The top 10 safest banks in the world listed here is according to the rankings made by Global Finance.
The 10 safest banks in the world had their long-term credit ratings and total assets analysed to determine the winners.
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Top 10 Safest Banks In The World
1. KfW Bankengruppe
KfW Bankengruppe is first on the list of safest banks in the world. KfW is a German state-owned development bank that aims to aid both international and domestic economic growth in Germany.
The bank ensures the continued health of its lending to small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) by making loans to these businesses and purchasing securitized SME loan portfolios from German financial institutions.
It also helps with housing, infrastructure, environmental safeguards, and entrepreneurship funding.
KfW also provides funding for global infrastructure projects in the areas of transportation, energy, and telecommunications.
Money for the bank comes from both the federal budget and returns on capital market assets both at home and abroad.
KfW is owned by the German federal government to the tune of 80%, with the remaining 20% held by the individual German states.
2. Zurich Cantonal Bank (Züricher Kantonalbank)
In 1870, the Zurich Cantonal Bank was founded with the intention of catering to the monetary needs of the residents and businesses located inside the Zurich canton.
The Zurich Cantonal Bank is the biggest cantonal bank in Switzerland and ranks among the top five largest banks in Switzerland and the top ten safest banks in the world..
As the bank has captured almost half of the available customers in the Zurich canton, it has established itself as the leading financial institution in this region.
ZKB completed the acquisition of Swisscanto in March of 2015, making it Switzerland’s third biggest supplier of mutual funds.
The Zurich Cantonal Bank is an independent entity of public law that has the protection of a governmental guarantee.
The ZKB Group is comprised of a number of financial institutions, including Swisscanto, Zurhcer Kantonalbank Austria, Zuricher Kantonalbank Guernsey, and representative offices in Sao Paulo, Beijing, Bombay, and Singapore.
3. BNG Bank
The BNG Bank is a promotional bank in the Netherlands that works with and for institutions of the public sector and municipal governments.
All of the shareholders in the bank are governmental organisations. The bank ranks third among the ten safest banks in the world.
Since 1921, the agency has been controlled by the central government of the Netherlands for a percentage equal to half of its total value, with the remaining stake held by Dutch towns, provinces, and a water board.
BNG Bank is a dedicated partner in the effort to make society more sustainable. The Netherlands’s public sector is able to accomplish goals that are socially significant with the assistance of BNG Bank.
As part of the “Road to Impact” plan, BNG Bank continues to improve its internal processes throughout the year 2022. The bank made investments in both its workforce and its information technology infrastructure to serve its customers more effectively.
The financial results of BNG Bank for 2022 were satisfactory, and the bank did not experience any substantial effect from the recent events in Ukraine, interruptions in global supply chains, high oil costs, or high inflation.
In 2022, the bank reported a net profit of 300 million EUR, which was an increase from the net profit of 236 million EUR in 2021.
The increase in net profit was principally attributable to a rise in the interest result and a higher realised result on financial transactions from the liquidity portfolio. Both of these factors contributed to an increase in the net profit.
The capitalization of BNG Bank remained strong, as seen by the bank’s Common Equity Tier 1 and Tier 1 ratios, which came in at 35% and 37%, respectively, at the end of 2022.
As a result of the credit rating agencies Fitch, Moody’s, and S&P awarding the bank the highest possible score, it is now considered to be one of the safest banks in the whole world.
On the basis of this, the bank was successful in attracting funds throughout the year in a variety of currencies and at competitive rates.
As part of its Sustainable Finance Framework, BNG Bank boosted its usage of ESG bonds to generate capital; these bonds accounted for 36% of the bank’s financing in 2022, an increase from less than 30% in 2021.
The BNG Bank requested a dividend payment of EUR 139 million, which would equal 50% of the net profit after adjusting for the increased Tier 1 capital payout, and EUR 2.50 per share, in accordance with the bank’s existing dividend distribution policy.
If you are an expat living in the Netherlands, you might want to check out the best banks for expats in the Netherlands.
4. Landwirtschaftlichte Rentenbank
In Germany, the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank is a promotional bank that is owned by the government and operates at a loss. It ranks fourth among the ten safest banks in the world.
Refinancing opportunities are available via the Bank for those working in rural and agricultural regions. Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank services consumers in Germany.
In Germany, the food, agricultural, forestry, and renewable energy sectors, as well as rural regions, get the majority of the bank’s financing. The bank’s primary objective is to provide funding for these industries at interest rates that are more favourable.
Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank is an institution of public law that was founded in 1949 with the purpose of advancing agriculture and rural development in Germany. It has been fulfilling this objective ever since it was created.
Agriculture (I), Forestry (II), Aquaculture and Fishery (III), Agribusiness and Food Industry (IV), Renewable Energy (V), and Rural Development (VI) are the six categories into which Rentenbank categorises its range of promotional products and awards various types of programme loans: Agriculture (I), Forestry (II), Aquaculture and Fishery (III), and Rural Development (VI) (VI).
There is a possibility that expansion funding will be provided, for instance, but Rentenbank also offers support measures to ensure the firm’s liquidity and production. This is dependent on the company or the industry.
Also, it is providing a significant contribution towards the transition to alternative energy sources in Germany, mainly through funding solar, biogas, and wind power facilities. This is an essential element of the process.
