塑造海湾合作委员会银行业的下一个时代：定义金融未来的战略举措

Strategic Initiatives Defining the Future ofFinance | Q3 2025 2025 GCC banks are among the world’s most profitable and efficient banks, driving strong demand forfintech, AI, payments, and embedded-finance partnerships •Banks in the GCC rank among the most profitable and efficient, outperforming US and European peers onRoA,RoE, and cost-to-income •This strength makes the region a high-potential market forFinTechs, withbanks actively seeking digital, data, and embedded-financepartnershipsto accelerate transformation. •GCC banks are strengthening theircross-border ambitions, creating demand for advanced payments, API, AI, and embedded finance •Large profitability pools mean banks have the budgets to invest in AI, cloud, and real-time data platforms; key catalysts for fintech UAE is the fastest-growing market but has the highest-default rates; KSA is the largest bankingmarket and has lowest defaults; other GCC markets are smaller with moderate growth •Saudi Arabia maintains alow NPAratio because its banking system isanchored by stable, salaried Saudi nationals and large government-linked corporates, leading to structurally lower default risk and stronger repayment discipline. •TheUAE’s NPA ratio is comparatively higher,largely because its credit portfolio isconcentrated in SMEs, a segment that typically carries higher default risk than the large corporate–heavy lending portfolios seen in other GCC markets.•Oman’s NPA ratio is elevated mainly because of prolonged economic slowdown and stress in sectors like construction and SMEs Qatari banks demonstrate world-class efficiency, Oman, KSA, and Kuwait sustain the strongest netinterest margins, and the UAE and KSA emerge as the region’s most profitable banking markets •UAE’s higher operating costs are offset by its large scale and diversified income, enabling it to deliver one of the strongest ROA levels in •Qatar stands out as theregion’s most efficient market, with the lowest cost-to-income ratio, giving it a structural profitability advantage. •KSA benefits from thestrongest lending margins in the region, reflected in the highest NIM,driven by a deep retail marketand sustainedmortgage growth. •Bahrain’s profitability remains under pressure as banks face both high operating costs and the lowest NIM, limiting their ability to The UAE leads GCC fintech activity, with KSA close behind, while Bahrain is rapidly scaling itsecosystem. Across the region, digital banking penetration remains among the highest globally •UAEis the GCC’s most mature FinTech hub, hosting regional HQs for global players and leading on open banking and open finance—drawingdisproportionate talent, capital, and innovation. •Saudi Arabiais the fastest-scaling FinTech market, where a large population and rapid shift to cashless payments create one of the region’s •Bahrainpunches above its weight, leveraging early regulatory leadership and a strong sandbox; high bank cost-to-income ratios are •Qataris a steady-growth FinTech market, backed by high digital adoption, strong state support, and a small but affluent customer basethatenables attractive unit economics. •Oman and Kuwaitremain nascent, with gradual regulatory progress and limited startup depth, but rising digital adoption is laying the Profitability, digital penetration, and fintech expansion fuel GCC banking growth, led by UAE’sinnovation, KSA’s scale, and Bahrain’s regulatory-driven ecosystem advancement Country-Level Strategic Positioning (1/2) UAE Saudi Arabia Bahrain •High NIM and strong efficiency givebanks the financial capacity to investheavily in digital transformation, AI, cloudmodernization, and new business models•The UAE has the highest number offintechsand the highest digital bankingpenetration in the GCC•This makes the UAE:oa hub for API-driven banking, •High Cost-Income ratio and low NetInterest Margin imply lending yields arelow and operations costs are high•Increased reliance on FinTech's to cutcosts and build non-lending revenuestreams•High CIR means banks have limitedcapacity to fund large internal tech builds •KSA has the second-highest number offintechsin the GCC, supported by anactive regulatory agenda (SAMA + CMAsandboxes, Open Banking rollout)•Large banks and an expanding marketunder Vision 2030 create high demandfor enterprise-grade digital infrastructureand data-driven decisions. Qatar adopts fintech cautiously, Oman faces limited scale and slow digital progress, while Kuwaitmodernizes gradually with emerging fintech focused on payments and SME needs Country-Level Strategic Positioning (2/2) Qatar Kuwait Oman •No full Open Banking/Open Financeframework, limiting ecosystem growthand slowing fintech–bank collaboration•Strong balance sheets push banks toprioritize stability and corporaterelationships over rapid digital productexpansion•This positions Qatar as:oa cautious adopter of advanced •Healthy NIMs and strong liquidity givebanks room to modernize, but regionalleaderslag behindd