Bank investments in the UAE rose by 1 percent month-on-month, increasing by AED 7.3 billion in January to reach AED 742.9 billion by month-end. This represents a robust 16.1 percent increase compared to January 2024.
As per recent banking indicators released by the Central Bank of the UAE, investments in debt securities climbed to AED 332.3 billion, recording a significant 26.1 percent year-on-year rise.
Held-to-maturity bonds witnessed a 7.9 percent annual increase but experienced a marginal 1.1 percent decline compared to December, amounting to AED 335.7 billion by the end of January.
Equity investments by banks expanded by 19.4 percent on a yearly basis to reach AED 19.1 billion, despite a 1.5 percent dip from the previous month. Other forms of investments rose by 13.2 percent year-on-year and 2.2 percent month-on-month, standing at AED 55.8 billion.
This positive investment trend coincided with a 9.5 percent increase in total credit, which reached AED 2.186 trillion. Total deposits also recorded double-digit growth, rising 11.8 percent year-on-year to exceed AED 2.84 trillion.
The banking sector’s total assets experienced an annual increase of 11 percent and a slight monthly rise of 0.1 percent, reaching AED 4.562 trillion by the close of January.
Furthermore, banking operation statistics revealed that the value of transactions processed through the UAE Funds Transfer System (UAEFTS) surpassed AED 1.786 trillion during January—an 18 percent rise. This comprised AED 1.109 trillion in interbank transactions and AED 677.64 billion in customer-related transfers.
Additionally, the value of cheques cleared through image-based processing stood at AED 118.48 billion, involving 1.956 million cheques. Cash withdrawals from the Central Bank amounted to AED 19.929 billion, while deposit inflows totalled approximately AED 15.217 billion.
