Commercial Bank of Dubai
A Dubai-headquartered UAE bank serving retail, private, business, corporate and institutional customers through conventional and digital financial services.
Last updated September 23, 2026
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Overview
Commercial Bank of Dubai, commonly known as CBD, is a United Arab Emirates banking and financial-services company headquartered in Deira, Dubai. Established in 1969 by an Amiri Decree issued by the late Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the bank began as a joint venture involving Commerzbank, Chase Manhattan Bank and Commercial Bank of Kuwait. It subsequently developed from an internationally backed venture into a UAE national public shareholding company in 1982. CBD operates primarily in the United Arab Emirates and is listed on the Dubai Financial Market. Its shareholder base includes Investment Corporation of Dubai, the principal investment arm of the Dubai Government, together with UAE national conglomerates and prominent families. The bank is positioned as a broad-based commercial bank rather than a narrowly specialised financial institution. Its activities cover institutional banking, corporate banking, business banking, retail banking and private banking, supported by transaction banking, lending, payments, cards, deposits, treasury and wealth-related services. The bank has increasingly emphasised technology-enabled service delivery. Since 2018, CBD has pursued a digital-first strategy intended to improve customer interaction across branches, contact channels and digital platforms. This approach has included expanding mobile and online banking, simplifying customer journeys and encouraging the migration of routine banking activity to digital channels. The strategy also aims to combine more efficient servicing with higher-value sales and relationship-management experiences. CBD has expanded its technology and fintech relationships as part of this transformation. In 2022, it partnered with Postpay to support transaction banking, debt funding and e-commerce solutions. In 2024, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Du, the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company business, announced work with CBD on infrastructure supporting the bank’s innovation roadmap. CBD also became a Strategic Banking Partner of the Dubai FinTech Summit in 2024, linking its banking platform with Dubai’s wider effort to develop a global financial-technology ecosystem. The bank’s more recent initiatives have extended beyond core banking technology. In 2025, it entered a multi-year partnership with the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, giving customers privileges connected with major Dubai festivals and public initiatives. It also hosted a Microsoft Copilot Promptathon with the Microsoft Innovation Hub and began a large-scale employee rollout of Microsoft Copilot, presenting generative artificial intelligence as a tool for productivity and financial-sector innovation. In the same year, CBD became the first bank in the Middle East reported to integrate JPMorgan’s blockchain-powered Liink network, with the stated objective of improving the verification, speed and security of cross-border business payments. CBD is a significant UAE banking institution by assets and has appeared in regional bank rankings. Reference material identifies it as one of the country’s larger banks and reports that its assets exceeded AED 140 billion in 2024. Its 2024 results included AED 3.325 billion in profit before tax and AED 5.491 billion in operating income, although these figures should be read in their stated 2024 reporting context. The bank has also received recognition for mobile banking, payments technology, anti-money-laundering technology and environmental, social and governance practices. Its overall positioning combines the stability and relationship orientation of a domestic commercial bank with an increasingly digital, innovation-focused operating model.
History
Commercial Bank of Dubai was created in 1969 through an Amiri Decree issued by Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Its original structure was a joint venture between Commerzbank, Chase Manhattan Bank and Commercial Bank of Kuwait, reflecting the role of international and regional banking partners in the development of Dubai’s financial sector. The institution later underwent a change in legal and ownership structure. In 1982, it became a national public shareholding company, establishing the basis for its development as a UAE commercial bank with a domestic shareholder base. Investment Corporation of Dubai, the Dubai Government’s principal investment arm, subsequently became one of its major shareholders, alongside UAE national conglomerates and families. CBD’s business developed around the needs of companies, government-linked entities, institutions and individual customers in the UAE. Its activities expanded across corporate, institutional, business, retail and private banking. This broad model enabled the bank to combine relationship-managed lending and transaction services for businesses with accounts, cards, payments and digital services for consumers. From 2018 onward, CBD made digital transformation a central strategic priority. Its digital-first approach sought to improve service consistency across branches and electronic channels, raise the use of mobile and online banking, and redesign customer journeys around faster and more convenient interaction. The strategy also supported a shift toward higher-value advisory and sales activity by employees while routine servicing moved increasingly to digital platforms. The bank’s technology program was accompanied by external partnerships. In 2022, CBD worked with Postpay, a fintech company, on transaction banking, debt funding and e-commerce solutions. In 2024, HPE and Du announced cooperation with CBD on infrastructure supporting innovation. CBD also participated in the Dubai FinTech Summit as a Strategic Banking Partner, reinforcing its engagement with the emirate’s financial-technology ecosystem. In 2025, CBD pursued initiatives connecting banking with Dubai’s consumer economy, artificial-intelligence agenda and payments infrastructure. Its partnership with the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment provided customer privileges associated with major festivals and public programs. The Microsoft Copilot Promptathon and employee rollout positioned generative AI as an internal productivity and innovation tool. CBD also integrated JPMorgan’s Liink network, a blockchain-based system designed to help businesses verify account information before initiating cross-border payments. CBD remains an active listed UAE bank headquartered in Dubai. It has been included in regional bank and listed-company rankings and has received awards related to ESG, anti-money-laundering technology, mobile banking and payments. Reference material reports 2024 total assets of AED 140.2 billion, operating income of AED 5.491 billion and profit before tax of AED 3.325 billion. These figures belong to the 2024 reporting period and are not presented as current-period figures. The bank’s continuing strategic theme is the combination of domestic commercial-banking scale with digital distribution, fintech collaboration and technology-led operational change.
