Big Four (banking)#Australia

Internationally, the term "Big Four Banks" has traditionally referred to the following central banks:{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=Lee |date=25 June 2013 |title=The Big Four Central Banks Muddy The Same Sea of Liquidity |url=http://wolfstreet.com/2013/06/24/the-big-four-central-banks-muddy-the-same-sea-of-liquidity-and-then-theres-china/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124612/http://wolfstreet.com/2013/06/24/the-big-four-central-banks-muddy-the-same-sea-of-liquidity-and-then-theres-china/ |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=3 March 2015 |website=WolfStreet.com}}

{{See also|Banking in Australia}}

{{See also|List of banks in Australia}}

In Australia, the "big four banks" refers to the four largest banks that have historically dominated Australia's banking industry in terms of market share, revenue, and total assets.{{Cite news |date=28 August 2008 |title=Big four banks lower fixed rates |work=ABC News |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/28/2349282.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=26 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100331060946/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/28/2349282.htm |archive-date=31 March 2010}}{{Cite news |date=4 August 2020 |title=Who really owns Australia's Big Four banks? |work=Finty Australia |url=https://finty.com/au/research/big-four-ownership/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106055746/https://finty.com/au/research/big-four-ownership/ |archive-date=6 November 2021}} The "big four banks" of Australia are:{{Cite news |title='Big four' banks made huge profits as Australians took out bigger mortgages for pricier housing |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-10/big-four-banks-profits-home-loans-mortgage-debt-interest-rates/101051100 |url-status=live |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001213133/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-10/big-four-banks-profits-home-loans-mortgage-debt-interest-rates/101051100 |archive-date=1 October 2022}}

A longstanding policy of the federal government in Australia has been to maintain this status quo, called the four pillars policy. The policy has been maintained through the Global Recession of 2008–09, as Westpac acquired St George Bank and the Commonwealth Bank acquired Bankwest, reinforcing the special status of the "big four".

The "Big Four" banks of Austria are:{{Cite web |title=Österreich – Größte Banken nach Bilanzsumme 2016 |url=https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/288090/umfrage/banken-in-oesterreich-nach-ihrer-bilanzsumme/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414091850/https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/288090/umfrage/banken-in-oesterreich-nach-ihrer-bilanzsumme/ |archive-date=14 April 2018 |access-date=13 April 2018 |website=Statista}}

• Erste Bank / Sparkasse* (credit unions)
• UniCredit Bank Austria (formerly Bank Austria Creditanstalt)
• Raiffeisen Bankengruppe*
• BAWAG P.S.K. (formerly Österreichische Postsparkasse)

*separate legal entities operating under a common brand

The big four banks of Belgium{{Cite news |date=8 January 2020 |title=Grootbanken gaan bankautomaten samenvoegen: kosten besparen en betere spreiding |work=VRTNWS |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/01/08/grootbanken-gaan-bankautomaten-samenvoegen-goedkoper-voor-banke/ |url-status=live |access-date=9 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109205515/https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/01/08/grootbanken-gaan-bankautomaten-samenvoegen-goedkoper-voor-banke/ |archive-date=9 January 2020}} are a result of national and international mergers in the early 90s.

• KBC Bank, including its CBC Banque subsidiary in the French Community of Belgium and KBC Brussels brand in the Brussels-Capital Region
• Belfius, government-owned bank
• BNP Paribas Fortis, subsidiary of BNP Paribas
• ING Bank, subsidiary of the ING Group

According to S&P Global in 2024, the "Big Five" banks In Brazil{{Cite web |date=2024-04-30 |title=Latin America's 30 largest banks by assets, 2024 |url=https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/latin-americas-30-largest-banks-by-assets-2024# |website=S&P Global}} (which are also the 5 largest banks in Latin America):

According to the National Bank of Cambodia, the top three largest banks in Cambodia dominates 39.1% (The largest bank in term of total asset is Canadia Bank at 14.2%, followed by ACLEDA Bank at 12.7%, in third place Advanced Bank of Asia (ABA) at 12.2%) of the overall banking assets as of 2020. These banks are:{{Cite web |title=National Bank of Cambodia Supervision Annual Report 2020 |url=https://www.nbc.org.kh/download_files/supervision/sup_an_rep_eng/EN_Annual_Report_2020.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705091334/https://www.nbc.org.kh/download_files/supervision/sup_an_rep_eng/EN_Annual_Report_2020.pdf |archive-date=5 July 2022 |access-date=25 April 2022 |quote=The largest bank in term of total asset is Canadia Bank at 14.2%, followed by ACLEDA Bank at 12.7%, in third place Advanced Bank of Asia (ABA) at 12.2%. Source: National Bank of Cambodia}}

• Canadia Bank
• ACLEDA Bank
• Advanced Bank of Asia

There are six banks dominating the Canadian banking sector. Five of these six banks make up what is known as the "Big Five".

