuals based outside the country. At AED 317.9 billion they made up about 8.9% of all deposits at the end of September (our calculation). Their quarterly growth of 9.1% was more than three times the 2.7% growth of total deposits. We looked at this segment in detail in our article on non-resident deposits in UAE banks.
Money supply and payments
M1, which covers currency in circulation outside banks and monetary deposits, stood at AED 1.022 trillion at the end of September: AED 161.6 billion in currency and AED 860.7 billion in monetary deposits. M2 rose 0.6% in the month to more than AED 2.938 trillion, and M3 rose 1.2% to AED 3.508 trillion. The monetary base stood at AED 801.9 billion, and banks’ reserve balances with the CBUAE rose 31.3% to AED 304.7 billion.
The report also covers payments. In the first nine months of 2026 bank transfers in the UAE totalled about AED 21.734 trillion, of which AED 13.351 trillion were transfers made by banks and about AED 8.383 trillion were transfers made by customers. More than 16.24 million cheques worth over AED 990.5 billion were cleared over the same period.
What the figures mean for companies in the UAE
These are aggregate figures for the whole banking system. They do not change the account opening requirements, tariffs or credit criteria of any individual bank: each bank still runs its own KYC review and decides case by case. What the data shows is the scale of the system at the end of September: more credit and more deposits than a year earlier, with lending growing faster than deposits.
For a founder the practical path stays the same. A bank will look at a valid licence, a clear ownership structure, the business model and documented source of funds before it opens an account or considers financing. Our UAE bank account opening guide walks through the steps and the typical compliance questions.
Checklist: what a bank usually asks a new company for
- trade licence and certificate of incorporation;
- Memorandum of Association and register of shareholders;
- passports and Emirates ID or visa copies of shareholders, managers and ultimate beneficial owners;
- proof of residential address of the shareholders;
- business plan with expected monthly turnover and main counterparties;
- documents confirming source of funds and source of wealth;
- office lease, Ejari or flexi-desk agreement.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital helps founders choose a bank that fits their activity and shareholder profile and prepares the file for corporate bank account opening in the UAE, including answers to 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 ownership structure match what banks expect to see.
Conclusion
At the end of the third quarter of 2026 banks in the UAE held AED 5.815 trillion in assets, 11.8% more than a year earlier and 4% more than at the end of June. Gross credit grew 17.3% year on year to AED 2.908 trillion, total deposits 12% to AED 3.568 trillion, and non-resident deposits rose 9.1% in the quarter to AED 317.9 billion. The figures describe the system as a whole and do not change the rules of any individual bank.
Source: Arab News, Arabian Business.
FAQ
How large are UAE bank assets in 2026?
Total assets of banks operating in the UAE reached AED 5.815 trillion at the end of September 2026, according to the Central Bank of the UAE. That is 4% more than at the end of June 2026 and 11.8% more than a year earlier.
How fast is bank lending growing in the UAE?
Gross bank credit rose 17.3% year on year to AED 2.908 trillion at the end of September 2026 and 5.5% over the third quarter. In September alone credit grew by AED 36.7 billion, or 1.3%, and domestic credit reached about AED 2.305 trillion.
How much do non-residents keep in UAE banks?
Deposits of non-residents in UAE banks reached AED 317.9 billion at the end of September 2026, up 9.1% over the third quarter and 4.1% in September. That is about 8.9% of total deposits of AED 3.568 trillion.
Do these figures make it easier to open a bank account in the UAE?
No. The CBUAE figures describe the banking system as a whole and do not change the account opening rules of any bank. Each bank still checks the licence, ownership structure, source of funds and business model of a company before it opens an account.
