What is Emirates NBD Group’s USD 2.25 billion financing deal announced in 2026?

Emirates NBD Group successfully closed USD 2.25 billion in long-term financing, comprising a USD 1.75 billion five-year sustainability-linked syndicated term loan arranged by Emirates NBD and a USD 500 million five-year Club Commodity Murabaha term facility arranged by Emirates Islamic. Together, the facilities represent one of the largest syndicated borrowings in the GCC region.

How was Emirates NBD’s USD 1.75 billion sustainability-linked syndicated loan structured?

The sustainability-linked loan was structured as a five-year syndicated term facility aligned to sustainability performance metrics. Initially launched at USD 1 billion, strong international demand resulted in oversubscription of more than two times, allowing the facility size to be increased to USD 1.75 billion.

Why was Emirates NBD’s sustainability-linked loan oversubscribed by global investors?

The oversubscription reflects strong global investor confidence in Emirates NBD’s credit strength, supported by its solid balance sheet, disciplined financial management, and established track record in accessing international capital markets.

What are the key benefits of this long-term USD financing for Emirates NBD Group?

The transaction strengthens the Group’s liquidity position, diversifies its funding sources, enhances its long-term USD funding profile, and supports the execution of Emirates NBD Group’s strategic growth ambitions while enhancing shareholder value.

How does the USD 1.75 billion sustainability-linked loan support Emirates NBD’s strategy?

The facility supports Emirates NBD’s strategy by providing long-tenor USD funding at competitive pricing, reinforcing the Group’s commitment to sustainable finance and enabling continued investment in long-term growth priorities.

What does the oversubscription of Emirates NBD’s syndicated loan indicate about its credit profile?

The strong oversubscription indicates high levels of international lender confidence in Emirates NBD’s credit quality, resilience, and future prospects despite a challenging regional and global environment.

How did Emirates NBD achieve tight pricing despite volatile market conditions?

Despite global and regional market challenges, the sustainability-linked loan achieved the tightest pricing in Emirates NBD’s history for a syndicated loan, reflecting strong lender appetite, effective execution, and the Group’s standing as a preferred counterparty.

Why do international banks participate in Emirates NBD’s syndicated financings?

International banks participate due to Emirates NBD’s strong balance sheet, transparent governance, and the UAE’s robust regulatory framework, all of which underpin confidence in the Group as a long-term partner.

Is this one of the largest syndicated loan transactions in the GCC banking sector in 2026?

Yes. The combined USD 2.25 billion financing represents one of the largest syndicated borrowings in the GCC region in 2026.

How does this transaction reflect the UAE’s financial sector resilience?

The strong participation from 15 financial institutions across the Americas, Europe, and Asia highlights continued confidence in the UAE’s economic resilience, regulatory environment, and its banking sector’s access to global liquidity.

How does Emirates NBD compare to other regional banks in accessing international capital markets?

The transaction reinforces Emirates NBD’s established presence in international loan markets and demonstrates its ability to consistently access diversified global funding sources at competitive terms.

What is a Club Commodity Murabaha facility?

A Club Commodity Murabaha facility is a Shariah-compliant financing structure commonly used in Islamic banking, where funds are provided through commodity-based transactions in accordance with Islamic principles.

How did Emirates Islamic structure its USD 500 million Club Commodity Murabaha facility?

Emirates Islamic arranged a USD 500 million five-year Club Commodity Murabaha term facility, achieving highly competitive pricing among regional Islamic peers and completing the transaction within an accelerated timeframe.

How does Emirates NBD Group integrate conventional and Shariah-compliant financing?

Through its dual-banking model, Emirates NBD Group combines conventional financing solutions with Shariah-compliant structures via Emirates Islamic, enabling it to serve a broad range of institutional and investor needs.

Why is Emirates NBD Group considered a leader in Shariah-compliant sustainable finance?

The Group has a strong track record in integrating sustainability with Islamic finance, including Emirates Islamic’s issuance of the world’s first sustainability-linked financing sukuk in 2025 and continued leadership in Shariah-compliant funding solutions.

