What Liv. does

Liv. is a digital lifestyle banking brand owned by Emirates NBD Bank (P.J.S.C), one of the largest banks in the United Arab Emirates. Launched in 2017 and marketed as the UAE's first digital bank, Liv operates as a purely branchless proposition targeted at digital-native UAE residents, offering account opening in under three minutes via the Liv X mobile application through digital KYC against the Emirates Identity card. The brand's product suite spans core transactional banking (Primary Account), purpose-built savings vehicles (Goal Account with up to 6% p.a., Goal/Livionaire raffle-linked Millionaire Account, Gold and Silver accounts, Multicurrency and USD accounts), deposits (Instant Interest Fixed Deposit and Flexi/Game On), two credit cards (no-fee Cashback and the merchant-loyalty Tamayaz), personal loans, insurance distribution (motor, travel, home, Salary Protect, Multi Protect), investments (in-app crypto trading, UAE equities, IPO access, digital gold and silver), and family/youth banking through the Liv Lite and Liv Lite Family applications for customers aged 8-18 and their parents.

The underlying platform is a mobile-first architecture on iOS and Android, supported by WhatsApp-based customer service (with regulatory-directed discontinuation of financial transactions via WhatsApp from 1 May 2026), Interactive Teller Machines, and shared access to the Emirates NBD ATM and cash deposit machine network — claimed to be the largest in the UAE. Liv does not hold its own banking license; it operates under Emirates NBD's Central Bank of UAE banking license and reports all debt accounts to Al Etihad Credit Bureau. Technology differentiators include 3-minute digital onboarding, upfront-interest fixed deposits, a multi-user Liv Lite Family App, in-app crypto trading, and a salary-linked interest-rate structure that positions Max subscribers at premium yields.

Liv's business model is a multi-stream retail banking P&L: subscription-style account maintenance (AED 25/month waived on salary/spend/balance thresholds), recurring credit card interest and fees on revolving balances at 39-41.88% APR, transaction fees on non-ENBD ATM withdrawals and international transfers, 2%+VAT commissions on crypto trades, 1% loan processing fees, and embedded insurance distribution revenue. Customer segments span digital-native adults (primary), youth aged 8-18, families managing household finances through the Liv Lite Family App, and premium Max subscribers; named merchant relationships (Union Coop, Emirates, Vox Cinemas, Amazon, Musafir.com) function as deal and cashback partnerships rather than enterprise revenue customers, underscoring a long-tail consumer revenue base of 500,000+ customers concentrated entirely within the UAE.

Name

Liv.

Legal name

Liv is a brand owned by Emirates NBD Bank (P.J.S.C)

Website

https://liv.me

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Liv is UAE's first digital bank and a brand of Emirates NBD, offering app-based accounts, savings, credit cards, loans, investments, and insurance to UAE consumers and families via the Liv X and Liv Lite mobile apps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Banking

NAICS

Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Wallets & Account Aggregation Hub (Multi-account, Stored Value) (FSAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Digital banking services
• Mobile banking platform
• Consumer financial products
• Digital payment services
• Lifestyle banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Account Maintenance & Subscription Fees: Monthly account maintenance fees (AED 25 for Primary Account if conditions not met) and premium Max subscription. Provides recurring revenue base from account holders.
2. Credit Card Interest & Fees: Interest on revolving credit card balances (monthly rate 3.25-3.49%), annual fees (up to AED 735 for premium card), foreign transaction fees (1.99-3.14%), cash advance fees (3% or AED 99), and late payment fees.
3. Transaction Fees: Fees on ATM withdrawals from non-ENBD ATMs (AED 2 per withdrawal), international transfers (AED 9.9-20), failed direct debits (AED 25 + VAT), cheque issuance (AED 30), and various banking correspondence letters.
4. Investment & Crypto Trading Commissions: Commission on cryptocurrency trading at 2% + VAT per transaction. Revenue from UAE equities, IPO, and gold/silver investment product transactions.
5. Insurance Distribution: Revenue from distribution of motor, travel, home, salary protection, and multi-protect insurance products.
6. Personal Loan Processing: Loan processing fees at 1% of loan amount (min AED 500, max AED 2,500), early settlement fees, and rescheduling charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Liv is a UAE digital lifestyle bank delivering fully branchless retail banking through the Liv X mobile app, covering current and savings accounts (Primary, Goal, Millionaire, Gold, Silver, Multicurrency, USD), fixed deposits, credit cards (Cashback and Tamayaz), personal loans, insurance, and investments including crypto, UAE equities, IPOs, and digital gold and silver. Customers onboard digitally in under three minutes via QR-based KYC and access funds through a shared Emirates NBD ATM/CDM network.

