UAE Corporate Bank Account Opening
Open a compliant UAE business bank account with the right partner for your activity — Emirates NBD, Mashreq, RAKBank, WIO, ADCB and FAB. Compliance file prepared, introductions arranged, follow-ups handled until your IBAN is live.
Our Banking Partners
We have active relationship managers at all major UAE banks. We match your business activity, expected turnover and shareholder profile to the bank most likely to approve in days, not weeks.
Emirates NBD & ENBD Business Banking
Tier-1 UAE bank. Strong for trading, professional services and mid-cap. Excellent online banking and corporate cards.
Mashreq Bank
Fast onboarding for SMEs and consultancies. Mashreq NEOBiz is a fully digital business account with same-week IBAN issuance.
WIO Business
UAE’s flagship digital bank. Zero minimum balance on the Starter tier, app-first, ideal for Free Zone founders and freelancers.
RAKBank
SME-friendly with competitive RAKstarter package for early-stage businesses. Good for e-commerce and trading flows.
ADCB
Strong for international trade and treasury services. ADCB BusinessEdge serves established companies and groups.
FAB — First Abu Dhabi Bank
The UAE’s largest bank by assets. Best fit for larger trading companies, holding structures and groups with treasury needs.
The Bank Account Process
Compliance approval is the gating step — not the application itself. We invest the time upfront so banks say yes the first time, not after weeks of back-and-forth.
- Profile review — we match your activity, nationality mix and turnover to 1-2 most-likely bank approvals.
- Compliance file prep — passport, license, MoA, source-of-funds proof, business plan, 6-month personal bank statements.
- Bank introduction — we present your file directly to our relationship manager, not the branch counter.
- KYC interview — you attend a 30-minute meeting (in-person or video). We prep you on likely questions.
- IBAN issuance — typically 3-5 working days after compliance clearance for standard files.
Documents We Prepare
The completeness of your file decides your approval timeline. We assemble and format every document the way our banking partners expect.
- Passport & visa copies for all shareholders and signatories.
- Trade license & MoA / AoA in the most recent issued version.
- Business plan — 1-pager covering activity, geography, suppliers, clients and expected monthly flows.
- Source-of-funds proof — 6 months of personal bank statements or sale-of-business contracts.
- Office tenancy (Ejari / flexi-desk) proving UAE presence.
- Beneficial-ownership declaration aligned with UAE AML rules.
Timelines & Costs
Standard accounts open in 3-5 working days after compliance approval. Crypto, high-risk activities, or unusual ownership structures can take 4-8 weeks and require additional documentation.
- Digital banks (WIO, Mashreq NEOBiz) — IBAN in 3-7 working days, AED 0 minimum balance.
- Tier-1 banks (Emirates NBD, ADCB, FAB) — IBAN in 2-3 weeks, AED 25,000-50,000 minimum balance.
- Our service fee for end-to-end assistance — Starting from 1,000 AED depending on bank and complexity.
Already incorporated? Skip ahead to request a banking-only quote. Need a fresh license first? See our Free Zone formation or Mainland formation pages.
Banking FAQ
What is the minimum deposit?
Digital banks like WIO have no minimum. Tier-1 banks typically require AED 25,000-50,000 average monthly balance, with fees if the balance drops below threshold.
Can a foreign shareholder open an account remotely?
You need a UAE residence visa and Emirates ID to be a signatory. Once those are issued, most KYC meetings can be done by video for digital banks; tier-1 banks still prefer in-person.
My business is crypto / e-commerce / high-risk — will banks accept me?
Yes, but only a handful of banks. We know which ones onboard crypto, payment service providers, online gaming, and gold trading. Expect 6-8 weeks and additional source-of-funds documentation.
Does my Free Zone choice affect bank approval?
Yes. Top-tier Free Zones like DMCC, DIFC and ADGM see faster approvals. Smaller zones may need extra justification — our Free Zones comparison covers banking access per zone.
Open My Corporate Bank Account
Tell us your business activity, expected monthly turnover and shareholder nationalities. We’ll respond within 24h with a banking shortlist and a fixed fee.