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Staff Writer

South Africa's largest banks by assets



Standard Bank competes on a global scale in terms of assets under management, and is South Africa's largest bank by that metric, according to the Global Bank Ranking published by S&P Global Market Intelligence.


It comes at a time of flux in the financial services industry that sees Old Mutual launching a comprehensive banking services in 2024, contrasting with BNP Paribas SA's closure of its corporate and investment banking operations in the country.


Standard Bank climbed one spot to rank eighth among Middle East and Africa banks, while FirstRand was up one place to 11th. Absa and Nedbank were also listed among the top 30 institutions.



Eighteen of the 30 banks moved up the ranking, including Israel's Bank Hapoalim BM, South Africa-based Standard Bank Group and Saudi Arabia's Riyad Bank.



Morocco's Banque Centrale Populaire and UAE-based Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC entered the ranking.


Some of this movement can be attributed to the absence of two Iranian banks due to a lack of fresh data.


Tejarat Bank PJSC and Bank Pasargad PLC ranked 11th and 20th last year, with total assets of $130.08 billion and $94.77 billion, respectively.



For the latest ranking, company assets were adjusted on a best-efforts basis for pending mergers, acquisitions and divestures, as well as M&A deals that closed after the end of the period.

Globally,


Global 100


Chinese banks maintained their dominance in the global largest lender rankings of 2023 despite a downturn in the property sector, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.


Chinese banks kept 20 positions in the ranking, including the top four, showcasing the continued strength of China's banking sector. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. remained the world's largest bank, with assets of $6.3 trillion.


Agricultural Bank of China surpassed China Construction Bank Corp to claim second place, with 14.5% loan growth in 2023, driven by a national strategy to bolster the agricultural sector. It was the only change to the top six spots from a year ago.


"Elevated inflation and higher interest rates served as headwinds to global economic growth and the commercial real estate sector. Despite a downturn in the property sector, Chinese banks retained their place as the largest in the world," said Nathan Stovall, director of financial institutions research at S&P Global Market Intelligence.


Overall, 47 banks fell in the ranking while 29 rose and 24 maintained their positions.


"Loan growth slowed as borrower demand waned in the face of higher interest rates, while banks tightened the reins on new originations in the face of liquidity pressures and concerns over future credit losses," Stovall said.


In the Asia-Pacific region, seven of the eight Japanese banks on the list fell in the ranking—the exception was Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc., which maintained its place at 13. India-based HDFC Bank newly entered the list at 74th position, following a merger with its parent company, driving its assets to $464.3 billion.


Among US banks, JPMorgan Chase & Co, with assets of $3.9 trillion, remained the fifth-largest bank in the world, followed by Bank of America Corp.


Meanwhile, Citigroup Inc. slid one place to 12th as it continued to sell noncore assets as part of a restructuring.


European banks also experienced weaker loan growth in 2023. Some of the biggest banks in Europe shed assets in 2023 and continue to do so in 2024.


UK-headquartered HSBC Holdings PLC—the seventh largest bank in the world—sold its Canadian operations and its retail business in France and agreed to sell its Argentine business. France-based Société Générale SA rose to 19th place from 22nd last year despite selling some businesses in Africa and mulling sales of other assets.

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