Product overview

Liv. is UAE's first digital bank and a subsidiary of Emirates NBD, offering a comprehensive suite of digital banking products and services. The core offering centers on the Liv X App as the primary banking platform, complemented by the Liv Lite App for youth (8-18 years) and Liv Lite Family App for household finance management. The product portfolio includes multiple account types (Primary, Millionaire/Livionaire, Goal, Gold, Silver, Multicurrency, USD), fixed deposits (Money Ahead Instant Interest and Flexi/Game On), credit cards (Cashback and Tamayaz with enhanced rewards), personal loans, and investment products (Crypto, UAE Equities, IPO, Digital Gold and Silver). Premium banking is available through the Max subscription tier. Insurance products (Motor, Travel, Home, Salary Protect, Multi Protect) are offered alongside payment services (Instant Payment, DirectRemit) and banking channels (ATM, ITM, WhatsApp). The platform targets digital-native customers seeking comprehensive, app-based financial management with competitive interest rates and innovative products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Liv X App: Primary mobile banking application offering full-service digital banking including accounts, cards, loans, investments, and payments.
• Liv Lite
• Liv Lite Family
• Tamayaz Credit Card
• Livionaire Account
• Max
• Goal Account
• Money Ahead Deposit
• Bonus Multiplier Account

Products and services

• Liv X App Primary mobile banking application providing full-service digital banking for UAE consumers: day-to-day accounts, cards, loans, transfers, payments, investments, insurance, and goal tracking. Available on iOS and Android with self-serve onboarding in under 3 minutes.
• Liv Lite App

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 6% p.a. interest rate on Goal Account with AED 10,000+ salary transfer and Max subscription
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability2 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Emirates NBDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmirates NBD Bank (P.J.S.C) is the parent company and licensor of Liv. Liv operates as a digital banking brand under Emirates NBD, leveraging the parent bank's full banking license (Central Bank of UAE), regulatory standing, and infrastructure including the largest ATM/CDM network in the UAE. Liv is explicitly owned by Emirates NBD.
• Union CoopmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnion Coop is a major retail partner offering Tamayaz Credit Card holders 10% cashback on in-store and online purchases at Union Coop. This is a key merchant rewards partnership driving credit card adoption.
• Visa / MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationLiv credit and debit cards operate on the Visa or Mastercard networks. Foreign transaction fees include approximately 1.15% charged by the card network (Visa International/Mastercard) in addition to Liv's own fees.
• Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB)coreTechnology or IntegrationAECB is the UAE's credit information bureau. Liv reports all debt accounts to AECB per Central Bank regulations. The bureau is referenced in debt management processes and credit scoring.
• Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA)coreTechnology or IntegrationEIDA provides the UAE Identity card verification system used in Liv's digital KYC process. Customers must have a valid Emirates ID to open a Liv account.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• N26: N26 is a European neobank with a fully app-based current account experience, savings products, and lifestyle partnerships, comparable to Liv on product breadth and digital-first customer experience within a regulated banking license.
• Starling Bank: Starling Bank is a UK digital-only bank offering mobile current accounts, savings, lending, and integrated investing; it is a useful business-model peer for Liv's approach of combining everyday banking with savings, investment, and insurance in a single app.
• Mashreq Neo: Mashreq Neo is the digital banking proposition of Mashreq Bank (one of the UAE's largest incumbents), offering similar app-based onboarding, savings, cards, and payments targeting the same digital-native UAE consumer segment as Liv.
• ADCB Hayyak: ADCB Hayyak is Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank's digital-first account targeting UAE residents with similar features (instant onboarding, salary-linked benefits, lifestyle rewards), directly competing with Liv for the same demographic.
• Revolut: Revolut is a global consumer neobank offering multi-currency accounts, cards, crypto trading, and lifestyle deals through a mobile-first app, providing a benchmark product set and business model for Liv's lifestyle-banking positioning.
• CBD NOW: CBD NOW is Commercial Bank of Dubai's digital account offering app-based onboarding, cashback, and lifestyle benefits, making it a head-to-head competitor for UAE digital-native retail customers.

Broad incumbents

• Emirates NBD: Emirates NBD is Liv's parent bank and one of the largest financial institutions in the UAE with full branch, corporate, treasury, and wealth capabilities. Comparable as a broader incumbent banking platform into which Liv feeds the digital-native segment.
• Mashreq Bank: Mashreq Bank is a major UAE incumbent bank whose broader retail, corporate, and wealth management portfolio overlaps with Liv's expanded product suite (accounts, cards, investments, insurance).
• First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB): FAB is the UAE's largest bank with a comprehensive retail, corporate, and Islamic banking franchise serving a similar UAE-based customer base and increasingly adding digital capabilities that compete with Liv's proposition.

Regional players

• WeBank (Tencent): WeBank is China's flagship digital-only bank operating at massive scale within a single geography; relevant as a regional benchmark for digital-bank unit economics and customer scale within a national market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liv-bank
• Xx.com/Livbank

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Liv.