What CRDB Bank does

CRDB Bank PLC is a publicly listed Tanzanian commercial bank, founded in 1996 and listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange since June 2009, operating as Tanzania's largest bank by assets and loans. The bank delivers retail, MSME, corporate, agribusiness, diaspora, and Sharia-compliant (Al Barakah) banking services across Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a newly established representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Its product set spans personal and mortgage lending (Jijenge Mortgage Loan from TZS 20M-1B, Jinasue overdraft, UNI/Boom student loans), business banking (Biashara, Hodari, SME, Green Bond, TACATDP agricultural loans), Islamic finance (Takaful, Al Barakah Sukuk oversubscribed at TZS 125B+), and capital markets instruments (Samia Infrastructure Bond agency, Solomon Stockbrokers DSE agency).

The underlying technology stack is built on a Huawei-partnered cloud and AI-enabled core that has elevated system availability from 98.5% to 99.99%, layered with the SimBanking mobile app, Internet Banking, CRDB Wakala agency banking, TemboCard VISA debit cards, CRDB Lipa Hapa merchant acquiring, and Cash Deposit / Forex ATMs. Distribution combines physical branches with the CRDB Wakala street-level agent network across Tanzania, Burundi, and DRC.

CRDB's business model is anchored on net interest income from lending (personal, mortgage, SME, trade finance, agriculture), supplemented by transaction fees, bancassurance brokerage (via CRDB Insurance Brokers Limited), treasury and FX, capital markets and bond agency fees, and Islamic finance income. The bank operates four wholly-owned subsidiaries (Burundi, Congo, Insurance Brokers, Foundation), is ISO 27001 certified, and recently published Tanzania's first TCFD-aligned sustainability report, while pursuing aggressive regional expansion and DFI-backed inclusive finance growth.

Name

CRDB Bank

Legal name

CRDB Bank PLC

Website

https://crdbbank.co.tz/

Company type

Public

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CRDB Bank PLC is Tanzania's largest bank by assets and loans, providing retail, MSME, corporate, agribusiness, diaspora, and Islamic banking services across Tanzania, Burundi, DRC, and via a new DIFC office, supported by a Huawei-built cloud core and agency banking network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dar Es Salaam

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Lending: The primary revenue stream for a commercial bank, generated from interest on loans and advances including personal loans, mortgages (Jijenge), SME loans, MSE loans, overdraft facilities, trade finance, and agricultural financing.
2. Fee and Commission Income: Fees from account maintenance, transactions (transfers, ATM usage, card payments), foreign exchange services, trade finance, loan processing, syndication services, and internet/mobile banking subscriptions.
3. Bancassurance and Insurance Brokerage: Revenue from insurance product distribution including motor, credit life, personal accident, domestic package, fire, group life, and medical insurance, through CRDB Insurance Brokers Limited subsidiary.
4. Treasury and Foreign Exchange: Revenue from foreign exchange transactions, treasury services including FX risk management, FX SPOT transactions, and financial investment schemes.
5. Capital Markets and Share Trading: Revenue from acting as agent for Solomon Stockbrokers on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, facilitating share purchases and sales through all CRDB branches, and facilitating bond issuances including the Samia Infrastructure Bond and Al Barakah Sukuk.
6. Al Barakah (Islamic) Banking: Revenue from Sharia-compliant banking products including takaful (Islamic insurance), term deposit investments, and Islamic financing, including the CRDB Al Barakah Sukuk raising over TZS 125 billion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels11 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CRDB Bank is a commercial bank offering deposit accounts, lending (personal, mortgage, SME, trade finance, agriculture), digital and agency banking, Islamic banking (Al Barakah), corporate treasury, capital markets, and bancassurance products to retail consumers, SMEs, corporates, agribusiness, diaspora, and government clients. Distribution is via branches, the CRDB Wakala agent network, the SimBanking mobile app, Internet Banking, TemboCard, CDMs, Forex ATMs, and subsidiaries in Burundi and the DRC.