{{See also|Banking in China}}

In the People's Republic of China, the "Big Four" banks (四大银行) are:{{Cite book |last=黎晨 [Li Chen] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aFdWBQAAQBAJ |title=China's Centralized Industrial Order |date=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-91055-8 |location=Abingdon-on-Thames |pages=126–147 |chapter=Holding 'China Inc.' together: The restructuring of the centrally controlled financial system |access-date=8 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114132608/https://books.google.com/books?id=aFdWBQAAQBAJ |archive-date=14 January 2023 |url-status=live}}

In addition to the Big Four banks in China, there are numerous banks in China which would have larger Tier 1 capital than the Big Four banks of other developed countries, such as:

Historically, during the 1920s, the term "Big Four" applied to the Four Northern Banks of the Republic of China (i.e., the four most capitalized commercial banks in Northern China).{{Cite book |last=Ji |first=Zhaojin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aesatCvz-PgC&pg=PA121 |title=A History of Modern Shanghai Banking |year=2003 |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |isbn=978-0-7656-1003-4}} These were the Yien Yieh Commercial Bank, the Kincheng Banking Corporation, the Continental Bank and The China & South Sea Bank. They were contrasted with the Three Southern Banks of Southern China.

By 1949, the "Big Four" banks were the Bank of China, the Bank of Communications, the Central Bank of China, and the Farmers Bank of China. All four were state-owned. Together with the Central Trust of China, Postal Savings and Remittance Bureau of China, and Central Cooperative Treasury of China, these banks were called the "four banks, two bureaus, one treasury" (四行两局一库).Yao Sui: Chinese Finance History, High Education Publisher in 2007, Beijing. (in Chinese: 《中国金融史》，姚遂 主编，高等教育出版社，2007年版)

In Colombia, the ten biggest banking service networks are:{{Needs update|date=April 2025}}{{Cite web |date=21 October 2016 |title=El top 10 de bancos con mayores ganancias en Colombia a septiembre |url=http://www.dinero.com/economia/articulo/los-bancos-que-mas-ganan-en-colombia-a-septiembre/235124 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003225059/http://www.dinero.com/economia/articulo/los-bancos-que-mas-ganan-en-colombia-a-septiembre/235124 |archive-date=3 October 2017 |access-date=3 October 2017 |website=dinero.com}}{{Cite web |title=Cinco bancos del país están entre los 50 más grandes de A. L |url=http://www.portafolio.co/internacional/cinco-bancos-pais-50-grandes-l-128822 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003225732/http://www.portafolio.co/internacional/cinco-bancos-pais-50-grandes-l-128822 |archive-date=3 October 2017 |access-date=3 October 2017}}

{{table alignment}}

In Czech Republic, the "big three" are:{{Cite web |title=Největší banky v Česku. Nové žebříčky podle klientů a peněz|url=https://www.penize.cz/osobni-ucty/440001-nejvetsi-banky-v-cesku-zebricek-podle-poctu-klientu-a-spravovanych-penez |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321074207/https://www.penize.cz/osobni-ucty/440001-nejvetsi-banky-v-cesku-zebricek-podle-poctu-klientu-a-spravovanych-penez |archive-date=21 March 2023 |access-date=21 March 2023}}

• Česká spořitelna, subsidiary of Erste Group
• Československá obchodní banka, subsidiary of KBC Bank
• Komerční banka, subsidiary of Société Générale (formerly part of State Bank of Czechoslovakia)

• LHV
• Luminor
• SEB
• Swedbank Estonia

• Danske Bank
• Nordea
• OP
• Säästöpankkiryhmä

According to S&P Global in 2024,{{Cite web |date=2024-04-30 |title=Europe's 50 largest banks by assets, 2024 |url=https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/europes-50-largest-banks-by-assets-2024 |website=S&P Global}} the 'Big Six' major banking groups in France are:

• Deutsche Bank
• DZ Bank
• KfW
• Commerzbank

• Alpha Bank
• Eurobank
• National Bank of Greece
• Piraeus Bank

{{See also|List of banks in Hong Kong}}

HSBC Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong), and Bank of China (Hong Kong) are the three note-issuing banks; Hang Seng and HSBC Hong Kong are both under the common ownership of London-based HSBC Holdings plc. According to Global Retail Banking Cross-sell conducted by RFi group in 2015, HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), and Hang Seng Bank were the top 3 most popular banks in Hong Kong.{{Cite web |date=19 November 2015 |title=m18講場：你揀銀行同大部分港人有冇唔同？ |url=https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/finance/20151119/bkn-20151119235858423-1119_00842_001.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429000648/https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/finance/20151119/bkn-20151119235858423-1119_00842_001.html |archive-date=29 April 2022 |access-date=7 December 2020 |website=on.cc東網 |language=zh-hk}}

{{See also|Banking in India}}

In India the largest banks, based on total market capitalization, are:{{Cite news |last=Forbes India |date=16 October 2023 |title=Top 10 banks in India by market cap in 2023 |work=Forbes |publisher=Forbes India |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/explainers/top-10-banks-india-by-market-cap/87913/1 }}

