ADIB Becomes the UAE’s First Bank Licensed to operate as an Open Finance Provider under the UAE’s Open Finance AlTareq Initiative

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has become the first bank in the United Arab Emirates to be licensed as a Third‑Party Provider (TPP) or Open Finance Provider under the Central Bank of the UAE’s AlTareq Open Finance initiative, the bank announced on April 17, 2026. The licence enables ADIB to securely aggregate customer‑permissioned account data from other banks, offering customers a consolidated view of their finances through a single ADIB interface and aligning with the Central Bank’s 2023–2026 strategy to build a more connected, customer‑centric national digital ecosystem.

“Becoming the first bank licensed as a Third ‑ Party Provider under the UAE’s AlTareq Open Finance initiative is a strategic step in building the bank of the future,” said Mohamed Abdelbary, Group Chief Executive Officer of ADIB. “It enables us to deliver more connected, faster and more personalised solutions for our customers, while maintaining the highest standards of security and regulatory compliance.”

Context and details

The TPP licence allows ADIB to extend its digital capabilities beyond traditional account custody roles to act as an authorised data aggregator within the AlTareq framework. Built on explicit customer consent and stringent data‑protection standards, ADIB’s new role under the initiative will use approved APIs, strong authentication and robust controls to enable secure data sharing between institutions.

ADIB framed the move as part of a broader transformation tied to its Vision 2035, and as a continuation of early adoption of Open Finance in the UAE. The bank has already focused on simplifying and accelerating customer journeys, citing recent enhancements to fully digital onboarding for Home Finance Approval and Card applications. Those processes now allow existing customers and non‑customers to complete applications in minutes via straight‑through digital processing.

• Account aggregation: Customers can view and manage accounts held at other banks within ADIB’s interface, improving financial oversight and decision‑making.
• Consent and security: Data sharing is enabled strictly on explicit customer consent, with approved APIs and strong authentication.
• Customer insight: Aggregated, permissioned data will help ADIB tailor products and identify new opportunities based on customer behaviour.
• Operational benefits: The bank expects improved automation, more efficient data consolidation and enhanced cross‑account transparency.

Outlook

ADIB signalled that the TPP licence is an initial step and that additional features and use cases will be rolled out over time. “Looking ahead, ADIB will continue to expand and refine customer journeys enabled by Open Finance, with additional features and use cases to be rolled out over time,” the bank said, adding that it will regularly update digital journeys to strengthen financial transparency and support better customer decision‑making.

The announcement, flagged in coverage credited to Dominic Sow, positions ADIB at the forefront of the UAE’s nascent Open Finance ecosystem as the country moves to implement AlTareq nationally. By combining regulated custodial responsibilities with authorised TPP functions, ADIB aims to bridge traditional banking services and new data‑driven customer experiences while maintaining compliance with Central Bank standards.