Growing intra-Asian trade and investment is assisting local bank development, as shown by the new banks and movements in the ranking of the top 25 banks in Asia-Pacific, excluding China and Japan, for 2015. Australian banks remain the largest, though their performances are mixed. As in 2014, the top four are Commonwealth Bank Group, National Australia Bank, ANZ Banking Group and Westpac Banking Corporation. The Tier 1 capital base of both Commonwealth Bank Group and Westpac has risen year on year by a small degree, ANZ’s rose from $32.8bn to $33.8bn, but National Australia Bank experienced a dip.
Thailand banks’ presence in the top 25 is down from three to two banks. Bangkok Bank drops down a place to 19th position and Siam Commercial Bank stays in 22nd place. However, Krung Thai Bank has not made it into the ranking of top 25 banks in Asia-Pacific this year.
India’s banks, by contrast, have a stronger presence in the top 25. The overall number is up from three to five. State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank are joined by Axis Bank and Bank of Baroda at 24th and 25th, respectively. State Bank of India remains in sixth place, ICICI Bank moves up one position to 16th and HDFC Bank climbs from 21st to 18th.
South Korea still has seven banks in the ranking, as was the case in 2014. Korea Development Bank is the highest ranking South Korean bank in seventh place, overtaking KB Financial Group, which is now in eighth. Woori Bank has dropped the furthest, however, from ninth to 13th place.
Taiwan no longer features in the top 25 after Mega International Commercial Bank, which was ranked 23rd last year, drops from the 2015 ranking.
In terms of highest movers, Malaysia Building Society moves from third to first place with a significant 116.78% increase in Tier 1 capital, taking the top position from Philippine National Bank.
As in 2014, Papua New Guinea’s Bank of South Pacific dominates the return on capital ranking at 50.88%. Sri Lanka makes a fresh appearance in this ranking through Bank of Ceylon, which lies in third place with a return on capital of 39.79%.
