On the Move

Standard Chartered appoints Michelle Swanepoel as Head of Financing and Securities Services Middle East and Africa

Oman’s Bank Nizwa appoints Tariq Atiq as CEO

Aon strengthens Talent Solutions team with Talal Bohsali and Jad Bou Saab

Muzinich & Co. appoints Shailaja Krishnamurthy to strengthen Middle East presence

Rothschild & Co continues to grow its Wealth Management business in Israel with appointment of Senior Client Adviser

Ogier strengthens funds capability in Dubai by promoting Dominic Athwal to partner

Legal, Tax, Regulation & Compliance

Saudi EXIM Signs Cooperation Agreement with Alinma Bank

New US$1 Billion World Bank Group Development Financing to Support Egypt’s Private Sector–Led Job Creation, Macroeconomic Stability, and a Greener Economy

Saudi finance licenses climb to 74 as payment providers hit 32

Social Affairs Minister explores cooperation with World Bank

Bahrain: BBK and Eskan Bank sign GLDP agreement

Erdogan’s Proposal Risks Deepening Turkey’s Role in Illicit Finance Networks

Retail Banking

NBK Named Best Bank in Kuwait - 2026 by Global Finance

Sharjah Islamic Bank rights issue draws Dh8.3 billion in demand

Kuwait banks push to cut ‘Link’ transfer limits amid rise of Wamd payments

Qatar Central Bank’s international reserves grow 1.90 percent to $71.9 billion as gold holdings surge to $16.82 billion

Stc Bahrain partners with MENA Industrial Bank to support its operations in Bahrain

Burgan Bank reports its financial results for first quarter of 2026

Alternative Investments

Saudi-listed companies’ profits surge to highest level since 2022

ADGM publishes 2026 update to Legal Persons and Arrangements risk assessment

From historic highs, a conflict-driven pause to AED 9bln in April mortgages: Dubai's property market in 2026

Global banking sector suffers under inflation pressure, say experts

Emirates Group announces record profit despite regional conflict

Saudi insurers show mixed performance in Q1 earnings

Wealth & Asset Management

Burgan Bank wins ‘Best for High-Net-Worth’ award

Top wealth planning strategies for high-net-worth individuals in 2026

EHRDC and DIFC launch programme to qualify Emirati talent in wealth management and financial technology

OKX, BlackRock and Standard Chartered launch joint framework to establish new utility for tokenized real-world assets

WELF sets up DFSA-regulated wealth advisory business

The Private Standard rebrands to reflect expanded focus on private offices

FinTech

QFC-backed platform lets Islamic banks use AI without exposing data

Abu Dhabi's Phoenix Group partners with DC Max

Oman’s digital payment transactions jump 76% to RO3.2bn in 2025

Ripple opens regional HQ in the UAE

The Fintech Landscape of the Middle East: Kuwait in 2026

SAMA grants two new consumer finance licenses

Islamic Finance

Al Baraka Islamic Bank achieves positive turnaround with net income of BD12thousand in Q1 2026

GCC sukuk issuance rises 13.1% as Saudi Arabia leads despite conflict concerns

GCC sukuk issuance rises 13.1% as Saudi Arabia leads despite conflict concerns

Oman: Meethaq Islamic Banking tops $5.1bln in assets

KFH – Bahrain wins “Best Islamic Financial Institution” and “Best Bank in Bahrain” for 2026 from Global Finance

Abu Dhabi Family Business Council Signs MOU with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank to Deliver Tailored Banking Solutions for High-Net-Worth Individuals

Research, Comment and Analysis

Have UAE banks cut jobs due to regional conflict? Official clarifies

Middle Eastern banks tap China growth by beefing up presence in Hong Kong

UAE announces major cashless change for tourists – here’s what it means

How the Middle East war is boosting family offices, private banking in Hong Kong and Asia

Nassef Sawiris closes London family office as UK tax changes drive wealth exits

Qatar: Real estate trading volume exceeds $127.7mln in one week

Investment Bank

Oman opens Angola-based investment bank to deepen Africa trade links

HSBC says it’s committed to commercial, investment banking in Egypt amid reports it’s inching closer to exiting retail franchise

Citi signs deal to sell 24% equity stake in Banamex

UmniaBank reports strong performance for 2025 with net profit of MAD57m

Intesa Sanpaolo Strengthens Its Focus on the Middle East: Imi Cib Solidifies Its Role as a Strategic Partner in the Gulf Region

Goldman Sachs opens Middle East headquarters in Saudi Arabia

Planet SOS

Ministry of Environment and Climate Change launches digital service for safe disposal of electronic waste

FAB unveils net zero transition plan in 2026 transition pathways update

Sustainable Finance Awards 2026: Middle East

Egypt: CBE catalyses banking sector’s shift toward sustainable finance

National Finance continues advancing Oman’s development agenda through its sustainable finance offering

ADIB strengthens ESG ratings with MSCI and sustainalytics