Emirates NBD is taking decisive steps toward integrating Bitcoin into its institutional investment strategy.
In a commentary today, Maurice Gravier, Group Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of the bank, confirmed that Emirates NBD is considering including Bitcoin in its portfolios, describing the asset as a store of value and digital gold.
Although the bank has not yet executed a direct Bitcoin investment, Gravier’s remarks clearly reflect rising institutional confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term role as a strategic financial asset.
Speaking in an interview on CNBC, Gravier confirmed that Emirates NBD has officially enabled internal mechanisms to facilitate Bitcoin exposure. He stressed that the bank views Bitcoin as a store of value and a modern form of digital gold, pointing to its fixed supply and robust proof-of-work security model.
Moreover, he explained that these fundamental characteristics sharply distinguish Bitcoin from traditional currencies. While Bitcoin initially emerged as an alternative to the global financial system, its function has steadily evolved.
Today, Gravier argues, Bitcoin has firmly established itself as a store of value, underscoring a role he believes no other cryptocurrency is likely to disrupt.
Despite these attributes, the bank continues to proceed carefully. He acknowledged that while Emirates NBD strongly believes in Bitcoin’s fundamentals, it remains cautious due to the asset’s high volatility and close correlation with broader market risk sentiment.
As a result, these factors complicate Bitcoin’s effectiveness as a pure diversification tool. Consequently, the bank is still refining its valuation models and macroeconomic frameworks to assess optimal entry conditions.
Nonetheless, he suggested that a 0.5% allocation within a balanced portfolio could offer a prudent starting point. Such a measured approach would allow Emirates NBD to gain meaningful exposure while maintaining strict risk controls.
As the second-largest bank in the UAE and one of the largest financial institutions in the Middle East, Emirates NBD holds total assets exceeding AED 1 trillion (approximately $272 billion) as of December 31, 2025.
Additionally, its dedicated asset management arm oversees roughly $16 billion in assets, meaning that even a 0.5% allocation to Bitcoin could translate into tens of millions of dollars in direct market inflows.
Meanwhile, Emirates NBD currently remains focused exclusively on Bitcoin and is not rushing to include alternative cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum or Solana. Gravier acknowledged that while competing blockchain networks may deliver technological innovation, Bitcoin’s dominance as a store of value is already firmly entrenched.
To illustrate his point, he drew parallels with historical technology leaders like Yahoo and Nokia, whose market dominance eventually faded as superior platforms emerged. However, he argued that Bitcoin’s position as digital gold appears far more secure, with no clear competitor able to displace it.
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