Top 1000 World Banks - Australian banks hold tight to top spots in 2020

Across the Asia-Pacific (excluding China and Japan) region, the Australian banks have dominated again overall, taking the top four places in the regional ranking. The banks’ ranks in both the regional and the global tables is interesting, as it outlines how close the banks are in terms of the Tier 1 capital they hold. Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac, and National Australia Bank hold between $34bn and $39bn in Tier 1 capital, and because of this they take 49th, 52nd, 53rd and 55th places, respectively, in the Top 1000 World Banks 2020 ranking.

All four Australian banks, however, have dropped down the global table from their positions in 2019 as a result of a reduction in Tier 1 capital. The biggest declines were seen by Commonwealth Bank, with a fall of 5.37%, and Westpac, which fell 5.61%. The latter slipped to third place in regional ranking, while ANZ leapfrogged into second place.

Singapore’s DBS rounds off the top five, retaining the same spot as last year. Although the bank saw a 4.95% rise in Tier 1 capital, it still slipped two places in the Top 1000 ranking to 56th. Two of DBS’s compatriots made the regional top 25 table again this year: United Overseas Bank retained 10th place, while Oversea Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) moved up two spots to 11th.

South Korea has enjoyed a successful year, with seven banks making it into the top 25 Asia-Pacific regional ranking, with KB Financial Group, Shinhan Financial Group and Korea Development Bank all holding on to the same seventh, eighth and ninth places, respectively, as last year.

The region saw just one new bank entrant this year, as Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank sneaked into the ranking at 955th place. The bank’s inclusion also brought the country’s Top 1000 number up to five banks.

In central Asia, there has been a year of strong growth recorded, with National Bank of Uzbekistan coming in second in the highest mover in the Asia-Pacific region table, having doubled its Tier 1 capital. This increase allowed it to climb to 699th place in the global ranking, from 947th in 2019. It is also the only bank from Uzbekistan to make it into the Top 1000.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is also showing strong results. Jysan Bank also made it into the highest mover top three, as it re-entered the Top 1000 in 789th place. It also took the top placing for return on capital in the Asia-Pacific region, with its fellow Kazakh bank Halyk Bank placing fourth.