Big Four (banking)

The Big Four (or Big 4) is the colloquial name given to the four main banks in several countries where the banking industry is dominated by just four institutions and where the phrase has thus gained relevance. Some countries include more or fewer institutions in such rankings, leading to other names such as Big Three, Big Five, or Big Six.

International use

Internationally, the term "Big Four Banks" has traditionally referred to the following central banks:

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. The "big four banks" of Australia are:

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".

Austria

The "Big Four" banks of Austria are:
* 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

Belgium

The big four banks of Belgium 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

Brazil

According to S&P Global in 2024, the "Big Five" banks In Brazil (which are also the 5 largest banks in Latin America):

Cambodia

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:
* Canadia Bank
* ACLEDA Bank
* Advanced Bank of Asia

Canada

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

China

In the People's Republic of China, the "Big Four" banks (四大银行) are:

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). 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).

Colombia

In Colombia, the ten biggest banking service networks are:

Czech Republic

In Czech Republic, the "big three" are:
* 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)

Estonia

* LHV
* Luminor
* SEB
* Swedbank Estonia

Finland

* Danske Bank
* Nordea
* OP
* Säästöpankkiryhmä

France

According to S&P Global in 2024, the 'Big Six' major banking groups in France are:

Germany

* Deutsche Bank
* DZ Bank
* KfW
* Commerzbank

Greece

* Alpha Bank
* Eurobank
* National Bank of Greece
* Piraeus Bank

Hong Kong

HSBC, 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.

India

In India the largest banks, based on total market capitalization, are:

;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

Indonesia

In Indonesia, the term "big four" is not explicitly used. As of 2018, the four largest banks by total assets are:

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

Ireland

In Ireland, the term "big four" applies to the four largest banks by market capitalisation.
* Bank of Ireland
* Allied Irish Banks
* Permanent TSB
* Ulster Bank (a wholly-owned subsidiary of NatWest Bank). Has withdrawn from the Irish market as of 2023.

Israel

In Israel, the term "big five" is used instead of "big four".

Italy

According to S&P Global in 2024, the 'Big Six' major banking groups in Italy are:

Japan

In Japan, the term "big three" 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).

Kenya

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

Latvia

According to a consumer survey conducted in 2019, the "big four" retail banks in Latvia are:
* Swedbank
* SEB
* Citadele
* Luminor

Lebanon

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:
* 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.

Luxembourg

The "big four" full-service banks in Luxembourg are:
* 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.

Macau

In Macau, the four major banks are:

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

Malaysia

According to Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM), the 5 largest Malaysian banks by assets size are:

Mexico

According to S&P Global in 2024, the "Big Four" banks in Mexico (which are within the 10 largest banks in Latin America):

Myanmar

According to '' Asia Times'', the four largest banks in Myanmar are:
* Kanbawza Bank
* Ayeyarwady Bank
* CB Bank
* Yoma Bank

Netherlands

The "big four" banks in the Netherlands by market concentration are:

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.

New Zealand

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
NZ's big banks record $3.5b profit
, ''The New Zealand Herald'', 5 November 2013. Accessed 14 April 2014. 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 as well as close to 90% of all mortgages.

These four NZ subsidiaries are massively profitable and sometimes even outperform the Australian parent companies. 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, NZ$73.5 million, NZ$14 million and NZ$7 million (albeit with an underlying result of about NZ$30 million) respectively. 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.

Nigeria

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

North Macedonia

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the three largest banks in North Macedonia dominate 60% of the banking market share.
* Komercijalna banka Skopje
* Stopanska Banka
* NLB Tutunska

Pakistan

The "top six" banks of Pakistan are:
* HBL
* Meezan Bank Limited
* Bank Alfalah
* MCB Bank Limited
* National Bank of Pakistan
* United Bank

Panama

* Banco General
* Banistmo
* Banco Nacional
* BAC Credomatic

Peru

In Peru the "big four" are:
* Banco de Crédito del Perú
* BBVA Perú
* Scotiabank (a subsidiary of the Canadian bank)
* Interbank

Philippines

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 March 2020:
* Banco de Oro (BDO Unibank)
* Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank)
* Metrobank
* Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)

Romania

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.

Russia

The largest banks by operations and assets in Russia:

Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, the "Big Five" are:

Singapore

According to S&P Global in 2024, the "Big Three" banks in Singapore are:

South Africa

In South Africa, the "big four" in order of value of assets are:
* 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.

South Korea

In South Korea, the "Big Six" are:

Spain

As of September 2021, the "big four" in Spain are:

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the leading banks are, as of 2020

Sweden

In Sweden the "big four" are:
* Svenska Handelsbanken
* Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken
* Swedbank
* Nordea

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the Big Four are as follows:

Taiwan

In Taiwan, the seven "systemic banks" are:

Thailand

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.
* 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)

Turkey

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.

State-owned banks

* Ziraat Bank
* Halkbank
* VakıfBank

Privately-owned banks

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

United Arab Emirates

Based on the total assets of listed banks at the end of 2017, big five banks in United Arab Emirates are:
* First Abu Dhabi Bank
* Emirates NBD
* Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
* Dubai Islamic Bank
* Mashreq

United Kingdom

England and Wales

In relation to England and Wales, the phrase "big six" is currently used to refer to the six largest High Street retail banking groups:

Scotland

In relation to Scotland, the phrase "big four" is currently 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).

Northern Ireland

In relation to Northern Ireland, the phrase "big four" is currently 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.

Historical use

Until 1970, the phrase "big five" (as opposed to "little six") 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, the term "big four" came into use instead.

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. The banks are, in order of size:

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. However, Citigroup still has significantly more assets than U.S. Bancorp and PNC Financial Services.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the four major banking groups are:
* 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.

See also

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

References

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Lists of banks