The Ministry of Finance (MoF) of the United Arab Emirates has signed the second agreement under the ‘Retail Sukuk’ Initiative with Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Turkey) region.
The Retail Sukuk initiative is aimed at enabling citizens and residents to invest easily and securely in UAE Government Treasury Bonds and Islamic Treasury Sukuk through innovative digital platforms.
Under the agreement, individual investors in the UAE can now invest in fractional T-Bonds and T-Sukuk in smaller denominations with a minimum investment of $1,089 (AED 4,000), in line with the Ministry’s efforts to broaden the investor base and promote financial inclusion across the UAE.
All T-Bonds and T-Sukuk issued by the Ministry of Finance will be listed on ENBD’s platform. ENBD will make sovereign instruments available through primary allocations or via secondary-market transactions, making it easy for investors to subscribe or trade.
The bank will also organize awareness and financial-education sessions, introduce a dedicated FAQs section, and conduct periodic investor surveys to ensure a transparent and user-friendly investment experience.
UAE nationals and residents with an Emirates ID or UAE PASS can complete registration online via the platform, fulfil KYC requirements, and create a risk profile directly on the platform, while also viewing the T-Bonds and T-Sukuk terms and transaction details.
HE Younis Haji AlKhoori Undersecretary Ministry of Finance – UAE
“ENBD participation in the Retail Sukuk Initiative represents an advanced phase in widening the pool of national institutions supporting the Ministry’s national programs, and aligns with our strategic approach to offer government financial instruments to individuals via digital channels. The initiative is not limited to offering investment products; it seeks to embed a culture of saving and sustainable investment among citizens and residents.”
AlKhoori noted that collaborating with national financial institutions underscores the Ministry’s commitment to empowering the private sector and developing innovative, government-backed financial instruments that deepen local capital markets and drive sustainable economic growth.
He added that providing individuals with a safe, user-friendly digital investment platform; offering clear details on products, returns, and maturity, helps families plan their finances, promote long-term stability, and support the leadership’s vision for a secure financial future.
Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking at Emirates NBD, said that “Our partnership with the Ministry of Finance demonstrates ENBD’s commitment to strengthening local capital markets. By providing individual investors with access to retail sukuk: UAE T-Bonds and T-Sukuk via the ‘ENBD X‘ mobile application, we contribute to deepening the domestic debt market and making it more dynamic and resilient, thereby supporting sustainable economic growth and reinforcing the UAE’s position as a global center for Islamic finance. As one of the region’s leading national banks, ENBD continues to harness innovative technology to broaden and diversify market participation and to advance financial inclusion across the United Arab Emirates.”
The Ministry of Finance affirmed that signing this agreement on retail sukuk represents the second phase of a series of strategic partnerships with a number of national banks participating in the ‘Retail Sukuk’ Initiative, aimed at broadening access to T-Bonds and T-Sukuk, promoting financial awareness across society, and embedding the concept of responsible saving as a cornerstone of the UAE’s long-term financial sustainability.