- 2025
AI and blockchain payments initiatives
[1]CBD hosts a Microsoft Copilot Promptathon, begins a large-scale Copilot rollout and integrates JPMorgan’s Liink network for cross-border payment verification.
- 2024
Technology and fintech ecosystem expansion
[1]CBD works with HPE and Du on infrastructure, joins the Dubai FinTech Summit as a Strategic Banking Partner and receives recognition for ESG and banking technology.
- 2022
Postpay partnership
[1]CBD partners with Postpay on transaction banking, debt funding and e-commerce solutions.
- 2018
Digital-first strategy begins
[1]CBD adopts a digital-first strategy focused on customer interaction, digital-channel adoption and a redesigned service model.
- 1982
Becomes a national public shareholding company
[1]CBD changes from its original joint-venture structure into a UAE national public shareholding company.
- 1969
Commercial Bank of Dubai is established
[1]The bank is founded by an Amiri Decree issued by Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum as a joint venture involving Commerzbank, Chase Manhattan Bank and Commercial Bank of Kuwait.
Products and positioning
A UAE-focused full-service commercial bank combining domestic relationship banking with digital transformation, fintech partnerships and technology-led payments innovation.
Consumer banking
Retail banking
CBD’s retail banking business serves individual customers with deposit and savings accounts, cards, payments, financing and everyday banking services. These offerings are supported by the bank’s digital-first model, which aims to shift routine servicing toward online and mobile channels while retaining relationship and assisted-service options.
Commercial banking
Corporate and business banking
The corporate and business banking franchise provides financial services for companies operating in the UAE. Its scope includes lending, working-capital support, deposits, payments, transaction banking and other relationship-based services designed for established companies and smaller businesses.
Institutional financial services
Institutional banking
CBD serves institutional clients through banking, liquidity, transaction and financing services. The institutional business complements the bank’s corporate franchise and connects larger organisations with the bank’s payments, treasury and credit capabilities.
Digital banking · 2018
Digital and mobile banking
Digital and mobile banking are central components of CBD’s post-2018 strategy. The bank has focused on improving digital customer journeys, increasing mobile-platform adoption and using technology to make servicing more convenient and consistent across customer touchpoints.
Payments and treasury
Transaction banking and payments
CBD provides transaction banking and payment services for business and institutional customers. Its technology agenda includes collaboration with Postpay and the integration of JPMorgan’s Liink network, intended to improve account verification and the processing security of cross-border payments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment partnership
United Arab Emirates
CBD entered a multi-year partnership with the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, connecting customer benefits with Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai Food Festival, Ramadan and Eid in Dubai, and Dubai Fitness Challenge.
Outcome. The partnership was presented as a way to link CBD’s customer proposition with Dubai’s cultural, retail and economic calendar.
- 2025Microsoft Copilot Promptathon
United Arab Emirates
CBD hosted a regional Microsoft Copilot Promptathon with the Microsoft Innovation Hub as part of a wider employee adoption and artificial-intelligence program.
Outcome. The event accompanied the rollout of Microsoft Copilot to CBD employees and highlighted the bank’s stated focus on productivity and AI-enabled innovation.
Brand decisions
2025
Expansion into generative AI and blockchain-enabled paymentsStrategyBackground
CBD continued its digital transformation by exploring employee productivity tools and faster, safer cross-border payment processes.
Action taken
The bank launched a Microsoft Copilot employee rollout and integrated JPMorgan’s Liink network for business account verification before cross-border payments.
Aftermath
The initiatives strengthened CBD’s public positioning as a technology-oriented UAE bank.
2022
Partnership with PostpayOtherBackground
Fintech and e-commerce growth created demand for integrated transaction banking and funding solutions.
Action taken
CBD partnered with Postpay to provide transaction banking, debt funding and e-commerce solutions.
Aftermath
The partnership broadened CBD’s engagement with fintech-enabled commerce and business payments.
2018
Adoption of a digital-first strategyStrategyBackground
CBD sought to improve customer service across channels and increase the use of digital and mobile platforms.
Action taken
The bank adopted a digital-first operating strategy and developed a customer-servicing model focused on digital adoption and higher-value interactions.
Aftermath
The strategy became the foundation for later fintech, infrastructure, artificial-intelligence and digital-payments initiatives.
Recent events
CARS24 raises $20 million in UAE debt funding[3]
CARS24 raised Dh75 million ($20 million) in local debt funding from Commercial Bank of Dubai to support its operational expansion in the UAE.
Commercial Bank of Dubai wins trade finance innovation award[4]
Commercial Bank of Dubai won Global Finance’s “Outstanding Innovation in Trade Finance” award at the Digital Banks and Innovators Awards ceremony.
- Unconfirmed
Emirates Development Bank and Commercial Bank of Dubai sign SME financing agreement[5]
Reported:
Emirates Development Bank signed a memorandum of understanding with Commercial Bank of Dubai to offer credit guarantees and co-lending programmes to small and medium-sized enterprises in priority sectors in the UAE.
Commercial Bank of Dubai rolls out CBD Investr[6]
Reported:
Commercial Bank of Dubai rolled out CBD Investr, a robo-advisory investment app that provides customers access to diversified portfolios. Customers can start investing with $500, according to the bank.
Commercial Bank of Dubai partners with Thunes[7]
Reported:
Commercial Bank of Dubai partnered with Thunes to provide customers with real-time remittances to India, the Philippines, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The service was to launch initially for transfers to bank accounts, with cash-pickup and mobile-wallet remittances to be added later.
Sources7 sources
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