First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has expanded its enterprise-wide artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to more than 6,000 employee-developed agents, reporting improvements in operational efficiency and business banking growth as the UAE lender recorded AED 20.22 billion in profit before tax for the first nine months of 2026.
The bank said AI-enabled workflows reduced trade document processing turnaround times by more than 70% and supported growth of over 80% in new-to-bank onboarding volumes in business banking. FAB also received Gartner’s 2026 Enterprise AI Breakthrough of the Year award for advancing AI integration across its business and operating model.
The results highlight the bank’s focus on scaling AI through employee-developed agents and integrating the technology into business processes to improve productivity, customer engagement and operational performance.
FAB reported operating income of AED 29.71 billion for the nine months ended September 2026, up 7% year on year, while profit before tax increased 5% to AED 20.22 billion. Net profit rose 3% to AED 16.46 billion, and return on tangible equity reached 18.6%, exceeding the bank’s medium-term guidance of above 16%.
In the third quarter, profit before tax increased 9% year on year to AED 7.01 billion, supported by business activity, revenue generation and cost management.
Hana Al Rostamani, Group Chief Executive Officer of FAB, said, “FAB’s performance in the first nine months of 2026 reflects the strength of our franchise and the consistent execution of our strategy. Group operating income rose 7% year on year to AED 29.71 billion, while profit before tax exceeded AED 20 billion. Return on tangible equity reached 18.6%, remaining above our medium-term guidance.
This performance reflects sustained growth across our businesses, the strength and scale of our diversified platform, and the continued expansion of our global franchise. It also highlights our ability to deliver consistent returns while maintaining a strong financial position.”
She added that the bank continued to invest in the future of banking by expanding its use of AI and advancing capabilities in digital assets and tokenisation. FAB also reported completing a live tokenised deposit initiative, which it described as a first for a bank in the Middle East and Africa.
The bank said it had become the first in the Middle East and Africa to execute live US dollar transactions at scale with Citi using tokenised deposits on Swift Ledger, advancing round-the-clock programmable cross-border payment capabilities.
Beyond technology investments, FAB recorded broad-based growth across its businesses. Loans and advances increased 10% year to date to AED 679 billion, while customer deposits rose 5% to AED 885 billion. Total assets reached AED 1.47 trillion, up 7% since the start of the year.
Net interest income increased 11% year on year to AED 16.98 billion, while non-interest income rose 3% to AED 12.73 billion, accounting for 43% of total operating income. Operating profit grew 8% to AED 23.32 billion.
Asset quality also improved, with the non-performing loan ratio declining to 2.1% from 2.6% a year earlier. The Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio stood at 14%, while the liquidity coverage ratio was 140% at the end of September.
Lars Kramer, Group Chief Financial Officer of FAB, said the bank’s third-quarter operating profit increased 11% year on year, driven by business momentum, income generation and efficiency.
FAB also continued to expand its sustainable finance activities. It has facilitated AED 417 billion in sustainable and transition financing, achieving 83% of its AED 500 billion target for 2030. In September 2026, the bank established an AED 100 billion blue finance target to support water-related and blue economy financing between 2026 and 2035.
The bank’s international franchise remained a growth driver, with revenue increasing 31% year on year and accounting for 22% of group revenue.