TEL AVIV, Israel, June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bank Leumi (TASE: LUMI) recognized as Israel’s leading bank for AI adoption by the Evident AI Index for Banks – MEA, the world’s leading benchmark for tracking AI capabilities and implementation across major banking institutions in the region. Leumi is the only Israeli bank to be ranked in the regional top ten, and is also ranked second in Innovation in the region.
The Index is based on the analysis of millions of publicly available data sources. Each financial institution’s ranking is determined by a weighted assessment of four core pillars related to AI capabilities: talent, innovation, leadership and transparency. Evident benchmarks the AI maturity of the world’s leading financial services firms, and today it is launching a new index ranking 25 banks across the Middle East and Africa, including Israeli banks.
In recent years, Bank Leumi has significantly accelerated the development, deployment, and creation of advanced AI tools within the bank, as part of its strategy to lead the AI transformation in Israel’s business sector.
Over the past year, the bank also established an advanced AI Center reporting directly to the Bank’s CEO, Hanan Friedman. The Center oversees all AI activities at Leumi and is responsible for managing and developing a wide range of AI-based products for customers. As a result of the successful implementation of its AI strategy, Leumi consistently reports the best efficiency ratio in Israel and among the best globally. In its recent financial results for the first quarter of 2026, the bank reported an efficiency ratio of 29.1%. Leumi is Israel’s largest and leading bank, with a market cap of approximately NIS 100 billion (USD 36 billion).
Hanan Friedman, CEO of Bank Leumi: “Bank Leumi has been one of the pioneers of the AI revolution in Israel. I am proud that the significant efforts we are investing in AI are bearing fruit and receiving international recognition. Through AI, we are building a different kind of banking – one that delivers a holistic, real-time, and personalized response to our customers’ financial needs. Furthermore, AI is enabling a true transformation of our cost structure – we are doing much more with far fewer resources, a trend that is reflected in our efficiency ratio, which consistently remains among the best globally.”
Alexandra Mousavizadeh, co-founder and CEO of Evident: “Bank Leumi is the highest ranked Israeli bank in the Evident AI Index, emerging as a premier leader in Innovation where it takes 2nd place globally. This high ranking is driven by a comprehensive AI ecosystem that includes ‘Garage Ventures’, an investment arm specifically targeting AI and data startups. This strength in AI-focus Innovation underpins its overall performance in the ranking, securing a place among the Top-10 established leaders in the Middle East and Africa”.
About Bank Leumi:
Bank Leumi, founded more than 120 years ago, is Israel’s leading financial institution. Leumi serves millions of customers across all segments, including households, small businesses, mid-sized companies, and large corporations. The Bank combines a nationwide physical presence with advanced digital capabilities. Leumi’s ongoing technological transformation has led to a significant improvement in its operational efficiency, positioning it among the most efficient banks in the world.
About Evident:
Evident is an intelligence platform for AI adoption in financial services. The company helps leaders stay ahead of change through trusted insights, benchmarking, and data, delivered via its real-time Use Case Tracker and flagship Indexes—covering banking, insurance, and payments.
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SOURCE Bank Leumi
