With the Spanish economy picking up and its banks emerging from a slump, The Banker has ranked the country’s banks by Tier 1 capital. According to the ranking, Santander, which is also a prominent player on the global scene, holds the largest amount of capital by a large margin – nearly $78bn – and, with pre-tax profits of $12.93, it is also the most profitable Spanish bank. The lender also has the highest return on capital, 16.58%, and highest return on assets, at 0.84%.
It is followed by BBVA, another Spanish lender with a global presence, which is also second in terms of profitability and returns on capital and assets.