First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has reported a record net profit of AED 21.11 billion for the group, marking a 24% increase compared to the previous year. Pre-tax profits also rose by 27% year-on-year, reaching AED 25.20 billion. Operating revenues grew by 16%, totaling AED 36.68 billion, buoyed by ongoing business momentum and an upsurge in non-interest income. The tangible equity return stood at 19.2%, remaining above the bank’s medium-term targets.
Continued Success
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of FAB, stated: “The results of First Abu Dhabi Bank for the fiscal year 2025 reflect a journey of ongoing success resulting from the bank’s diligence in expanding its business portfolio, enhancing its resilience, and delivering long-term sustainable value. This has solidified the group’s position as one of the leading institutions in the sector. The bank has effectively broadened its operations, amplified its profitability, and affirmed its role as the global bank of the UAE, thanks to its stringent execution mechanisms. This commitment also supports the economic ambitions of the UAE while continuing to invest in technology and innovation initiatives, particularly in artificial intelligence. FAB is focused on strengthening its presence in major global markets, leveraging the robustness of the UAE economy to facilitate capital flow and enhance trade and investment opportunities, reinforcing its status as a leading global financial and economic hub. Looking ahead, the bank will persist in supporting the UAE’s economic aspirations, relying on its strong position as a trusted financial institution and optimizing its business portfolio to target sustainable growth and tangible value in the long run.”
Business Portfolio
Hana Alrostamani, CEO of FAB, remarked: “First Abu Dhabi Bank concludes the fiscal year 2025 with strong performance, recording revenues of AED 36.68 billion and net profits of AED 21.11 billion, showcasing the strength of the bank’s business portfolio and its methodical strategy throughout the year. The bank’s returns have remained robust, notably with a tangible return on equity climbing to 19.2%, surpassing medium-term targets, thereby bolstering FAB’s profitability standing among leading banks rated (AA-) globally.” She added: “This sustainable performance has led the board to recommend a cash dividend of 80 fils per share for fiscal year 2025, amounting to total distributions of AED 8.84 billion, the highest in the bank’s history. FAB has upheld its position as the global bank of the UAE, enhancing its local leadership by supporting key economic sectors and strengthening client relationships. This local leadership has allowed it to expand its international business portfolio, facilitating capital flows and boosting trade and investment across over 20 global markets.”
Stability and Sustainability
Lars Kramer, Chief Financial Officer of FAB, stated: “First Abu Dhabi Bank recorded a robust financial performance during fiscal year 2025, reflecting the resilience and sustainability of its profitability model. The unprecedented levels of revenue and net profit were achieved thanks to the diverse income sources, flexible margins, and prudent balance sheet management. This strong performance has helped maintain returns exceeding medium-term targets.”
Interest Income
In 2025, FAB’s performance was driven by systematic execution across all sectors, with net interest income rising by 4% year-on-year to AED 20.32 billion, propelled by double-digit growth in transaction volumes. Non-interest revenue surged by 36% compared to last year, reaching AED 16.35 billion, accounting for 45% of the group’s revenues. The bank has continued to diversify its income sources through innovative solutions and enhanced cross-selling capabilities. Fees and commissions increased by 28%, driven by ongoing momentum in transaction generation and execution, alongside benefiting from strong trade flows. Revenues from foreign exchange and investment rose by 40% compared to the previous year, supported by record transaction volumes and favorable currency exchange rates as well as outstanding performance in investments and financing solutions.
On the balance sheet front, total assets grew to AED 1.40 trillion, a 16% increase year-on-year. Loans and advances surged by 17% to AED 616 billion, as FAB continued to leverage its leading position in the UAE while its extensive global presence supported capital flow growth across key corridors and priority markets. Customer deposits increased by 7% year-on-year to AED 841 billion.
In terms of asset quality, the ratio of non-performing loans stood at 2.2%, the lowest in the group’s history. Capital and liquidity levels remained well above regulatory requirements, with a common equity tier 1 capital ratio of 13.3% and a liquidity coverage ratio of 154% at year-end. FAB continues to maintain one of the strongest aggregated credit ratings in the region (AA-) or equivalent.
Indicators
Investment banking and markets segment revenues rose by 16% to AED 11.79 billion, driven by a 29% increase in lending compared to the previous year, fueled by the successful execution of numerous significant transactions in the UAE and global markets. The bank maintained its leading position in the investment banking tables in the MENA region for 2025, facilitating its clients in raising AED 330 billion through equity and debt market platforms, a 23% increase. The global markets segment achieved record transaction levels, boosted by client inflows, ample cross-selling opportunities, and market fluctuations.
Revenues from corporate and institutional banking increased by 11% to AED 6.40 billion, bolstered by a growing client base across various markets, including GCC countries, the United States, and Asia. This segment enhanced its market share through strengthened client relationships, improved exchange trading, and increased product penetration, while maintaining its leading role in transaction banking, achieving double-digit growth year-on-year.
Retail banking and wealth management segment revenues rose by 10% to AED 12.65 billion, reflecting increased customer activity in key sectors. Current and savings account balances grew by 16%, with an addition of AED 25 billion year-on-year, while assets under management rose by 28% due to increased inflows. This segment enhanced its investment offerings through recent partnerships with Amundi, a leading asset management firm in Europe, and T. Rowe Price, a global leader in asset management, expanding access for clients to global investment solutions.
Global Network
The international business portfolio of FAB continued to perform strongly, with loan growth of 35% and deposit growth of 25% year-on-year, thanks to the bank’s global network, which spans over 20 markets. FAB’s international business contributed 19% of revenues for fiscal year 2025, supported by heightened client activity that bolstered capital and cross-border trade flows. The bank continued to enhance its regional momentum by launching operations in Turkey and the Gujarat International Financial Tec-City, executing significant transactions in Nigeria, and making substantial progress towards finalizing the establishment of its subsidiary in France.
Artificial Intelligence
The organization has adopted Artificial Intelligence at a group level to enhance productivity by providing Microsoft Copilot to all employees, along with the deployment of over 1000 AI agents. This AI-based implementation is extensive, with significant progress made in over 30 use cases, including trading, payments, customer service, compliance, and technical engineering, yielding measurable improvements in productivity, efficiency, and customer experience. The bank has built a robust technical infrastructure, integrating over 90% of its structured data into a modern platform backed by AI tools.
Additionally, partnerships and collaborations with leading institutions have accelerated implementation and supported the UAE’s ambitious agenda in the field of AI.
High Ratings
First Abu Dhabi Bank maintains high credit ratings at (AA-) or equivalent, reflecting the bank’s solid fundamentals and prudent risk management approach.
FAB’s inclusion in the list of the world’s top 500 brands resulted from an annual growth of 21% in brand value, as the group continues to enhance its presence in various global markets. To date, the bank has facilitated sustainable and transitional financing amounting to AED 381 billion, achieving 76% of its goal of AED 500 billion by 2030, consistent with its commitment to making a meaningful and impactful contribution through finance.