;Big Four private banks in India

• HDFC Bank
• ICICI Bank
• Kotak Mahindra Bank
• Axis Bank

;Big Four public sector banks in India

• State Bank of India
• Punjab National Bank
• Bank of Baroda
• Canara Bank

In Indonesia, the term "big four" is not explicitly used. As of 2018, the four largest banks by total assets are:{{Cite web |last=Mediatama |first=Grahanusa |date=26 September 2018 |title=11 bank terbesar Tanah Air kuasai 63% aset perbankan |url=http://keuangan.kontan.co.id/news/11-bank-terbesar-tanah-air-kuasai-63-aset-perbankan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218193412/https://keuangan.kontan.co.id/news/11-bank-terbesar-tanah-air-kuasai-63-aset-perbankan |archive-date=18 December 2018 |access-date=18 December 2018 |website=kontan.co.id |language=id}}

BRI, Bank Mandiri, and BNI are all controlled by the central government as state-owned enterprises.

In Ireland, the term "big four" applies to the four largest banks by market capitalisation.{{Cite web |title=Anglo Irish Bank Corporation (Executive Summary) |url=http://wp.sme.ie/ireland-2/leadership-and-integrity/anglo-irish-bank-corporation-executive-summary/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504060713/http://wp.sme.ie/ireland-2/leadership-and-integrity/anglo-irish-bank-corporation-executive-summary/ |archive-date=4 May 2011 |access-date=17 January 2012 |website=SME Financial |quote=...The only banks with higher market capitalisation were Allied Irish Banks (AIB) and Bank of Ireland, with strong retail and commercial presences. Ulster Bank and National Irish Bank are the other members of the 'Big Four' retail and commercial banks, both owned by overseas parents and not listed on the Irish Stock Exchange}}{{Cite news |last=Hardiman |first=Cyril |date=12 February 2005 |title='Big Four' Northern banks face probe on pricing and competition claims |work=Irish Independent |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/big-four-northern-banks-face-probe-on-pricing-and-competition-claims-273782.html |access-date=22 January 2012}}

• Bank of Ireland
• Allied Irish BanksRyan, Susan. [http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/aibs-first-trust-refunds-350000-to-customers-over-fee-error-292190-Nov2011// AIB's First Trust refunds £350,000 to customers over fee error] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201082626/http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/aibs-first-trust-refunds-350000-to-customers-over-fee-error-292190-Nov2011/ |date=1 February 2012 }}, Business ETC, 30 November 2011. Accessed 14 April 2014.
• Permanent TSB
• Ulster Bank – a wholly-owned subsidiary of NatWest Group, which withdrew from the Republic of Ireland market in 2023.

In Israel, the term "big five"{{Citation |title=TA-Banks5 Index About |date=9 February 2017 |work=tase.co.il |url=https://market.tase.co.il/en/market_data/index/164/about |access-date=15 November 2024 |place=Israel |publisher=The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange}} is used instead of "big four".

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According to S&P Global in 2024,{{Cite web |date=2024-04-30 |title=Europe's 50 largest banks by assets, 2024 |url=https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/europes-50-largest-banks-by-assets-2024 |website=S&P Global}} the 'Big Five' major banking groups in Italy are:

In Japan, the term "big three"{{Cite news |date=15 November 2013 |title=Japan's Biggest Banks See Profit Declining in Second Half |work=Bloomberg.com |publisher=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-14/japan-s-biggest-banks-set-to-report-a-profit-drop-in-second-half |url-status=live |access-date=29 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304140321/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-14/japan-s-biggest-banks-set-to-report-a-profit-drop-in-second-half |archive-date=4 March 2016}}Nakano, M., Financial Crisis and Bank Management in Japan (1997 to 2016) (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016), [https://books.google.com/books?id=x8qSDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA128 p. 128]. is used instead of "big four". The related term city bank is also sometimes used for these banks. The "big three" are:

These banks are all listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange (where they are constituents of the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX Core30 indices) and the New York Stock Exchange in the form of American depositary receipts; MUFG and SMBC Group are both additionally listed in the Nagoya Stock Exchange and serve as the financial arms of their respective namesake keiretsu (Mitsubishi for MUFG, Sumitomo and Mitsui for SMBC).

• KCB Bank Kenya Limited
• Equity Bank
• Co-operative Bank
• NCBA Group

According to a consumer survey conducted in 2019,{{cite web | url=https://www.la.lv/kuras-bankas-ir-latvijas-iedzivotaju-topa-skds-pazino-jaunakos-datus | title=Kuras bankas ir Latvijas iedzīvotāju Topā? SKDS paziņo jaunākos datus }} the "big four" retail banks in Latvia are:

• Swedbank
• SEB
• Citadele
• Luminor

In Lebanon, where the banks have retained their banking secrecy laws since 1956, which is prevalent in the whole MENA region, and while adopting international measures to fight money laundering, the "big four" banks consist of:{{Cite web |title=Top Lebanese Banks by Assets |url=http://www.thebanker.com/Banker-Data/Banker-Rankings/Local-focus-gives-Lebanon-a-record-year/Top-Lebanese-Banks-by-Assets |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221022222/http://www.thebanker.com/Banker-Data/Banker-Rankings/Local-focus-gives-Lebanon-a-record-year/Top-Lebanese-Banks-by-Assets |archive-date=21 December 2016 |access-date=21 September 2016}}

