With 117 banks in the 2015 Top 1000 World Banks ranking – seven more than in 2014 – Chinese banks’ presence in the list is only second to the US, with 158.
As was the case in 2014, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank are in first and second position for both the China rankings and the overall Top 1000 World Banks ranking. Their Tier 1 capital respectively grew from $207.6bn to $248.6bn and from $174bn to $202.1bn, year on year.
As in the 2014 country ranking, the other two 'big four' banks – Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China – rank third and fourth. Their respective Tier 1 capital has grown from $149.7bn to $184.2bn and from $137.4bn to $167.7bn. They have both moved up three places since 2014 in the world ranking to fourth and sixth positions, respectively.
Bank of Communications remains the highest positioned non-big four bank in the country, ranking in fifth place with $76.89bn in Tier 1 capital.
The country ranking’s top 10 includes the same banks as in 2014, with the only difference that Fuzhou-based Industrial Bank has moved up one position to ninth place, while China Minsheng Bank has dropped to 10th place.
There are five new entrants in China this year, 14 fewer than in 2014. The largest new name is Henan province’s Zhongyuan Bank – a Sanmenxia-based bank that was set up in December 2014 and originated from the consolidation of 13 provincial commercial banks – with $4.51bn of Tier 1 capital. This is significant considering the lowest ranking bank in the top 25 Chinese banks has $5.45bn in Tier 1 capital.
The highest mover among China's banks is Fudian Bank from Kunming in Yunnan province, with 85.28% year-on-year growth in Tier 1 capital to $2.12bn. The 10th bank in the highest movers’ top 10 – new entrant Zhongyuan Bank – equally has experienced a remarkable growth in Tier 1 capital of 55.11%.