What is a sustainability-linked loan?

A sustainability-linked loan is a financing structure where pricing or terms are linked to the borrower’s achievement of predefined sustainability performance targets, aligning financing with ESG objectives.

How does sustainability-linked financing support long-term banking strategies?

Sustainability-linked financing aligns funding strategies with ESG commitments, supports responsible growth, and strengthens engagement with global lenders increasingly focused on sustainable finance frameworks.

How is Emirates NBD embedding sustainability into its capital markets activity?

Emirates NBD integrates sustainability considerations across its financing activities, supported by its leadership in sustainability reporting, sustainable finance structures, and ESG-aligned funding instruments.

How many financial institutions participated in the transaction?

The combined transaction attracted participation from 15 financial institutions across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Which institutions acted as coordinators on the transaction?

Bank of America, BNP Paribas, DBS Bank Limited, and Emirates NBD Capital Limited acted as Coordinators, Book-Runners, and Sustainability Coordinators on the Emirates NBD transaction. Emirates NBD Capital Limited acted as sole coordinator for the Emirates Islamic transaction.

Why is this transaction strategically important for Emirates NBD Group?

The financing reinforces Emirates NBD Group’s leadership in global and regional loan markets, strengthens liquidity and funding diversification, and supports the Group’s long-term strategic growth objectives.

Emirates NBD Asset Management highlights success of FundStar UAE Equities Income Fund and expands access to new global high-yield sukuk fund

2 Min | 28 April 2026

Dubai, UAE, 28 April 2026: Emirates NBD Asset Management, the asset management division of Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT) region, has highlighted the success of FundStar UAE Equities Income Fund, the bank’s first public fund in Dubai International Financial Centre, with a milestone achievement of surpassing USD 100 million in Assets Under Management (AUM).

Since its launch in November 2024, the FundStar UAE Equities Income Fund has offered access to a diversified portfolio of UAE-listed companies with attractive dividend profiles, with the potential to participate in long-term capital appreciation in a growing domestic market. As of 31 March 2026, the Fund’s AUM stood at USD 100.04 million, a substantial increase from USD 14.14 million at 31 December 2024 and has delivered a cumulative return of 21.96% with a 12-month performance of 13.30%. Against the backdrop of recent market dislocation, select stocks and sectors with strong fundamentals are expected to remain resilient, creating potential entry points for investors.

The fund aims for a dividend yield of 5% annum, offering eligible share classes quarterly income distributions. The consistent performance along with competitive dividend yield presents attractive opportunities for income-focused investors. This aligns with Emirates NBD’s broader focus on growing its wealth and investment offering with regulated, professionally managed solutions tailored to regional investor preferences.

Based on this success the bank has also unlocked broader access for customers with the launch of a new Emirates Global High Yield Sukuk Fund within the FundStar platform, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to providing income-oriented investment solutions tailored for regional and international investors.

Michail Samawi, SEO, Group Head of Asset Management at Emirates NBD, commented: “We are pleased to highlight the growth of the DIFC-domiciled FundStar platform with income-focused investment options spanning UAE equities and global sukuk. The outstanding performance of the FundStar UAE Equities Income Fund since its launch in November 2024, achieving a total return of 21.96%, underscores the strength of the UAE equity market and our active management capabilities. We have successfully strengthened our relations with our customers and now have broadened access with the introduction of the new FundStar Emirates Global High Yield Sukuk Fund, providing access to attractive income opportunities within the global sukuk market, at a time when sukuk valuations are attractive and yields have enhanced. These professionally managed portfolios offer daily liquidity, providing investors with the flexibility to adjust allocations as market conditions evolve.”

He added: “As one of the largest asset managers in the UAE, Emirates NBD Asset Management is using its expertise to offer access to professionally managed portfolios with daily liquidity.”

The FundStar UAE Equities Income Fund and the new FundStar Emirates Global High Yield Sukuk Fund are designed to meet rising investor demand for professionally managed portfolios, while enabling them to participate in robust growth opportunities with the flexibility required in today's dynamic market environment.