Emirates NBD Expands Precious Metals Offering with Branded Silver Bars

Emirates NBD, a major banking group operating across the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region, officially launched its first series of bank-branded silver bars on February 19, 2026. This strategic product introduction follows the successful debut of Emirates NBD Gold in December 2025, which marked the UAE's first bank-branded gold bar for investors. The swift addition of silver products signals the institution's commitment to expanding its precious metals division in direct response to rising client demand for non-correlated and diversified investment vehicles.

The newly available silver bars are offered in four denominations—100 grams, 250 grams, 500 grams, and 1,000 grams—providing both retail clients and high-net-worth individuals with scalable entry points for physical silver investment. These bars adhere to rigorous international standards, featuring high purity grades of 999.0 and 999.9, and carry the official Emirates NBD hallmark to certify quality and secure sourcing. Pricing for these assets is directly tied to international silver benchmarks, ensuring transparent valuation for transactions conducted through designated Emirates NBD channels.

Ammar Al Haj, Group Treasurer and Head of Global Markets at Emirates NBD, noted that silver serves as an effective diversification solution aligning with the growing preference for real assets. This expansion solidifies the bank's position within the regional commodities space by offering a multi-asset physical platform. Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking at Emirates NBD, stated the bank is positioned to bridge wholesale market depth with retail accessibility through this robust offering, which integrates secure sourcing and bank-backed certification.

This development aligns with a broader regional trend where financial institutions are increasingly offering tangible assets as a strategic hedge against perceived global economic uncertainty and evolving monetary policy outlooks. The initiative specifically addresses investor interest in hard assets, reinforced by silver's appeal as a safe-haven asset and its increasing industrial demand, particularly in technologies supporting the energy transition. The move also reinforces Dubai's role as a central hub for regional bullion trading, building on the uptake seen with the bank's gold bar product.

The context of the UAE's economy supports this expansion, as the nation continues its economic pivot away from oil reliance, with real Gross Domestic Product growth projected around 5.3 percent for 2026, according to the Central Bank of the UAE. The UAE banking sector, which held total assets reaching US $1,109 billion as of the 2023 CBUAE Annual Report, maintains robust capital buffers and attracts significant global capital flows. Emirates NBD’s focus on physical metals reflects the region's broader push to build resilient financial systems capable of navigating global volatility.