FAB 2025 Profit Rises To AED 21.11 Billion As AI Investments Boost UAE Bank's Global Standing

First Abu Dhabi Bank reported Group net profit of AED21.11 billion for 2025, a 24 percent rise from 2024, while profit before tax increased 27 percent to AED25.20 billion. Operating income reached AED36.68 billion, up 16 percent year-on-year, as higher non-interest income and strong business activity supported overall performance.

Returns to shareholders strengthened, with return on tangible equity reaching 19.2 percent in 2025, above the Group’s medium-term goals and placing FAB among the most profitable AA-rated banks worldwide. The Board of Directors proposed a cash dividend of 80 fils per share, totalling AED8.84 billion, the highest distribution in the bank’s history.

H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of First Abu Dhabi Bank Group, said the Group’s 2025 results reflect years of continuous success in expanding its business portfolio, strengthening resilience, and delivering long-term sustainable value, reinforcing its position as a leading financial institution. The Chairman highlighted disciplined execution as central to this progress.

Sheikh Tahnoon noted that FAB expanded operations and improved profitability while consolidating its role as the UAE’s global bank. The Chairman underlined the Group’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s economic goals and sustaining investments in technology and innovation, with particular focus on artificial intelligence and related capabilities across the organisation.

Hana Al Rostamani, Group Chief Executive Officer of FAB, said the bank concluded the 2025 financial year with strong performance, highlighting the strength of its business franchise and disciplined strategy throughout the year. Al Rostamani stated that this performance reflected balanced growth across businesses and a continued focus on risk management and efficiency.

Al Rostamani added that 2025 represented a key step in FAB’s plan to optimise artificial intelligence, through wider use of agentic AI technologies and rapid development at the bank’s AI Innovation Hub. These initiatives delivered measurable gains in productivity, better decision-making quality, and an improved customer experience across core markets and segments.

Net interest income increased 4 percent year-on-year to AED20.32 billion, driven by double-digit growth in transaction volumes across key products. Non-interest income rose 36 percent to AED16.35 billion, making up 45 percent of Group revenue. This shift highlighted the growing role of diversified income streams in FAB’s earnings profile.

FAB’s balance sheet also expanded during 2025. Total assets reached AED1.40 trillion, a 16 percent increase year-on-year. Loans and advances grew 17 percent to AED616 billion, while customer deposits rose 7 percent to AED841 billion, reflecting healthy client activity and stable funding across corporate and retail segments.

Al Rostamani emphasised that the combination of higher profitability, stronger returns, and continued investment in artificial intelligence positioned FAB to support the UAE’s economic ambitions. The 2025 financial results and recommended dividend underlined the Group’s capacity to generate capital, reward shareholders, and pursue future growth within and beyond the domestic market.

With inputs from WAM