Investments by banks operating in the UAE rose by 2 percent month-on-month, increasing by AED 16.9 billion in January 2026 to reach a total of AED 872.3 billion by the end of the month. On an annual basis, investments grew 17.4 percent compared to January 2025, according to banking indicators released today by the Central Bank.
The data revealed that banks’ investments in debt securities rose to AED 418.6 billion by month-end, marking a 26 percent increase year-on-year and a 3.1 percent rise from December 2025. Bonds held to maturity reached AED 371.1 billion, up 10.5 percent annually and 0.8 percent monthly. Investments in equities also saw strong growth, climbing 31.9 percent year-on-year and 3.3 percent month-on-month to AED 25.2 billion. Other investments recorded a 0.9 percent monthly increase, reaching AED 57.4 billion.
Banking operations in the UAE also saw significant activity. Transfers executed through the UAE Funds Transfer System in January 2026 totaled approximately AED 2.08 trillion, with around AED 1.21 trillion carried out by banks and AED 864.6 billion by customers.
Cheque processing via images also rose, with 1.95 million cheques valued at AED 125.2 billion processed during the month.