Product overview

CRDB Bank offers a comprehensive portfolio of banking products and services organized across personal banking, business banking, and specialized divisions. The core digital banking platform consists of SimBanking (mobile app), Internet Banking, and CRDB Wakala (agent banking), supported by TemboCard debit cards. Personal banking includes diverse account types (Current, Savings, Malkia for women, Teen, Pension, and fan-themed accounts for Simba/Yanga supporters) and lending products (Personal Loans, Jijenge Mortgage Loans from TZS 20M-1B, Salary Advance, Jinasue overdraft protection). Business banking features Biashara and Hodari accounts for SMEs, specialized loans (SME Loan, Green Bond Loan, TACATDP agricultural financing), and corporate solutions including India/China Desks and Trade Financing. The Al-Barakah Banking division provides Sharia-compliant Islamic banking products including Takaful and Sukuk instruments (Al Barakah Sukuk raising over TZS 125 billion). Diaspora banking serves Tanzanians abroad through the Tanzanite Account. Premium services include Premier Banking for high-net-worth clients. The bank also manages bond instruments including the Samia Infrastructure Bond (12% coupon, 5-year tenure) listed on DSE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SimBanking: Mobile banking application for conducting transactions via mobile phone
• CRDB Wakala
• Al Barakah Banking
• TemboCard
• CRDB Sadaka
• Tanzanite Account
• Malkia Account

Products and services

• SimBanking Mobile Banking CRDB Bank's flagship mobile banking application enabling retail and SME customers to perform transactions, access accounts, apply for loans, access insurance, and manage finances via smartphone; supports QR code payments and integrates with the Tembo Points loyalty programme.
• Internet Banking Online banking platform providing 24/7 access to personal or business account information and secure transaction capabilities for retail and corporate customers.
• CRDB Wakala Agency Banking Agent banking network providing financial services through authorized Wakala agents located throughout Tanzania, extending banking access to cash deposits, withdrawals, and basic services in rural and underserved areas.
• TemboCard VISA Debit Card VISA debit card offering cashless payments, ATM withdrawals, and international transaction capabilities at merchants, ATMs, and online; includes 3Ds OTP authentication and ATM Cashback Fridays promotions.
• CRDB Lipa Hapa Merchant Payment Acceptance Merchant payment acceptance solution enabling businesses to accept cashless payments through multiple reliable and secured payment methods, including Instant QR onboarding.
• Premier Banking Exclusive and personalized banking services packaged for high-net-worth individual customers, offering premium relationship banking.
• Al-Barakah Banking (Islamic Banking) Islamic banking division offering Sharia-compliant products including Individual Takaful (Islamic insurance), Term Deposits, Business Accounts, and Financing solutions for individuals and businesses, operating under Tanzania's first Non-Interest Banking regulatory framework introduced in December 2025.
• Al Barakah Sukuk Sharia-compliant sukuk instrument with 5-year tenure paying 12% profit quarterly (matures 8 October 2030); the oversubscribed issuance raised over TZS 125 billion and represents Tanzania's first dedicated Islamic finance issuance under the 2025 Non-Interest Banking Regulations.
• Samia Infrastructure Bond Government infrastructure bond with 5-year tenure and a 12% coupon paid quarterly (matures 10 February 2030), arranged and subscription-managed by CRDB Bank to support Tanzania's national infrastructure development.
• Jijenge Mortgage Loan Mortgage loan facility ranging from TZS 20 Million to TZS 1 Billion at affordable interest rates for property purchase, available to retail and diaspora customers.
• SME Loan Loan facility enabling Small and Medium Enterprises to access investment capital for business growth.
• Green Bond Loan Green financing facility supporting environmentally focused projects aligned with climate-smart initiatives and the bank's sustainability objectives.
• TACATDP Agricultural Loans Affordable loans for food crop farming technologies and sustainable agricultural practices targeted at individual farmers, farmer cooperatives, and farmer associations.
• India Desk and China Desk Cross-Border Banking Dedicated corporate banking desks facilitating cross-border trade, investment, and banking relationships for Indian, Chinese, and other international investors and traders with operations involving Tanzania.

