Sunil here to talk about the National Bank of Abu Dhabi

If you are new to Abu Dhabi and wondering which bank you could open up an account with, most people will immediately answer the Nation Bank of Abu Dhabi or NBAD for short. This bank is one of the largest banks in the region having branches all over the Middle East and other countries as well. Its main goal is to become the best Arab bank in the Gulf Coast region and eventually the World.

Although it is run mostly by Arabs and people from the Middle East, its clientele is very much international as it is local (remember, Abu Dhabi is mostly populated by expatriates living and working there). Many businessmen in the world who do business in the Middle East are likely to have and account with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.


This may be the first time you have heard of this bank, but it is a very common name in the Middle East.

It provides a lot of the domestic banking needs of local business and those of the private sector.

If you are a local you can open an account here with a valid ID.

You can start banking with them in no time.

If you are a foreigner and are in need of banking services, you can still open an account with them by bringing you passport with you. However there are certain restrictions that you will be subjected to. Such restrictions would be that you will not be able to open a credit or current (checking) account with them.

That means no checks or credit cards for you. This is very typical for a bank to do if you are not a local. Aside from that you will be able to conduct international transactions as well as other financial transactions with no problem. You just need to inquire as to what your limitations are when banking with them as a foreign banking client. I’d tell you the restrictions, but these typically change now and then.

There are several branches spread around the city for your conveniences. They also have ATM machines in different locations so you can access your cash anytime. If you are a businessman and if you have a large transaction to conduct and would like to go to the main branch or head office, you will not find it difficult to locate the bank as their headquarters is in one of the tallest buildings in Abu Dhabi.

It used to hold the record as the tallest building from 2002 to 2006 but since was surpassed by the Burj Dubai. It is now the second tallest building in the country of United Arab Emirates (UAE).

So whether you are a national or a foreigner, one of the best banks that you can go to is the National bank of Abu Dhabi as you can be assured that your finances are safe with them. That trust is shared by thousands of other clients, big and small, from all over the world.