The growth of China's banks, into the world's largest and most profitable institutions, is not necessarily a good thing for the country.

Asset quality in Greece deteriorated sharply, while remaining weak in Spain, Ireland and Slovenia. By contrast, non-performing loans are falling steadily in the US.

China's banking dominance has extended into the net interest income rankings, though the trading income tables have a more old-world feel to them.

On first glance, the Asia-Pacific top 25 excluding China and Japan has a familiar look to it, with Australian banks dominating. However, closer examination shows growth stories from across the whole region.

Home to the largest bank in the world by Tier 1 capital – Industrial and Commercial Bank of China – and three other members of the top 10, China's dominance at the top of the global banking scene is now there for all to see.

The sluggish growth that has existed in Japan's banking sector in recent years shows little sign of ending.

Soundness levels among the world's banks are showing a slight sign of improvement, though familiar names still feature at the top of the rankings.

Banks from the emerging markets in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region dominate this year’s most profitable banks, leaving European banks with only two countries in the top 25 ranking. 

The Asia-Pacific region retains its global dominance, with the most banks in the Top 1000 and the biggest share of Tier 1 capital.

The Highest Movers table of the Top 1000 has had a distinctly Chinese feel to it in recent years, but 2013's ranking shows rapid growth among financial institutions the world over, including in Europe's crisis economies.