UAE Central Bank: Banking Assets Reach 5.74 Trillion Dirhams in August 2026
Total banking assets in the United Arab Emirates reached 5.74 trillion dirhams at the end of August 2026, marking a 1.3% monthly increase according to the “Monetary and Banking Developments” report released by the Central Bank of the UAE.
Bank Credit Climbs to 2.87 Trillion Dirhams
Total bank credit climbed 2.6%—equivalent to 72.4 billion dirhams—to hit 2.87 trillion dirhams by the close of August, up from 2.798 trillion dirhams in July. Local credit grew by 2.8% to reach 2.27 trillion dirhams, while foreign credit rose 1.6% to stand at 602.6 billion dirhams.
Lending to individuals expanded by 5.6%, adding 34.4 billion dirhams. Corporate credit increased by 2.4% or 22.8 billion dirhams, and government borrowing grew 2.8% to add 7.2 billion dirhams, according to the central bank figures.
Meanwhile, total banking deposits edged up 0.7% to 3.534 trillion dirhams in August, rising from 3.509 trillion dirhams a month earlier. Resident deposits climbed 1% to 3.229 trillion dirhams, while non-resident deposits stood at 305.5 billion dirhams. Private sector deposits grew 0.7% to 2.36 trillion dirhams, and government sector deposits jumped 3.5% to 461.1 billion dirhams.
Resilience Package Supports 155,971 Customers
Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama met with chief executives of operating banks in the country to review the financial indicators and evaluate progress on the financial institutions proactive resilience package launched in March 2026. The package delivered direct support through delayed payments and the cancellation of fees and commissions on loans valued at 15.9 billion dirhams through August.
Money supply indicators showed broad-based growth. Broad money aggregate M2 increased by 0.7% to 2.92 trillion dirhams, driven by a 1.4% rise in corporate deposits. The monetary base grew by 4.2% to reach 825.9 billion dirhams, supported by a 66.9% surge in banks’ current accounts and overnight deposits held at the central bank, totaling 156.1 billion dirhams.
UAE Funds Transfer System Grows by 23.5%
Total transfers executed across the UAE Funds Transfer System reached 19.13 trillion dirhams during the first eight months of 2026, compared to 15.48 trillion dirhams during the same period in 2025, representing a 23.5% growth rate. Interbank transfers accounted for 11.76 trillion dirhams, while customer transfers totaled 7.36 trillion dirhams.
Transfers executed in August alone amounted to 2.23 trillion dirhams, consisting of 1.31 trillion dirhams between banks and 915.23 billion dirhams for customers. The value of cleared checks using image-based clearing systems reached 878.77 billion dirhams across 14.44 million checks during the first eight months of the year.