• Bank Audi (founded in 1830 and ranked on the Forbes Magazine Global 2000 list of largest public companies in the world in 2016)
• Byblos Bank (founded in 1950 as "Société Commerciale et Agricole Byblos Bassil Frères & Co.")
• BLOM Bank: Banque du Liban et d'Outre-Mer S.A.L (founded in 1951)
• Fransabank (founded in 1921 as Société Centrale de Banque)

Furthermore, as of September 2016, there are more than 51 banks in Lebanon, one of the smallest countries in the Middle East, a fact that has always made investors from the Arab countries, especially the GCC petrodollar in addition to the European and world investors, to place their funds in the Lebanese banks.

The "big four" full-service banks in Luxembourg are:{{Cite web |title=Luxembourg Banking Insights 2015 |url=https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/07/lu-en-Banking-Insights-2015.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220140620/https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/07/lu-en-Banking-Insights-2015.pdf |archive-date=20 December 2016 |access-date=17 December 2016 |publisher=pwc}}

• Banque et Caisse d'Épargne de l'État (Spuerkeess), state owned bank
• Banque Internationale à Luxembourg,
• BGL BNP Paribas
• ING Luxembourg

There are bigger banks in Luxembourg, but these only deliver a limited number of services such as investment banking, private banking, or corporate banking only. Luxembourg is a financial center.

{{See also|List of banks in Macau}}

In Macau, the four major banks are:{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=如何開澳門銀行戶口？澳門銀行開設戶口教學 |url=https://wise.com/zh-hk/blog/open-bank-account-in-macau |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=Wise |language=zh-HK}}

• Bank of China, Macau Branch
• Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Macau)
• Tai Fung Bank
• Luso International Banking

According to Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM), the 5 largest Malaysian banks by assets size are:{{Cite news |last=Khoo |first=Daniel |date=6 February 2020 |title=Malaysia's top 3 banks need to maintain higher than average capital needs |work=The Star |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/02/06/malaysia039s-top-3-banks-need-to-maintain-higher-than-normal-capital-needs |url-status=live |access-date=11 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506042612/https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/02/06/malaysia039s-top-3-banks-need-to-maintain-higher-than-normal-capital-needs |archive-date=6 May 2022}}

According to S&P Global in 2024, the "Big Four" banks in Mexico{{Cite web |date=2024-04-30 |title=Latin America's 30 largest banks by assets, 2024 |url=https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/research/latin-americas-30-largest-banks-by-assets-2024# |website=S&P Global}} (which are within the 10 largest banks in Latin America):

According to Asia Times, the four largest banks in Myanmar are:{{Cite news |last1=Oo |first1=Dominic |last2=W. Crispin |first2=Shawn |date=2 June 2021 |title=Myanmar banks on edge of a coup-caused collapse |work=Asia Times |url=https://asiatimes.com/2021/06/myanmar-banks-on-edge-of-a-coup-caused-collapse/ |url-status=live |access-date=11 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204043450/https://asiatimes.com/2021/06/myanmar-banks-on-edge-of-a-coup-caused-collapse/ |archive-date=4 December 2021}}

• Kanbawza Bank
• Ayeyarwady Bank
• CB Bank
• Yoma Bank

The "big four" banks in the Netherlands by market concentration are:{{Cite web |title=Nederlandse Bankensector "(dutch)" |url=http://www.banken.nl/bankensector/bankensector-nederland |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124064928/http://www.banken.nl/bankensector/bankensector-nederland |archive-date=24 January 2017 |access-date=10 January 2017 |publisher=Banken.nl}}

The market leader for the Netherlands, ING Group, is one of the world's largest multinational banking and financial service corporations, with products and services reaching over 41 countries worldwide.{{Cite web |title=Products and Services |url=https://www.ing.com/Products-Services.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110161321/https://www.ing.com/Products-Services.htm |archive-date=10 January 2017 |access-date=10 January 2017 |publisher=ING Group}}

New Zealand is Australia's closest neighbour, with very close cultural and economic ties. The big four Australian banks (often referred to collectively as the "big banks"Parker, Tamsyn. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11151951 NZ's big banks record $3.5b profit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121044537/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11151951 |date=21 January 2014 }}, The New Zealand Herald, 5 November 2013. Accessed 14 April 2014.Gray, Jamie. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10742977 NZ's big banks under pressure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121050206/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10742977 |date=21 January 2014 }}, The New Zealand Herald, 5 August 2011. Accessed 14 April 2014.{{Cite web |date=9 November 2012 |title=Big Four banks' New Zealand profit up |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/business/7932338/Big-Four-banks-New-Zealand-profit-up-20-per-cent-this-year |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118063140/http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/business/7932338/Big-Four-banks-New-Zealand-profit-up-20-per-cent-this-year |archive-date=18 January 2014 |access-date=16 January 2014 |website=Stuff }} or the "big Aussie banks") also dominate the banking sector in New Zealand, through subsidiaries:

