As a region that has long led the way in fintech innovation, Asia’s mature stance on crypto development is unsurprising. 

The 2022 ranking has hit major milestones for aggregate Tier 1 capital, total assets and pre-tax profits.

Many argue that the likes of bitcoin can help displaced people access financial services, but others are more sceptical. 

Although China’s banks have continued to show strong results in the Top 1000, there are signs of cracks emerging with continued economic pressure.

Many see KYC and AML compliance as a box-ticking exercise and a colossal waste of time that does very little to stop financial crime at its source. 

Brazil’s economy has performed better than expected in the first few months of the year. However, it faces strong headwinds with regards inflation and political uncertainty. 

Despite banking reforms, an end to the country’s economic trauma remains a distant prospect.

The country’s economy is proving resilient but rising inflation, high energy prices and supply chain disruptions could spark a recession. 

The strength of Brazil’s banks indicates that they will be able to stay the course as they navigate regulatory reforms and the emergence of new competitors.

In a world driven by a quantum hype, many banks are now investigating whether the promised increased processing power of quantum computing could address problems that currently are too complicated to be solved. 

Banks have begun to take tentative steps into the metaverse, exploring how they can bring their services to this fully-digital channel. With questions around the use of cryptocurrencies and the form regulation may take, there is still some way to go before banks are offering a full metaverse experience.

While the past two years of operating under pandemic conditions have taken their toll on businesses and the global economy, the world’s biggest banking brands have managed to increase their value. Liz Lumley reports.

The Banker's Finance Minister of the Year 2021 awards celebrate the officials that have best managed to stimulate growth and stabilise their economy.