Established in 1977, Emirates Bank International is one of the leading financial institutions in the Gulf. Sometimes referred to as Emirates Bank Group, EBI offers wholesale banking and investment banking services through its corporate banking units, retail banking through meBANKING distribution channels, priority banking through Al Shaheen Club and treasury services.

EBI also offers Islamic banking through Emirates Islamic BankEmirates Islamic Bank, asset management through EIS Asset ManagementEIS Asset Management, insurance through National General InsuranceNational General Insurance, card processing through Network International and brokerage services through Emirates International SecuritiesEmirates International Securities. EBI's subsidiary Union PropertiesUnion Properties offers real estate and property development.

EBI is ranked as the second largest bank in the UAE (after National Bank of Abu DhabiNational Bank of Abu Dhabi) with AED95.88 billion (USD26.11 billion) in total assets as of the close of 2006. As Of May 2007, EBI operates 60 branches in the United Arab Emirates, five of which are in Abu Dhabi. EBI announced in May 2007 that it is planning to expand its Abu Dhabi presence and is considering an acquisition in Kuwait.

The National Bank of DubaiNational Bank of Dubai and Emirates Bank International merged their operations in October 2007 and created the largest bank in the Middle East in terms of total assets, and the largest bank in the UAE by most measures. EBI and NBD had a combined assets of AED165.15 billion (USD44.97 billion) and a market value of AED43.2 billion (USD11.76 billion) as of March 2007.