• ANZ Bank New Zealand (ANZ), a subsidiary of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group
• ASB Bank (ASB), formerly Auckland Savings Bank, a subsidiary of Commonwealth Bank of Australia
• Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), a subsidiary of the National Australia Bank
• Westpac New Zealand (WBC), formerly WestpacTrust, after a merger with Trust Bank, a subsidiary of Westpac Banking Corporation

Together they hold over 90% of gross loans and advances in New Zealand{{Cite web |date=9 February 2018 |title=Insights – KPMG – NZ |url=https://home.kpmg.com/nz/en/home/insights.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317232919/https://home.kpmg.com/nz/en/home/insights.html |archive-date=17 March 2018 |access-date=14 May 2018 |website=KPMG}} as well as close to 90% of all mortgages.{{Cite web |title=Kiwibank has the largest mortgage market share percentage growth in 2011; ANZ NZ adds the most volume |url=http://www.interest.co.nz/news/58613/kiwibank-has-largest-mortgage-market-share-percentage-growth-2011-anz-nz-adds-most-volume |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118062344/http://www.interest.co.nz/news/58613/kiwibank-has-largest-mortgage-market-share-percentage-growth-2011-anz-nz-adds-most-volume |archive-date=18 January 2014 |access-date=16 January 2014 |website=interest.co.nz}}

These four NZ subsidiaries are massively profitable and sometimes even outperform the Australian parent companies.[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10745478 Westpac NZ outperforms Australian parent] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121050209/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10745478 |date=21 January 2014 }}, The New Zealand Herald, 16 August 2011. Accessed 14 April 2014. The extent to which they dominate the banking sector can be seen in profits: In the 2012/2013 financial year, the largest of the Big Banks, ANZ New Zealand, made a profit of NZ$1.37 billion. The smallest, BNZ, made a profit of NZ$695 million. State-owned Kiwibank, community trust-owned TSB Bank, SBS Bank (formerly Southland Building Society) and Heartland Bank, the next four largest banks by profit, made NZ$97 million,Weir, James. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9094228/Kiwibank-lifts-profit-as-customer-base-expands Kiwibank lifts profit as customer base expands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118063138/http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9094228/Kiwibank-lifts-profit-as-customer-base-expands |date=18 January 2014 }} NZ$73.5 million,[http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/136518/tsb-profit-rises-despite-mortgage-market-competition TSB profit rises despite mortgage market competition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118185921/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/136518/tsb-profit-rises-despite-mortgage-market-competition |date=18 January 2014 }}, Radio New Zealand, 31 May 2013. Accessed 14 April 2014. NZ$14 million{{Cite web |date=26 June 2013 |title=SBS Bank lifts annual net profit nearly 22% |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/138649/sbs-bank-lifts-annual-net-profit-nearly-22-percent |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118185143/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/138649/sbs-bank-lifts-annual-net-profit-nearly-22-percent |archive-date=18 January 2014 |access-date=16 January 2014 |website=Radio New Zealand }} and NZ$7 million (albeit with an underlying result of about NZ$30 million) respectively.{{Cite web |date=26 August 2013 |title=Heartland sees core growth |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/217905/heartland-sees-core-growth |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118190043/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/217905/heartland-sees-core-growth |archive-date=18 January 2014 |access-date=16 January 2014 |website=Radio New Zealand }} Thus, the profit of New Zealand's next four largest banks (after the Big Four) is equal to less than 30% of the smallest of the Big Four, BNZ.

The term "Big Five" is used instead of four, with five banks dominating the Nigerian banking world. In 2011, these top five banks had a combined balance sheet, including contingents, of 12.9 trillion naira ($821 billion), 33 percent higher than the prior year.{{Cite web |date=16 August 2012 |title=Business: The 5 Biggest Banks in Nigeria |url=http://venturesafrica.com/the-5-biggest-banks-in-nigeria |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829221524/http://venturesafrica.com/the-5-biggest-banks-in-nigeria/ |archive-date=29 August 2017 |access-date=28 August 2017 |website=Ventures Africa}}

• Zenith Bank
• First Bank of Nigeria
• Guaranty Trust Bank
• Access Bank
• United Bank for Africa (UBA)

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the three largest banks in North Macedonia dominate 60% of the banking market share.{{Cite web |title=Banking Market |url=https://www.pwc.com/mk/en/industries/financial.html#banking |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211013070642/https://www.pwc.com/mk/en/industries/financial.html#banking |archive-date=13 October 2021 |access-date=13 October 2021 |publisher=PricewaterhouseCoopers |quote=The three largest banks – Komercijalna Banka, Stopanska Banka Skopje (National Bank of Greece is the main shareholder) and NLB Tutunska Banka (NLB Group is the main shareholder) dominate in the banking system, holding together more than 60% of the total market activities.}}

