With Iraqi banks absent, foreign banks dominate the Global Finance 2026 awards.
With Iraqi banks absent, foreign banks dominate the Global Finance 2026 awards.
2026-03-23 03:27
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The rankings of the American magazine Global Finance, which specializes in economics, banks and financial markets for 2026, showed a clear superiority of foreign and regional banks in the list of the best, at a time when local Iraqi banks did not register a presence in these lists.
According to what the magazine published, and which Shafaq News Agency reviewed, Al-Mansour Bank was awarded the title of best bank in Iraq for 2026. It is an Iraqi private bank in terms of registration and operation, but it operates with Qatari capital and the largest share belongs to the Qatar National Bank Group, reflecting the continued superiority of externally supported banks in the Iraqi market.
The magazine also awarded prizes to a number of international and regional banks in multiple fields, based on criteria including financial performance, geographical reach, and level of innovation and digital services.
In contrast, purely local Iraqi banks were absent from this year’s list of the best, despite having a presence in previous years, with the Trade Bank of Iraq winning the “Best Trade Finance Bank in Iraq” award, along with other awards related to efficiency and banking security.
Experts believe that this disparity reflects the challenges facing the Iraqi banking sector, particularly in the areas of technological modernization, strengthening international partnerships, and improving the efficiency of services, in light of increasing competition led by global banks with extensive experience and significant financial capabilities.
shafaq.com
