Emirates NBD Lists World's First Sustainability-Linked Loan Financing Bond On Nasdaq Dubai

Nasdaq Dubai listed Emirates NBD Bank's $500 million Sustainability-Linked Loan Financing Bond (SLLB), the first ever issued under the new International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and Loan Market Association (LMA) guidelines.

The five-year bond, rated A2/A+ by Moody's and Fitch, has a fixed interest rate of 5.141% and will mature in 2029. It is part of Emirates NBD's $20 billion Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) Program, highlighting the bank's focus on sustainability and innovation in the financial sector.

The dual listing of the bond on Nasdaq Dubai and Euronext Dublin shows strong interest from both regional and international investors. This highlights Dubai's role as a leading global center for sustainable and innovative debt markets, WAM reported.

With this new issuance, Emirates NBD's total value of bonds listed on Nasdaq Dubai increased to $5.77 billion across 9 listings. Nasdaq Dubai continues to strengthen its position as the top platform for regional and global fixed-income and ESG-related listings.

The exchange has a total value of $139 billion in listed fixed-income securities, with $30.4 billion focused on ESG issuances, boosting Dubai's reputation as a gateway for investors looking for diverse opportunities.

To mark the listing, Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates NBD Group, rang the opening bell at Nasdaq Dubai. He was joined by Hamed Ali, CEO of Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Financial Market.

"We are proud to list the world's first Sustainability-Linked Loan Financing Bond that is issued under the new ICMA/LMA framework, on Nasdaq Dubai," Al Qassim said. "This not only marks an important milestone in our sustainability journey as a Bank but also serves as a testament to our commitment to supporting the evolving needs of capital markets, investors and our customers for ESG-compliant financial instruments."

Ali, on the other hand, said that they welcome Emirates NBD's Sustainability-Linked Loan Financing Bond to Nasdaq Dubai. He emphasized that the exchange continues to play an important role in helping issuers access capital for their sustainability projects.

This bond marks a massive step in their shared goal of expanding ESG financing options in the region. The money raised from the bond will be used to finance or refinance Emirates NBD's Sustainability-Linked Loan assets, following its Sustainability-Linked Loan Financing Bond framework.

This issuance highlights the growing demand for ESG-focused financial products in both regional and global markets.