Emirates NBD Issues AED 1 Billion Digitally Native Bond, a First for the UAE and MENA
Emirates NBD has issued AED 1 billion in 3-year fixed-rate Digitally Native Notes (DNNs) — the first-ever AED-denominated digital bond and the largest public digital bond issuance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Listed on Nasdaq Dubai, the issuance highlights the bank’s leadership in digital assets and reinforces the UAE’s position as a hub for digital capital markets innovation.
A Fully Digital Bond Issued on Distributed Ledger Technology
The bond was issued through a public offering under Emirates NBD’s Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) Programme, leveraging distributed ledger technology (DLT) on Euroclear’s Digital Financial Market Infrastructure (D-FMI) platform to digitize the bond lifecycle. This infrastructure allows for issuance, distribution, and settlement of fully digital securities while retaining access to familiar secondary market channels.
Listing on Nasdaq Dubai ensures transparent price discovery, broader investor access, and alignment with international market standards — factors that enhance investor confidence and market liquidity.
This development builds on Emirates NBD’s broader digital transformation strategy, which includes earlier initiatives such as its work with blockchain payment security via Kinexys Liink to bolster cross-border payments and risk management.
Building on Global Momentum in Digital Capital Markets
The issuance adds to a global shift toward digitally native capital market solutions. Euroclear’s D-FMI has supported significant digital transactions, including its first digital issuance with the World Bank in 2023 and subsequent deals totaling approximately EUR 1.2 billion.
The platform integrates digital issuance with established post-trade services, enabling investors to access deep liquidity while benefiting from faster execution and operational efficiencies.
Strong Institutional Demand and Broad Investor Participation
The bond attracted a diverse institutional investor base, underscoring confidence in Emirates NBD’s credit strength and digital execution capabilities. Emirates NBD Capital, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq, and Standard Chartered acted as Joint Lead Managers, with Emirates NBD Capital and Standard Chartered as Joint Digitally Native Note Structurers. Citi served as the Issuing and Paying Agent.
This milestone also reinforces Emirates NBD’s track record of pioneering digital financial services. Previously, the bank became the first Tier 1 UAE bank to offer crypto trading and custodial services via LIV-X, highlighting its commitment to expanding digital asset access.
Digital Bonds Move From Concept to Scalable Market Infrastructure
The transaction highlights how digital debt instruments are increasingly operating within regulated, internationally aligned market structures, rather than as experimental products. Emirates NBD said the issuance reflects broader progress in the UAE’s digital finance ecosystem, supported by regulatory clarity and market infrastructure that allows innovation to scale responsibly.
“This issuance is a landmark for Emirates NBD and the region’s debt capital markets, highlighting our leadership in digital finance,” said Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking at Emirates NBD. “Supported by pro-business regulations and a forward-thinking approach to financial services, the UAE continues to set new benchmarks for digital assets and distributed ledger technology throughout the Middle East.”
From a market infrastructure perspective, Nasdaq Dubai framed the listing as evidence that digital issuance models can function within established exchange environments without compromising transparency or liquidity. “The admission of an AED-denominated digitally native bond to trading on Nasdaq Dubai reflects the growing maturity of digital debt markets,” said Hamed Ali, CEO of Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Financial Market (DFM). He added that the transaction demonstrates how “new issuance models can operate confidently within a regulated, internationally aligned exchange environment, while maintaining transparency, liquidity, and investor confidence.”
Euroclear positioned the deal as a shift from proof-of-concept toward repeatable execution at scale. “This transaction demonstrates how digital issuance is delivering real value for clients and moving beyond concept into repeatable market practice,” said Bernard Ferran, Chief Commercial Officer at Euroclear Group. He noted that digital issuance enables “faster execution while maintaining seamless investor access, deep liquidity, and alignment with established market standards.”
For structuring banks, the issuance signals broader institutional adoption of digital debt formats. Salman Ansari, Global Head of Capital Markets at Standard Chartered, described the transaction as “a defining moment not just for Emirates NBD, but for the region’s Capital Markets,” adding that it shows how “trusted market infrastructure and distributed-ledger-technology can work together to modernize debt markets at scale.”
Digital Bonds Gain Traction Amid Regional Debt Market Growth
The AED 1 billion digitally native bond comes amid heightened activity in the region’s debt capital markets, with strong investor demand encouraging new issuances from sovereign and corporate borrowers. Digital bonds, once experimental, are emerging as practical extensions of traditional instruments — offering improved efficiency while maintaining regulatory compliance and investor trust.
