The highest historically: 460 billion dirhams in deposits attracted by banks during 2025

Local banks attracted record deposits during the past year, with a value of about 460 billion dirhams, the highest ever in the history of the banking sector, as their cumulative balance, at the end of last December, amounted to about 3.307 trillion dirhams, compared to about 2.847 trillion dirhams at the end of December 2024, with an annual growth of 16%. The banking sector also continued to lead the Arab and Gulf countries in terms of the value of assets, which amounted, at the end of last year, to about 5.34 trillion dirhams, recording its highest value ever, according to data issued yesterday by the Central Bank of the Emirates.

The data showed a remarkable growth in banking sector indicators over the past year, as banking assets recorded an annual increase worth 780 billion dirhams, equivalent to a growth of 17% compared to about 4.56 trillion by the end of 2024.

The steady increase in bank deposits in local banks reflects high confidence in economic and banking stability, as well as relatively attractive returns and interest rates, in addition to the increase in foreign cash flows and the rise in foreign direct investment in various sectors, most notably the real estate sector.

According to the data, total bank credit also increased, reaching 2.570 trillion dirhams at the end of the monitoring period, compared to 2.181 trillion dirhams at the end of 2024, an annual increase of 389 billion dirhams, equivalent to an annual growth of 17.8%.

By the end of last year 2025, the foreign assets owned by the Central Bank amounted to 1.058 trillion dirhams, compared to 860 billion dirhams at the end of 2024, an annual increase of 198 billion dirhams, equivalent to a growth of 23%.

The Central Bank’s assets budget also increased by the end of December 2025 to 1.093 trillion dirhams, compared to 895.8 billion dirhams at the end of 2024, an annual increase of 197.4 billion dirhams, equivalent to an annual growth of 22.9%.

The banking developments report for the month of December alone showed that the money supply “M1” rose during the month of December 2025, to about 1.071 trillion dirhams, compared to about 1.048 trillion dirhams at the end of last November, recording a growth of 2.2%, supported by an increase in cash in circulation outside banks and cash deposits. The money supply “M2” also rose to about 2.75 trillion dirhams, compared to about 2.67 trillion dirhams. dirhams, with a growth of 3.2%, as a result of an increase in quasi-cash deposits by about 62 billion dirhams, while the money supply “N3” rose to about 3.255 trillion dirhams, compared to about 3.216 trillion dirhams, achieving a growth of 1.2%, despite the decline in government sector deposits. The monetary base also increased, during the month of December 2025, by 5.4% compared to the end of the previous November, to reach about 895.7 billion dirhams, driven by a growth in cash issued by 1.9%, and an increase in current accounts and overnight deposits of banks and other financial institutions with the Central Bank by 63.4%, despite a decline in reserve accounts by 9.1%.

• Data showed a remarkable growth in banking sector indicators, as banking assets recorded an annual increase of 780 billion dirhams, a growth of 17%.