The UAE’s five largest banks reported a combined net profit of Dh38.1 billion in the first half of 2026, up 7.8 per cent year-on-year, even as a sharp rise in provisioning and softening asset yields put pressure on profitability, according to a new report by Moody’s Ratings.
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) and Mashreq – which together hold around 79 per cent of UAE banking system assets – saw earnings supported by strong net interest income, sustained fee and commission growth, and robust treasury and trading revenue, Moody's said in its H1 2026 sector update.
However, these gains were partly offset by higher operating expenses and a near-60 per cent jump in loan loss provisions,.