Quantifiable outcome

• USD 120 million in inclusive finance facilities mobilized through three partnerships for MSMEs, affordable housing, and climate-resilient projects.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• HuaweicoreTechnology or Integration · 21 May 2026CRDB Bank participated in Huawei's 2026 Sub-Saharan Africa Intelligent Finance Summit in Shanghai alongside Standard Bank South Africa and NCBA Bank Kenya. Huawei and CRDB Bank detailed their cloud and AI-enabled banking modernization journey, which has elevated core system availability from 98.5% to 99.99%. Huawei's digital transformation roadmap supports cloudification, mobility, and AI-driven banking across Sub-Saharan African financial institutions.
• Tanzania Mining CommissionsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026CRDB Bank signed a memorandum of understanding with Tanzania's Mining Commission to facilitate capital access for small-scale gold miners in Tanzania. The partnership supports the government's mining reforms that have yielded TZS 5.802 trillion in processed minerals and created 273 jobs primarily for young people. CRDB Bank supports miners through its branch network and financing products.
• Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2025CRDB Bank became the first East African bank licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate a Representative Office in the Dubai International Financial Centre. The DIFC office registration is under Companies Law No. 5 of 2028, with address at Level 14, The Gate Building, DIFC. The establishment serves as a strategic bridge to unlock trade corridors between East Africa and the Gulf region.
• ICTC and COSTECH (IMBEJU Youth Startup Program)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CRDB Bank partnered with ICTC (Information and Communication Technology Commission) and COSTECH (Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology) for the IMBEJU Youth Startup Empowerment Program. The program focuses on empowering women and youth with capital and support to develop their businesses, supporting economic inclusion.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Ecobank Tanzania: Ecobank Tanzania is part of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, a pan-African banking group operating in 30+ African countries. Ecobank offers similar products to CRDB across retail and corporate banking, with a regional franchise model that mirrors CRDB's pan-African expansion ambitions.
• Stanbic Bank Tanzania: Stanbic Bank Tanzania is a subsidiary of Standard Bank Group, one of Africa's largest banking groups. Stanbic offers a broader product suite including investment banking and serves larger corporate and institutional clients, overlapping with CRDB's corporate banking franchise.
• Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania: Standard Chartered Tanzania is a subsidiary of the global Standard Chartered Group, focusing on corporate, institutional, and high-net-worth banking. The bank competes with CRDB in trade finance, FX, and corporate banking but does not focus on the mass-market MSME segments where CRDB is strongest.

Direct peers

• NBC Bank Tanzania: National Bank of Commerce (NBC) is one of Tanzania's oldest and largest commercial banks, offering retail, SME, and corporate banking with similar geographic footprint. NBC competes head-to-head with CRDB across mass-market banking products and digital channels.
• Equity Bank Tanzania: Equity Bank Tanzania is part of Equity Group Holdings and shares CRDB's focus on financial inclusion, MSME lending, and women/youth banking propositions. Both banks emphasize agency banking, mobile channels, and serving underbanked segments across similar product lines.
• NMB Bank Tanzania: NMB Bank is Tanzania's largest bank by customer base and a direct competitor to CRDB, also listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. Both banks compete directly across retail, SME, corporate, and agribusiness segments in Tanzania, with similar product suites including mobile banking, agency banking, and mortgage offerings.
• Bank of Africa Tanzania: Bank of Africa Tanzania is part of the BMCE Bank of Africa Group, offering retail, SME, and corporate banking products in direct competition with CRDB. Both banks target similar customer segments in Tanzania with comparable product offerings including mobile banking and agency networks.
• KCB Bank Tanzania: KCB Bank Tanzania is a subsidiary of Kenya's KCB Group, operating with a similar commercial banking model targeting retail, SME, and corporate segments. Both banks compete for the same customer base in Tanzania and pursue similar regional expansion strategies in East Africa.

Regional players

• Equity Group Holdings: Equity Group Holdings is a Kenya-based financial services group with operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, DRC, and the UK. Equity's MSME-focused model, agent banking network, and regional expansion blueprint are highly comparable to CRDB's strategic positioning.
• KCB Group: KCB Group is Kenya's largest bank by assets with operations across East Africa including Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan. KCB's regional franchise and product model closely parallel CRDB's pan-East African expansion strategy, with similar mobile banking and agency banking approaches.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crdbbankplc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1ymNdbXSXL5CjE4n-qf1rA
• Facebookfacebook.com/crdbbank
• LinkedIntz.linkedin.com/company/crdbbank
• Instagraminstagram.com/crdbbankplc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CRDB Bank