GCC Banking Sentiment Index 2025
Consumers call for improved service, reliable digital experience and fraud prevention
The GCC banking sector is entering a new era, fuelled by non-oil economic growth, national transformation programmes and rapid digitalisation. While innovation continues at pace, customer expectations are evolving just as quickly, raising the bar for service quality, digital reliability and trust.
To capture these shifting dynamics, PwC Middle East, in collaboration with DataEQ, analysed around 2.8m public digital conversations across six GCC markets between September 2024 and February 2025. The findings shed light on how customers perceive their banks today and where opportunities lie for building stronger, more resilient relationships.
A snapshot of sentiment across the region
Across the GCC, overall sentiment was slightly positive, but customers remain vocal about pain points:
- Service quality
- Digital experiences
- Fraud concerns
- Competitive loan rates
- Responsive service
Service quality
accounted for over 35% of negative mentions, with long response times and unresolved queries driving dissatisfaction.
Digital experiences
Triggered nearly 1 in 4 negative posts, largely centred on mobile app crashes, login failures and payment errors.
Fraud concerns
Are rising, creating a trust gap that banks must address with stronger safeguards and quicker resolution when incidents occur.
Competitive loan rates
Along with attractive card promotions and responsive service, positively attracted nearly 40% of sentiment across the region.
Responsive service
In select markets, such as Bahrain, helped sentiment trend upward.
Country snapshots
While common themes cut across the region, each market reveals distinct dynamics:
Why it matters
Looking ahead, the findings of the 2025 Index show that banks in the GCC stand at a crossroads.
Persistent service gaps highlight the urgent need to redesign customer care models.
Fraud concerns emphasise the importance of investment in security and rapid incident response.
Digital frustrations signal the opportunity for banks to lead with robust, customer-first technology.
For institutions that act, the opportunity is significant: to not only reduce negative sentiment but to transform trust into a competitive advantage. By responding to what matters most to customers today, banks can position themselves as leaders in tomorrow’s financial landscape.
Explore the complete findings, detailed market analysis and methodology in the full report.
Contact us
Jean Abou Assi
Partner, Financial Services Consulting Leader, PwC Middle East
Tel: +971 4 304 3100