• Komercijalna banka Skopje
• Stopanska Banka
• NLB Tutunska

The "top six" banks of Pakistan are:{{Cite web |title=The top five banks in Pakistan |url=http://www.thebanker.com/Banker-Data/Bank-Trends/The-top-five-banks-in-Pakistan?ct=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201094719/http://www.thebanker.com/Banker-Data/Bank-Trends/The-top-five-banks-in-Pakistan?ct=true |archive-date=1 February 2016 |access-date=27 January 2016}}

• HBL
• Meezan Bank Limited
• Bank Alfalah
• MCB Bank Limited
• National Bank of Pakistan
• United Bank

• Banco General
• Banistmo
• Banco Nacional
• BAC Credomatic

In Peru the "big four" are:Anon., [https://www.advratings.com/latin-america/top-banks-in-peru "Top Banks in Peru 2019—Overview of Top 10 Banks"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211072444/https://www.advratings.com/latin-america/top-banks-in-peru |date=11 December 2019 }}, ADV Ratings, 2019.

• Banco de Crédito del Perú
• BBVA Perú
• Scotiabank (a subsidiary of the Canadian bank)
• Interbank

The term "Big Four" is not explicitly used in the Philippines. The following are the four largest banks in the country in terms of total assets as of December 2024:{{Cite web |title=Ranking as to Total Assets – Universal and Commercial Bank Group as of 31 December 2024 |url=https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Statistics/Financial%20Statements/Commercial/assets.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930050048/http://www.bsp.gov.ph/banking/psoc/by_ranks/assets.htm |archive-date=30 September 2020 |access-date=30 June 2025 |agency=Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas}}

• Banco de Oro
• Land Bank of the Philippines
• Bank of the Philippine Islands
• Metrobank

The Romanian banking system has almost 40 banks, most detained by local financial vehicles and some subsidiaries of foreign banks. The big four are as follows.

• Banca Comercială Română, now part of the Erste Group
• Banca Transilvania, the biggest bank detained by private investors with domestic capital
• BRD – Groupe Société Générale, formerly known as Romanian Bank for Development
• CEC Bank, the state-owned bank, formerly known as Casa de Economii și Consemnațiuni

Other major banks are Raiffeisen Bank, Unicredit Bank, and the ING Bank of Holland subsidiary.

The largest banks by operations and assets in Russia:

{{further|Banking in Russia}}

In Saudi Arabia, the "Big Five" are:{{Cite web |title=Saudi Arabia's top five banks |url=https://www.thebanker.com/content/77481a08-0e6d-5045-a265-41dfc56944cb# |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.thebanker.com |language=en}}

{{table alignment}}

{{See also|List of banks in Singapore}}

According to S&P Global in 2024, the "Big Three" banks in Singapore are:{{Cite web |last=Dayani |first=Dinesh |date=2024-02-13 |title=History Of Banking In Singapore: How We Ended Up With The 3 "Big" Banks For Consumers |url=https://dollarsandsense.sg/history-banking-singapore-big-banks-consumers/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=DollarsAndSense.sg |language=en-US}}

In South Africa, the "big four" in order of value of assets are:{{Cite web |title=Banks and foreign exchange in SA |url=https://ewn.co.za/2018/05/08/capitec-bank-now-the-largest-bank-in-sa-survey-finds |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128130135/https://ewn.co.za/2018/05/08/capitec-bank-now-the-largest-bank-in-sa-survey-finds |archive-date=28 November 2018 |access-date=28 June 2012 |publisher=EWN}}

• FirstRand Bank, operators of First National Bank.
• Standard Bank
• Absa Group Limited, majority owned by Barclays between 2005 and early 2018
• Nedbank, minority-owned by Old Mutual.

In South Korea, the "Big Six" are:{{Cite web |last1=Yamaguchi |first1=Yuzo |last2=Asim |first2=Uneeb |date=2025-04-01 |title=South Korea's largest banks see loan risk rise amid flagging economy |url=https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/articles/2025/4/south-koreas-largest-banks-see-loan-risk-rise-amid-flagging-economy-88219391 |website=S&P Global}}

As of September 2021, the "big four" in Spain are:{{Cite web |date=19 July 2017 |title=Bancos más grandes de España – Economipedia |url=http://economipedia.com/ranking/bancos-mas-grandes-espana.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011072042/http://economipedia.com/ranking/bancos-mas-grandes-espana.html |archive-date=11 October 2017 |access-date=24 October 2017}}

In Sri Lanka, the leading banks are, as of 2020{{Cite web |date=16 October 2018 |title=Sri Lanka Banking Sector: Status quo as of June 2018 |url=https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/careers/companies/top-banks-in-sri-lanka/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918141107/https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/careers/companies/top-banks-in-sri-lanka/ |archive-date=18 September 2020}}

In Sweden the "big four" are:{{Cite web |last=Östlund |first=Carl-Viggo |title=Kunderna gisslan hos storbankerna (The customers held hostage by the big banks) (swedish) |url=http://mobil.aftonbladet.se/debatt/debattamnen/samhalle/article12121618.ab |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130418003116/http://mobil.aftonbladet.se/debatt/debattamnen/samhalle/article12121618.ab |archive-date=18 April 2013 |publisher=Aftonbladet.se}}Anon., [https://www.advratings.com/europe/top-banks-in-sweden "Top Banks in Sweden 2019—Overview of Banking Industry"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209080143/https://www.advratings.com/europe/top-banks-in-sweden |date=9 December 2019 }}, ADV Ratings, 1 December 2019.

