Emerging market banks lead the way on return on capital, with notable performances coming from Middle Eastern, African and Latin American firms.

Western European lenders have been overtaken by their central Asian counterparts for regional loans-to-deposit ratios this year, as Latin American banks climb to third.

Chinese banks dominate the Top 1000 Banks ranking's highest movers table for the third year in a row, posting their best performing year to date.

The Banker's tables recording NPLs, profit performances and low capital-to-asset ratios pours further misery on troubled Western banks.

The Banker's Top 1000 new entrants list is dominated by Asia-Pacific-based institutions, with the largest new entrant coming from South Korea and 13 Chinese institutions entering the rankings.

The eurozone crisis has made its presence felt with regards to western European banks' performances in the Top 1000 ranking, with their share of overall profits down from 46% in 2007 to just 6.3% this year.

While the charge of the Chinese banks grabs the headlines, the big names from the US still lead The Banker's Top 1000 ranking as well as dominating the North American list.

As the Middle East increases its representation in the Top 1000 World Bank ranking after a drop in 2011, it is the the Gulf banks that are leading the revival.

Almost every region has recorded a fall in risk-weighted assets, but the soaring impairments in Europe raise questions about how rigorous the Basel methodology really is.