The Saudi-based National Commercial Bank (NCB) offers conventional and Islamic retail and corporate banking, international banking services, treasury products and services (money market and foreign exchange). It also offers investment management services, which are carried out by its fully owned subsidiary NCB CapitalNCB Capital.

The bank's total operating income decreased by 16% from SAR9.61 billion (USD2.56 billion) in 2007 to SAR8.01 billion (USD2.13 billion) in 2008. It also experienced a 66% decrease in its net income (attributable to equity holders), which was down from SAR6.01 billion (USD1.60 billion) in 2007 to SAR2.03 billion (USD541.4 million) in 2008. The decrease in 2008 net income was mainly attributed to provisions and losses in its investment portfolio and activities.

Retail banking is NCB's principle activity; its contribution to the net income (before minority interest) increased from SAR2.27 billion (USD606.0 million) in 2007 to SAR3.27 billion (USD872.9 million) in 2008. Corporate banking was the second major segment in the bank's activity; its annual contribution to the net income grew from SAR1.50 billion (USD400.4 million) in 2007 to SAR2.02 billion (USD539.7 million) in 2008.

The capital market division is run by NCB CapitalNCB Capital, which was established in 2007 to handle the investment banking, asset management and brokerage services of the bank. Its contribution to the net income decreased from SAR8.1 million (USD216.5 million) in 2007 to SAR3.0 million (USD81.3 million) in 2008. The treasury products and services segment's contribution to the net income decreased from SAR1.28 billion (USD81.3 million) in 2007 to a loss of SAR 2.77 billion (USD738.5) in 2008.

NCB acquired majority shares in an Islamic participation bank Turkiye Finans Katilim Bankasi in 2008. The same year, NCB acquired a controlling stake in the private equity firm, Eastgate Capital GroupEastgate Capital Group, to act as NCB Capital’s private equity arm. Its mandate is to source, structure and invest in attractive private equity and real estate development opportunities across emerging markets, with a particular focus on the Middle East. The Bank also acquired through NCB CapitalNCB Capital The Capital Partnership, in October 2008, to provide investment banking services in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC).

NCB is the largest bank in Saudi Arabia with SAR221.80 billion (USD59.12 billion) in 2008 total assets. It became the second largest commercial bank in the Middle East after the merger, in 2007, of Emirates Bank International and National Bank of Dubai to form Emirates NBDEmirates NBD that became the region's largest bank.