How the GCC is playing a growing role in global commerce

The Gulf Co-operation Council’s banking sector is increasingly underwriting global commerce, with Gulf banks now holding more than $3.9 trillion in combined assets and deploying capital across infrastructure, trade and cross-border corporate expansion. National figures highlight the shift: Qatar’s inward foreign direct investment position reached QR165.4 billion ($45.4 billion) at the end of 2025 while its outward FDI rose 8.1% year‑on‑year to QR210 billion. At the same time, QNB Group reports a sharp expansion in trade and payments capability, including QR212 billion in trade finance facilitated in 2024 and direct currency coverage extended from 30 to 130 markets.

"Through our work with multinational companies across QNB’s network, we see how this shift is changing corporate decision making," said Khaled Salhab, EVP, Group Corporate and Institutional Banking at QNB Group. "Companies are not only considering which market to enter next. They are asking how capital can be mobilised across borders, where regional liquidity should be managed and which banking partner can connect their operations across multiple currencies, regulatory environments and time zones."

Salhab’s remarks underscore a structural realignment in corporate banking. With some international lenders pulling back on capital deployment, highly liquid Gulf banks are stepping forward to finance large projects and to provide platform services for multinational operations. The region's liquidity and sovereign wealth, combined with sustained public investment in sectors from tourism to logistics, are reshaping the GCC from a destination market into a global coordination hub for capital and trade.

Concrete examples of regional finance in action

• Qatar: The Dukhan 2,000‑megawatt solar power plant — developed by QatarEnergy together with Samsung C&T’s Engineering and Construction Group — is cited as an example of state ambition drawing international partners and capital.
• Egypt: QNB’s Egyptian subsidiary participated in financing Green Sky Capital’s $500 million sustainable aviation fuel facility, supporting a nascent clean‑energy value chain.
• Egypt (trade infrastructure): QNB Egypt arranged an EGP11.98 billion ($231 million) syndicated loan for new marine berths at East Port Said Port to strengthen trade logistics.
• QNB Group reach and scale: Present in more than 28 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa, the bank says it employs over 31,000 professionals and has broadened its international payment infrastructure materially in recent years.

The shift is not only about balance‑sheet capacity but also about digital transformation. Salhab highlights the move from paper‑based guarantees to integrated digital trade finance platforms that automate manual processes, reduce processing times and enhance regulatory compliance across jurisdictions. These platforms, coupled with expanded currency corridors, are presented as essential tools for companies managing working capital and complex supply chains across Asia, Africa and Europe.

Looking ahead, regional banks are positioning themselves as enablers of national development plans. The article points to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 investments in tourism, technology and urban projects and the UAE’s focus on aviation and logistics as complementary drivers of demand for large, cross‑border financing solutions. "The companies best positioned for future growth will be those capable of connecting capital with opportunity, central oversight with local agility, and regional strength with global reach," the piece concludes, framing GCC banks as central to that convergence.