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.

Visa appoints Emirates NBD as its official National Net Settlement Service Agent in the UAE

2 Min | 30 April 2026

Partnership strengthens the UAE’s digital payments infrastructure with flexible AED settlement of Visa’s domestic transactions, benefiting UAE entities

Dubai, UAE, 30 April 2026: Visa, a world leader in digital payments, has appointed Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT) region, as its official National Net Settlement Service (NNSS) Agent in the UAE, allowing Visa’s domestic card transactions to be settled by Emirates NBD locally in UAE Dirhams (AED) in lieu of international settlement. The collaboration enhances the UAE’s domestic settlement capabilities and equips Visa clients with greater flexibility to automate and manage their local settlement obligations.

A Visa NNSS Settlement Agent (typically a licensed bank or financial institution) facilitates local settlement for participating Visa clients by managing fund transfers for domestic Visa transactions in accordance with Visa’s network standards. As Visa’s NNSS Agent in the UAE, Emirates NBD will streamline domestic settlements in AED, supporting enhancements to the settlement processes.

To mark the partnership, Salima Gutieva, Visa’s VP and Country Manager for the UAE, and Anith Daniel, Group Head of Transaction Banking Services at Emirates NBD, signed the NNSS agreement at Emirates NBD headquarters in Dubai.

Commenting on the partnership, Fadi Moukaddem, Visa’s SVP and Group Country Manager for UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, said: “We are committed to expanding the growth of digital payments in the UAE, and are delighted to partner with Emirates NBD to continue facilitating local currency settlements among our clients for Visa domestic transactions. We are confident that Emirates NBD’s proven expertise and strong regional standing will enable us to deliver ongoing improvements to our settlement services for our ecosystem partners.”

Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking in Emirates NBD, said: “We are pleased to serve as Visa’s NNSS Settlement Agent for settlements in the UAE. This partnership will streamline domestic settlement processes and bolster the nation’s digital payments infrastructure, supporting the UAE government’s ambitions for a more cashless economy. This appointment reflects Visa’s confidence in our financial service capabilities as we continue to strengthen our commitment to supporting issuers, acquirers and partners across the UAE.”

How NNSS benefits the UAE payments ecosystem

Faster local settlement: Domestic Visa transactions clear and settle in AED through a UAE-based NNSS Settlement Agent, helping reduce processing time and payment delays.
Improved reliability and resiliency: Local processing minimises dependencies on international networks for domestic flows, supporting continuity and stability.
Cost efficiencies: Reduced international processing can lower certain fees, creating opportunities for more efficient operations.
Greater flexibility for clients: Visa’s clients gain new options to automate and manage domestic settlement obligations in line with local operating needs.