Emirates NBD Launches Branded Silver Bars for UAE Retail and Private Banking Clients

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Emirates NBD adds silver bars to UAE precious metals offerings.

Emirates NBD has launched branded physical silver bars in four denominations ranging from 100g to 1kg, targeting both retail and high-net-worth clients.
Bars are available in 999.0 and 999.9 fineness, carry the Emirates NBD hallmark, and are priced against international silver benchmarks.
The launch follows the bank's December 2025 introduction of UAE's first bank-branded gold bars and forms part of a multi-asset physical metals platform.
Silver is positioned as a non-correlated diversification tool amid rising demand for hard assets and inflation hedges across UAE investor portfolios.
Purchases are available through designated bank channels, with options for physical collection or bank-arranged custody and a seamless digital client journey.
The move reinforces Dubai's strategic role as a regional bullion trading hub, underpinned by Emirates NBD's wholesale markets infrastructure.

Dubai's Bullion Hub Ambitions Drive Bank-Backed Precious Metals Access

Dubai's ambition to consolidate its position as a leading global bullion hub is gaining tangible momentum, with regulated banks now bridging the gap between wholesale precious metals markets and individual investors. Emirates NBD's expansion into physical bullion UAE banking - first with gold and now with silver - reflects a deliberate strategy to place investment-grade silver bars within reach of a broader segment of UAE investors, from retail savers to private banking clients.

The launch also speaks to a structural shift in how UAE investors approach portfolio construction. As demand for non-correlated assets grows in response to equity market volatility and inflationary pressures, the Emirates NBD precious metals platform is positioning itself as a regulated, transparent route into hard-asset exposure, operating under the same governance standards the bank applies to its institutional treasury and wholesale markets activities.

Silver Bars Available in Four Denominations

Emirates NBD has launched its own branded physical silver bars, available in four denominations: 100 grams, 250 grams, 500 grams and 1,000 grams (1 kilogram). The range is designed to serve different investor profiles, with the 100g bar lowering the entry point for retail savers and the larger denominations suited to more substantial allocations by high-net-worth and private banking clients. According to Gulf News, the 100g size is particularly well suited to periodic accumulation strategies aligned with regular savings plans.

The bars are produced to two recognised purity grades - 999.0 and 999.9 fineness - and each carries the Emirates NBD hallmark as a guarantee of sourcing quality and authenticity. Pricing is linked directly to international silver benchmarks, providing transparent market-rate access rather than opaque local pricing.

Part of a Broader Physical Metals Strategy

The silver bar launch is the second major milestone in Emirates NBD's multi-asset physical metals platform. The bank introduced the UAE's first bank-branded gold bar in December 2025, a product that generated strong uptake and helped cement Dubai's standing as a regional bullion centre. The silver bars extend this model into a second metal, giving clients access to a combined platform that spans investment-grade gold and silver in physical form.

Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking at Emirates NBD, stated that the launch "cements our position as a leader in the commodities space," adding that the physical silver business mirrors the rigorous standards and infrastructure of the bank's established gold business. Ammar Al Haj, Group Treasurer and Head of Global Markets, highlighted that "as demand for real assets continues to grow, silver has emerged as an effective diversification solution," delivered with the bank's emphasis on scale, transparency and governance.

Investment Case: Silver as a Portfolio Diversifier

Coverage in Gulf News and Arabian Business frames the product launch against a global pivot toward hard assets, as investors seek inflation hedges and alternatives to traditional financial instruments. Silver offers a distinctive investment profile: it behaves as a safe-haven asset during periods of market stress while also benefiting from industrial demand driven by energy transition technologies, including solar panels and electric vehicles.

This dual demand dynamic has supported strong silver price momentum recently, according to Gulf News reporting. For UAE investors with portfolios heavily weighted toward equities, bonds or cash, physical silver provides tangible exposure to an asset class with a low correlation to conventional markets - a quality that portfolio managers and private bankers increasingly highlight when discussing risk-adjusted diversification.

How to Buy and What to Expect

Purchases are available through designated Emirates NBD branches and selected digital channels, with pricing updated to reflect live international silver market levels. A step-by-step guide published by Gulf News indicates that the process involves selecting a denomination, agreeing pricing based on current benchmarks, and choosing between physical collection and bank-arranged custody. Emirates NBD's materials emphasise a seamless digital client journey, consistent with the operational model already in place for its gold bar offering.

The bank's broader precious metals ecosystem also includes a Gold and Silver Account product - a separate account-based format that allows clients to invest in metals from as little as AED 500 without taking physical delivery. Together, these products form an integrated suite that spans account-based holdings and physical bullion, accessible via online banking and mobile platforms, with bank-backed certification and recordkeeping throughout.

Regulatory Positioning and Transparency

Emirates NBD presents the physical silver business as operating within the UAE's regulated banking framework, with sourcing from recognised counterparties and refiners meeting international bullion accreditation norms. The bank's consistent emphasis on transparent benchmark-linked pricing aligns with best practice standards commonly referenced by regulators and industry bodies for retail precious metals products.

TradeArabia and Zawya note that the bank's governance approach for silver mirrors the institutional standards applied to its gold business, encompassing compliance oversight, risk controls, and verified purity certification. For clients and advisors, this means the product sits within an established regulatory perimeter rather than operating as an unregulated commodity purchase.

What Clients are Asking their Advisors

What purity standard are Emirates NBD branded silver bars?

Emirates NBD silver bars are produced to internationally recognised bullion standards and are available in two high-purity silver grades: 999.0 and 999.9 fineness. Each bar carries the Emirates NBD hallmark as a guarantee of authenticity and sourcing quality.

How do I buy Emirates NBD silver bars in the UAE?

Purchases can be initiated through designated Emirates NBD branches and selected digital channels. Pricing is linked transparently to international silver benchmarks, and customers can choose between physical collection or bank-arranged custody depending on eligibility and product configuration.

What is the difference between Emirates NBD physical silver bars and a Gold and Silver Account?

Physical silver bars give investors direct ownership of tangible metal in a specific weight and denomination, with options for collection or custody. A Gold and Silver Account is a digital or account-based product that tracks metal values from a lower entry threshold - from AED 500 - without requiring physical delivery or storage.

Why is silver considered a diversification tool for UAE investors?

Silver has a low correlation with traditional financial assets such as equities and bonds, making it useful for reducing overall portfolio volatility. It also benefits from dual demand as both a safe-haven asset and an industrial metal, with energy transition technologies driving long-term structural demand alongside investment flows.