• Svenska Handelsbanken
• Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken
• Swedbank
• Nordea

In Switzerland, the Big Four are as follows:

In Taiwan, the seven "systemic banks" are:[https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20190627003616-260410?chdtv "大到不能倒！ 金管會公布5大系統性銀行名單"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726230102/https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20190627003616-260410?chdtv |date=26 July 2020 }}, China Times, 27 June 2019.Shih-ching, K., [https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2019/07/01/2003717886 "Five banks given 'important' status"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726224215/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2019/07/01/2003717886 |date=26 July 2020 }}, Taipei Times, 1 July 2019.

The "Big Six" banks in Thailand are as follows:

Before the Siamese Revolution, the banking system was controlled by foreign powers, particularly the "big four" European banks.Brown, R. A., Capital and Entrepreneurship in South-East Asia: Studies in the Economics of East and South-East Asia (Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan, 1994), [https://books.google.com/books?id=-QW_DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA160 pp. 160–169] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114132608/https://books.google.com/books?id=-QW_DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA160 |date=14 January 2023 }}.{{rp|160–169}}

• The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in 1888 (Now HSBC)
• The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China in 1894 (Now Standard Chartered Bank Thailand)
• Banque de l'Indochine in 1897 (Now Banque Calyon, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole)
• Mercantile Bank of India in 1923 (Now Citibank Thailand, a subsidiary of Citigroup)

In 2021, the top three largest state-owned banks held over 37.1% of the market share, while Turkey's top four largest foreign-owned banks dominate 22.9% of the overall market share.{{Cite news |last1=Abbas Taqi |first1=Mohammad |last2=Smith |first2=Matt |date=8 March 2021 |title=Turkey's non-state banks have the edge in 2021 amid lira volatility, high rates |work=S&P Global |url=https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/turkey-s-non-state-banks-have-the-edge-in-2021-amid-lira-volatility-high-rates-62764248 |url-status=live |access-date=11 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029174532/https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/turkey-s-non-state-banks-have-the-edge-in-2021-amid-lira-volatility-high-rates-62764248 |archive-date=29 October 2021}}

• Ziraat Bank
• Halkbank
• VakıfBank

• Garanti BBVA
• Akbank
• Yapı Kredi
• Türkiye İş Bankası

Based on the total assets of listed banks at the end of 2017,{{Cite web |date=10 June 2018 |title=Revealed: Top 10 banks in the UAE |url=https://gulfbusiness.com/revealed-top-10-banks-uae/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010144/https://gulfbusiness.com/revealed-top-10-banks-uae/ |archive-date=23 January 2019 |access-date=22 January 2019 |website=Gulf Business |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Banker |first=The |title=Top 1000 World Banks 2018 – Middle East |url=https://www.thebanker.com/Top-1000/2018/2018-regions/Top-1000-World-Banks-2018-Middle-East |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010232/https://www.thebanker.com/Top-1000/2018/2018-regions/Top-1000-World-Banks-2018-Middle-East |archive-date=23 January 2019 |access-date=22 January 2019 |website=www.thebanker.com |language=en-GB}} big five banks in United Arab Emirates are:

• First Abu Dhabi Bank
• Emirates NBD
• Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
• Dubai Islamic Bank
• Mashreq

{{See also|List of banks in the United Kingdom}}

In relation to England and Wales and the United Kingdom as a whole, the phrase "big four" is used to refer to the four largest High Street retail banking groups:{{Cite web |title=Largest banks in the UK |url=https://www.statista.com/topics/6033/leading-uk-banks/ |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=Statista |language=en |quote=Four UK-based banks - HSBC, Barclays, NatWest Group, and Lloyds Banking Group – are ... the largest banks in the country}}{{Cite web |title=Are the Big Four banks too big? |url=https://www.moneyfactsgroup.co.uk/media-centre/group/are-the-big-four-banks-too-big/ |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=www.moneyfactsgroup.co.uk |language=en}}

In relation to Scotland, the phrase "big four" is used to refer to the four largest banking groups:

• Royal Bank of Scotland (NatWest Group)
• Bank of Scotland (Lloyds Banking Group)
• Clydesdale Bank (trading as Virgin Money UK)
• TSB Bank (Banco Sabadell).[http://books.global-investor.com/books/10859/David-Rogers/The-Big-Four-British-Banks/ The Big Four by D Rogers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927160241/http://books.global-investor.com/books/10859/David-Rogers/The-Big-Four-British-Banks/ |date=27 September 2011 }}

In relation to Northern Ireland, the phrase "big four" is used to refer to the four largest banking groups:

• Bank of Ireland
• Ulster Bank (NatWest Group)
• Northern Bank (trading as Danske Bank)
• Allied Irish Banks.

