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Asia-Pacific shows largest Top 1000 representation

Asia-Pacific is the most numerous global region among this year's Top 1000 ranking, with its growth coming largely at the expense of western Europe and North America.
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Global structure

Given the unresolved eurozone crisis and a still sluggish US economy, it comes as no surprise that emerging market lenders are establishing an increasing presence in The Banker's Top 1000 World Banks ranking.

The region that hosts the highest number of banks in the ranking is Asia-Pacific, with 348, up from 345 last year and 321 in the 2010 list. The presence of Latin American lenders has increased too: 62 banks are present in the 2012 ranking compared with 53 in 2011 – a 17% increase and the biggest improvement among all regions.

Middle Eastern players have also upped their game, and the number of Top 1000 banks based in the region rose from 83 in 2011 to 91 this year. Even if only by one additional bank, African lenders have become more visible too, and a total of 31 institutions are now part of the global list.

After Asia-Pacific, Western Europe is still the second most populous region, with a total of 240 banks. Predictably, the presence of banks from the region has continued to decrease. Last year it was 243, and in 2010 it was 278. Following a similar fate, North America remains the third largest geographical group but a lower number of its banks made the cut this year, 179 compared with 190 in 2011.

Aggregate values of Tier 1 capital show a not too dissimilar picture, reinforcing the declining trend of banking systems in developed markets and the rise of Asia-Pacific lenders. Western Europe still displays

Global structure 2

the largest aggregate values of Tier 1 capital, at $2051.4bn, but Asia-Pacific banks are swiftly narrowing the gap. While western Europe represented 38% of the total last year, this number has gone down to 35% in the 2012 ranking. During this time, Asian banks have increased their global share to 34%, at $1936bn, up from 31% in the previous ranking. Unsurprisingly, our Top 25 Highest Movers table (see page 155), listing banks that display the greatest Tier 1 capital growth, is dominated by Asia-Pacific banks, containing 16 Chinese lenders and one from Japan.

Movements were less dramatic elsewhere. North America’s total Tier 1 capital share declined by 1% – to stand at $1215.84bn – while Africa’s, central and eastern Europe’s and Latin America’s remained unchanged. The Middle East represented a higher 4% share, up from 3% last year.

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Silvia Pavoni is editor in chief of The Banker. Silvia also serves as an advisory board member for the Women of the Future Programme and for the European Risk Management Council, and is part of the London council of non-profit WILL, Women in Leadership in Latin America. In 2019, she was awarded an honorary fellowship by City University of London.
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