National Bonds, a leading Sharia-compliant savings and investment company in the UAE, today announced another remarkable year marked by significant growth, with its investment portfolio crossing AED14 billion (US$3.8 billion) as of December 2023. This major stride reaffirms the company’s position as a trusted financial partner for UAE nationals and residents seeking a simplified rewarding savings journey, tailored to their unique needs and aspirations.

National Bonds continues to maintain a robust track record since inception delivering solid and competitive returns to its customers. This dedication to generating consistent returns is a testament to the success of the company’s diversified investment approach.

Since its inception in 2006, National Bonds has distributed approximately AED2.9 billion in profit payouts and prizes, demonstrating its commitment to delivering value to bondholders. Bondholders enjoyed returns up to 5.84 percent on their savings for 2023, highlighting the steady growth of the company’s investments, as well as the successful execution of its multifaceted strategy.

National Bonds’ customer-centric approach, combined with increasing public awareness of the importance of saving and investing, led to a significant growth of the company’s customer base. Compared to 2022, National Bonds' total number of new customers grew by a staggering 215 percent compared to the previous year.

In 2023, National Bonds focused on promoting financial literacy and offering rewarding savings options, resonating with customers, and fostering responsible financial management and long-term wealth creation.

National Bonds has opened new avenues of savings for a diverse range of customers through the introduction of several exciting programmes. These include "EIBOR Plus", an innovative Sharia compliant new product based on the EIBOR benchmark which is available for up to 3 years of investment, the "My One Million" plan, intended to accelerate achieving AED1 million in combined savings and cumulative profits at the conclusion of the tenor, and the flexible "Second Salary" savings plan, designed to assist UAE nationals and expats in securing a supplementary retirement income.

The ongoing digital transformation at National Bonds has revolutionised the customer experience, with enhancements across mobile, website, and back-office platforms. By effectively responding to the demand of today’s customers for next generation saving solutions that can meet them wherever they happen to be, National Bonds has witnessed an increase of 74 percent in digital users in 2023 as compared to 2022. With the growing popularity of digital savings, National Bonds aims to provide pioneering gamified savings opportunities while staying at the forefront of seamless customer experience.

Khalifa Al Daboos, Chairman of National Bonds, said, “National Bonds celebrates a stellar year with a robust AED14 billion investment portfolio and an ever-growing customer base. This growth directly translates towards a multitude benefit for our customers, as we uphold our commitment to generate a competitive annual profit distribution. The strong foundation of our diversification strategy and our dedication to promoting financial well-being across the UAE both contributed to last year’s success. As we look forward, National Bonds stands ready to seize upon the momentum generated in 2023. This momentum, coupled with the ambitious economic initiatives undertaken by the UAE’s visionary leadership, sets the stage for further growth. We are poised to capitalise on this opportunity, leveraging our expertise and resources, to continue delivering unparalleled value and financial stability to our customers.”

Mohammed Qasim Al Ali, Group CEO of National Bonds, further emphasised, "At National Bonds, our commitment extends beyond mere financial returns, embracing a comprehensive approach to savings and investments. We are confident that our dynamic range of evolving programmes, rewarding prizes, and financial literacy efforts will empower individuals and organisations towards a more robust financial trajectory. Looking ahead, as the UAE pursues its ambitious economic goals, National bonds is poised to play a pivotal role in promoting greater financial awareness and better retirement planning.

“This is witnessed by a remarkable 122 percent increase in new regular savers which reflects the tangible success of our financial literacy engagement initiatives. This surge underscores the effectiveness of the company’s efforts in reshaping people’s perspectives on savings—an essential stride towards achieving financial stability and security.”