The deal is the third major developer mortgage partnership Emirates NBD has signed since April, following agreements with Sobha Realty and Dubai Holding Real Estate, as off-plan transactions account for more than 70% of Dubai's residential market.
July 01, 2026 | Tripti Mehta | UAE | Real Estate
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Expo City Dubai has signed an agreement with Emirates NBD to introduce tailored mortgage and home financing solutions for buyers across its residential portfolio, covering both ready-to-handover and off-plan properties. The deal extends a pattern Emirates NBD has built over the past three months, following a similar partnership with Sobha Realty signed early April and a broader agreement with Dubai Holding Real Estate covering Meraas, Nakheel, and Dubai Properties in the week after that.
The financing is available to all buyers of Expo City Dubai properties, subject to standard banking and regulatory requirements. The structured approach is designed to simplify the transaction process for investors while providing greater payment assurance for the development's remaining delivery phases.
Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery Officer at Expo City Dubai, said, "The collaboration with Emirates NBD reflects our shared confidence in the ongoing stability and strength of Dubai's residential real estate market. These structured financing solutions support our investors on their path to home ownership, and offer greater clarity, convenience and reassurance when purchasing property within Expo City Dubai's growing residential communities."
Yousuf Saeed Mohd, Group Head of Priority and Personal Banking, and Retail Banking Sales at Emirates NBD, said, "Emirates NBD is proud to partner with Expo City Dubai. Through this collaboration, we will provide prospective homeowners with innovative and competitive offerings, making their journey to owning a residence within Expo City Dubai's vibrant community seamless and rewarding. This partnership not only reaffirms our commitment to driving the growth of Dubai's dynamic real estate sector; it also strengthens our position as a trusted partner in advancing national priorities."
The pattern across Emirates NBD's recent developer partnerships points to a deliberate strategy: embedding mortgage access directly into the off-plan buying journey, rather than leaving financing to be arranged near handover. According to Dubai Land Department data, Dubai recorded over 270,000 real estate transactions valued at AED 917 billion in 2025, with off-plan properties accounting for more than 70% of residential transactions, a structural backdrop that makes early-stage mortgage access increasingly relevant across the market.
For Expo City Dubai specifically, the partnership arrives at a pivotal moment. The district, built on the legacy site of Expo 2020, is set to welcome its first residents by the end of this year, with residential clusters including Mangrove Residences, Sky Residences, Sidr Residences, and the villa community of Expo Valley forming the core of its housing offering. Designed around 15-minute city planning principles, the district is directly accessible by metro and well connected to Dubai's major highways and international airports.
Sources: WAM (Emirates News Agency), Business Today Middle East, Emirates NBD official statements, Gulf News, Dubai Land Department