Until 1970, the phrase "big five" (as opposed to "little six")Morgan, Glenn and Sturdy, Andrew [https://books.google.com/books?id=C5KJDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA57 Beyond Organizational Change: Structure, Discourse and Power in UK Financial Services] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114132603/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=C5KJDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA57&dq |date=14 January 2023 }} (p.57) Basingstoke: Macmillan Press, 2000 was used to refer to the five largest UK clearing banks (institutions which clear bankers' cheques), which in England and Wales were:

• Barclays Bank;
• Midland Bank (now HSBC UK Bank and part of HSBC Holdings);
• Lloyds Bank (now part of Lloyds Banking Group);
• National Provincial Bank; and
• Westminster Bank.

After the merger of Westminster Bank, National Provincial Bank and District Bank to form National Westminster Bank (now part of NatWest Group) in 1970,Pohl, Manfred [https://books.google.com/books?id=eXvfNDHpfWwC&pg=PA1232 Handbook on the History of European Banks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114132553/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=eXvfNDHpfWwC&pg=PA1232&dq |date=14 January 2023 }} (p.1232) Aldershot: Edward Elgar Publishing, 1994 the term "big four" came into use instead.

{{See also|List of largest banks in the United States}}

In the United States, the "big four" banks hold about 45% of all U.S. customer deposits (as of 2018), and each have assets of roughly $1.7 trillion U.S. dollars. As of 2023, they have combined assets of more than $9.2 trillion.{{Cite news |last1=Goldberg |first1=Matthew |last2=Beers |first2=Brian |date=12 December 2023 |title=The 15 largest banks in the US |url=https://www.bankrate.com/banking/biggest-banks-in-america/ |access-date=21 March 2024 |work=Bankrate |language=en-US |issn=}} The banks are, in order of size:{{Cite news |date=16 October 2008 |title=Citigroup posts 4th straight loss; Merrill loss widens |work=USA Today |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2008-10-16-citigroup_N.htm |url-status=live |access-date=17 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019102312/http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2008-10-16-citigroup_N.htm |archive-date=19 October 2008}}{{Cite news |last1=Temple |first1=James |last2=The Associated Press |date=18 November 2008 |title=Bay Area job losses likely in Citigroup layoffs |work=The San Francisco Chronicle |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/17/BURD146AIA.DTL |url-status=live |access-date=17 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205193226/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2008%2F11%2F17%2FBURD146AIA.DTL |archive-date=5 December 2009}}

Regardless of the jurisdiction of charter, all these banks are legally subsidiaries of Delaware-chartered bank holding companies.

From a retail banking perspective, U.S. Bank and PNC Bank both have significantly more branches than Citibank, the retail banking arm of Citigroup.{{Cite web |title=Banks Ranked by Number of Branches |url=http://www.usbanklocations.com/bank-rank/number-of-branches.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105054417/http://www.usbanklocations.com/bank-rank/number-of-branches.html |archive-date=5 November 2012 |access-date=21 November 2012}} However, Citigroup still has significantly more assets than U.S. Bancorp and PNC Financial Services.{{Cite web |title=Banks Ranked by Total Assets |url=http://www.usbanklocations.com/bank-rank/total-assets.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105055039/http://www.usbanklocations.com/bank-rank/total-assets.html |archive-date=5 November 2012 |access-date=21 November 2012}}

In Vietnam, the four major banking groups are:{{Cite news |last1=Thuy |first1=Ngoc |last2=Anh |first2=Tram |date=27 January 2021 |title=Vietnam banks are confident in business outlook in 2021 |work=Hanoi Times |url=http://hanoitimes.vn/vietnam-banks-are-confident-in-business-outlook-in-2021-316042.html |url-status=live |access-date=11 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011122901/http://hanoitimes.vn/vietnam-banks-are-confident-in-business-outlook-in-2021-316042.html |archive-date=11 October 2021}}

• Vietcombank
• Agribank
• BIDV
• Vietinbank

As of the start of 2024, the big four held VNĐ13.5 quadrillion worth of public deposits (bank liabilities), equivalent to 50% of all bank deposits nationwide. Meanwhile, during the annual year 2023, these banks represented 42% of the outstanding loans (bank credit) that were issued over this period nationwide, a total of VNĐ685 trillion.{{Cite web |last=VnExpress |title=Big 4 banks represent 41.9% of total credit, 50% of total deposits - VnExpress International |url=https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/economy/big-4-banks-represent-41-9-of-total-credit-50-of-total-deposits-4700634.html |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=VnExpress International – Latest news, business, travel and analysis from Vietnam |language=en}}

• Big Four accounting firms
• Big Oil
• Big Soda
• Big Tech
• Big Three (automobile manufacturers)
• Big Three (management consultancies)
• Big Tobacco

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Four (Banks)}}

Category:Banks

Category:Lists of banks