The United Bank for Trade and Investment was established as a result of the merger of three private banks: Sahl Al-Jafara Bank, the Five Points Bank, and Ajilat Bank, based on the decision of the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya No. (58) of 2007 issued on 29/4/2007.

After three years, on 08/03/2010, the shareholders of the United Bank signed a strategic partnership agreement with the United Gulf Bank Group from the Kingdom of Bahrain. The capital was distributed with 60% for the Libyan side and 40% for the United Gulf Bank, increasing the capital from 33 million Libyan Dinars to 80 million Libyan Dinars, and then gradually raised to 100 million Dinars. Following instructions from the Central Bank of Libya, the bank's paid-up capital reached 500 million Libyan Dinars, with 300 million Libyan Dinars paid as of 31/12/2024, and the remaining capital is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The strategic partnership agreement includes an administration and technical support agreement, where the United Gulf Bank assumes the management of the United Bank for Trade and Investment and provides all the necessary technical services to develop its business and activities across Libya.

AUB is an integrated banking and investment group operating throughout the Arab arena, providing wealth management services, commercial banking, individuals’ services, corporate banking, treasury business, offshore activities and private banking services.

In 2000, the establishment of AUB came as a result of a merger between the Ahli Commercial Bank (BSC), headquartered in Bahrain, and United Bank of Kuwait (PLC), headquartered in London.

Since then the bank has achieved clear growth and major leaps on the regional arena by the virtue of the business strategy that the bank has drawn up since the first day of its establishment, which is based on achieving further expansion through self-growth processes and mergers and acquisitions of existing banks in the main target markets, and then working on investing opportunities for integration and unification of business among the banks joining the bank group. This makes them the close and preferred banking and financial link between regional markets on the one hand and global financial centers on the other hand.