The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has released its Financial Stability Report 2025: total UAE banking assets grew 17.1% year-on-year to about AED 5.3 trillion, the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio fell to a record low 3.3% and sector net profit reached AED 90.8 billion (+11.7% Y-o-Y). A dedicated section of the report covers progress on the national payments stack under the FIT programme: the Aani Instant Payment Platform, the Jaywan domestic card scheme and — for the first time in an official report — the CBUAE Open Finance platform Al Tareq.
What the CBUAE 2025 report shows
The regulator's overall read on the UAE banking system is that it is resilient: capitalisation, liquidity and profitability are healthy, and stress tests are passed. Key 2025 figures:
- Assets — about AED 5.3 trillion, growing +17.1% year-on-year.
- Credit portfolio — +17.8% Y-o-Y: banks are actively lending to corporates, SMEs and individuals.
- Deposits — +16.1% Y-o-Y: liquidity inflows from corporate and retail segments remain strong.
- Sector net profit — AED 90.8 billion, +11.7% Y-o-Y.
- Capital adequacy ratio (CAR) — 17.0%, well above the regulatory minimum.
The mix of double-digit balance-sheet growth, rising profits and a capital buffer is a rare combination for global banks in 2025. How these numbers line up with the wider macroeconomic picture is covered in our separate outlook on the UAE economy in 2026 and its diversification.
NPL 3.3% and stress tests
Asset quality continued to improve: the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio fell to 3.3% in 2025 — versus 4.7% in 2024 and 8.2% in 2020. The net NPL ratio (after specific provisions) stands at 1.6%. That confirms banks are writing off and actively working out problem exposures faster than the credit portfolio itself is expanding.
Under CBUAE's 2025 supervisory stress tests, in the adverse scenario the average Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio temporarily falls from 14.1% to a low of 11.1%, yet stays above the regulatory minimum throughout the horizon. In other words, even in a severe shock the sector holds an adequate capital buffer.
FIT programme: Aani, Jaywan and Open Finance Al Tareq
A dedicated section of the report covers the national payments infrastructure being developed under CBUAE's Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) programme. The main tracks in 2025:
- Aani — the Instant Payment Platform, operated by Al Etihad Payments (a CBUAE subsidiary). Enables instant transfers of up to AED 50,000, 24/7, via phone number, email or QR — no IBAN needed. Aani volumes rose sharply in 2025, particularly from March onwards.
- Jaywan — the UAE's first domestic card scheme, also run by Al Etihad Payments. The national switch is ready to support the issuance of Jaywan debit and prepaid cards; in July 2026 First Abu Dhabi Bank and Commercial Bank of Dubai became the first issuers, with more banks connecting.
- Al Tareq — the CBUAE Open Finance platform. The regulator officially names the brand for the first time in a stability report: the platform will give market participants regulated access to customer data and payment initiation via a single CBUAE API hub, always with customer consent.
For banks and fintechs the message is clear: CBUAE's priorities are local processing, reducing dependence on external networks and open infrastructure.
What it means for UAE business
For companies with corporate accounts
Double-digit growth in assets and deposits alongside low NPL and a solid capital buffer means UAE banks are liquid, stable and prepared to grow corporate lending. In practice — better terms on overdrafts and working capital for existing clients, and faster review of new applications. How to open a corporate bank account in the UAE in 2026 — from picking the bank and preparing KYC to typical turnaround times and where the process breaks — is covered in our dedicated guide.
For SMEs
The sector credit portfolio grew 17.8% — banks are actively expanding lending to small and medium-sized businesses. If temporary payment pressure appears, it is worth proactively discussing restructuring with the bank: against a low NPL of 3.3%, banks are more accommodating to good-faith borrowers than to pushing a case into default.
For fintech and payment acceptance
Aani and Jaywan are becoming part of the UAE's baseline payment stack: the Jaywan card can now be accepted at POS and in e-commerce alongside international networks, and Aani instant transfers can replace traditional bank transfers for amounts up to AED 50,000. For merchants and SaaS platforms this is often a cheaper alternative — worth building into 2026-2027 payment-acceptance roadmaps.
Bottom line
The Financial Stability Report 2025 shows the UAE banking system entering 2026 at peak health — assets AED 5.3 trillion, NPL 3.3%, net profit AED 90.8 billion, CAR 17.0%, stress tests passed. In parallel, the FIT programme is accelerating: Aani is scaling, Jaywan cards are in customers' hands and the Open Finance platform Al Tareq is now officially named. For businesses this translates into better access to credit and corporate accounts plus new, cheaper channels for settlements.
This article is provided for information only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Bank product terms, the list of Aani/Jaywan participants and integration requirements should be confirmed on the official CBUAE website (centralbank.ae) and directly with your bank.
