The total value of transfers conducted within the UAE’s banking sector via the UAE Funds Transfer System (UAEFTS) amounted to AED9.528 trillion ($2.6 trillion) during the initial five months of this year.
As per the Banking Operations Statistics released today by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), the total value of transfers executed by banks reached AED5.963 trillion ($1.6 trillion), distributed as follows: AED1.1 trillion in January, AED983.99 billion in February, AED1.238 trillion in March, AED1.273 trillion in April, and AED1.089 trillion in May.
Furthermore, the value of transfers completed by customers surpassed AED3.834 trillion ($1 trillion), which includes AED677.65 billion in January, AED649.48 billion in February, AED791.313 billion in March, AED879.94 billion in April, and AED836.157 billion in May.
Regarding cheques, the banking operations statistics for May indicated that the value of cheques cleared using their images exceeded AED603.161 billion during the first five months of the year, while the total number of cleared cheques approached approximately 9.6 million.
In May alone, the value of cheques cleared reached AED131.49 billion, encompassing over 2 million cheques.
Read more: CBUAE projects UAE GDP growth of 4.7 percent in 2025, 5.7 percent in 2026
Robust liquidity indicators
According to data from the Central Bank, the value of cash withdrawals from the Central Bank over the first five months of this year totaled AED99.791 billion, while cash deposits amounted to AED83.9 billion.
Banking indicators published today by the Central Bank further revealed a 1.8 percent monthly increase and a 7.2 percent rise in the value of banks’ investments, culminating in AED788 billion by the end of May. This figure compares favorably to AED774.3 billion at the end of April and AED734.8 billion at the end of the previous year.
Recent data from the Central Bank underscores that the UAE banking sector experienced notable growth in total assets, with assets exceeding AED4.749 trillion by the conclusion of April 2025, reflecting a 0.6 percent month-on-month increase. Total bank credit ascended to AED2.259 trillion, propelled by increases in government, public sector, and private sector credits. Additionally, total bank deposits rose to AED2.965 trillion, with non-resident deposits increasing by nearly 11 percent to AED275.6 billion. This trend illustrates robust liquidity and resilience within UAE banks amid changing economic conditions.
Investment activities within the banking sector also remained vigorous. By April 2025, bank investments surged to AED774.3 billion, representing a 16.2 percent annual increase. The majority of these investments comprised debt securities, with AED352.4 billion held in this category, alongside AED345.8 billion in securities held to maturity. Diversification efforts were apparent, as investments in stocks and other instruments reached AED19.3 billion and AED56.8 billion, respectively. Key emirates such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai spearheaded this investment growth, emphasizing their pivotal roles in the financial landscape.