Direct loans to Rentenbank’s end clients are not something the bank does very often. Instead, it restructures the debt of the credit institutions, who then make the programme loans available to their respective consumers.
After previously issuing green bonds only via the medium of private placements, Rentenbank made history in September 2020 by selling their first ever green bond to the general public.
The (West German) agriculture and forestry industry contributed 135 million Euros to the bank’s initial capitalization between the years 1949 and 1958.
The promotional bank, which does business under the legal structure of an entity governed by public law (Anstalt offentlichen Rechts), does not have a single owner (s). This is a peculiar quality, and not only when compared to other European government institutions.
From the beginning of the year 2014, the Bund has provided an overt guarantee for the obligations of Rentenbank.
The explicit guarantee is an addition to the current institutional responsibility, which already includes an implicit guarantee provided by the Federal Republic of Germany in its own right. The period of the guarantee is limitless, there are no restrictions placed on it, and there is no cap placed on the sum or the term.
In addition, the Rentenbank Act was passed in 2015, which categorically excluded the idea of Rentenbank filing for bankruptcy.
As a result of a modification to the capital requirements regulation, it is no longer subject to direct supervision by the ECB. Nonetheless, it has been under the supervision of the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) once again for some time.
5. NWB Bank (Nederlandse Waterschapsbank)
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The Nederlandse Waterschapbank N.V., sometimes known as “NWB Bank,” is a reputable supplier of a variety of financial services, including individualised financing solutions for both the short and long periods at advantageous rates.
Their services are tailored only for use in the public sector in the Netherlands. The bank ranks fifth among the ten safest banks in the world.
They provide their services to local authorities such as water authorities, municipal and provincial authorities, as well as institutes that get financial support from the government.
The majority of their customers are societal organisations, such as establishments that are involved in social housing, healthcare, education, and activities relating to water and the environment. Other clients include government agencies.
The owners of NWB Bank are parties from the Dutch public sector, similar to their customer base.
On the strength of a solid financial position and high ratings from both Moody’s (Aaa) and Standard & Poor’s, NWB Bank is able to support its business activities by participating in the worldwide money and capital markets (AAA).
The bank was able to obtain a substantial amount of capital on favourable terms because to their well-established standing and extensive financial competence in the global financial markets. In addition, NWB Bank maintains a cost structure that is very low.
The best interests of NWB Bank’s customers come first. Their bank plays a significant part in the supply of financial services in the community.
They won’t be able to do a good job of fulfilling that function unless society as a whole and their customers in particular repose their faith in us. Their fundamental principles include being conscientious, actively involved, and dependable.
Over the course of their work, employees are required to uphold and champion these fundamental principles.
They establish long-lasting partnerships with their stakeholders by acting as a customer-focused, resilient, and sustainable finance partner, which enables their stakeholders to carry out their responsibilities to Dutch society in the most effective way possible.
They want to achieve this goal by providing efficient service to the combined financing requirements of clients in the public sector, with the end goal of maintaining financing costs that are as low as feasible for the public sector. They plan to adapt to shifting needs in the public sector and maintain constant availability to their clientele as part of their mission.
From the bank’s founding in 1954, public authorities have held shares in the public limited liability business that is NWB Bank. NWB Bank is a public limited liability corporation.
Because NWB Bank is a “ordinary” public limited liability company, this denotes that its shareholders have significant powers, such as the power to appoint members of the Managing Board and Members of the Supervisory Board.
In addition, the shareholders have the power to vote on major company decisions.
They base the governance of their bank on resiliency and openness, and the Management Board ensures that the interests of all of the bank’s constituents are always kept in mind at all times.
The Articles of Association of the Bank are what are considered to be its primary legal charter. They established provisions on a variety of topics, including the Bank’s goal, capital and shares, governance, Supervisory Board, and shareholders, among other things.
Since July 1, 1989, NWB Bank has been in possession of a licence that enables it to run a bank that provides investment services in accordance with the provisions of Section 2:13 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).
6. L-Bank (Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg – Förderbank)
L-Bank is both a government agency and an investment bank, and it has a particular interest in biotechnology as well as semiconductors. The bank ranks sixth among the ten safest banks in the world.
The company now has locations around the European Union and was established in 1998 in the city of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany.
The L-Bank, or Landeskreditbank Baden-Wurttemberg to give it its full name, is the State Development Institute for the state of Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany.
It is also a German financial institution that operates under the legal structure of an institution governed by public law. Its main office is located in Karlsruhe, and it has a branch in Stuttgart.
Companies working on semiconductors, thermo-electronics, immunotherapeutic cancer therapies, and internet media are of particular interest to the bank.
Investments have been made in Svper, Onventis, and BrandMaker through venture, Series A, and ICO rounds.
The L-Bank may trace its origins back to the Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg, from which it inherited its marketing department on December 1, 1998.
The Württembergische Wohnungskreditanstalt (established in 1924) in Stuttgart and the Badische Landeskreditanstalt für Wohnungsbau (established in 1934) in Karlsruhe merged in 1972 to become the Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg.
It serves as Baden-official Württemberg’s promotional bank. Mostly, it works to improve conditions for families and children, as well as for small and medium-sized businesses.
It works together with traditional financial institutions to create new forms of funding rather than trying to undercut them.
Moreover, it manages many technological parks in Baden-Württemberg via subsidiaries, including the Technology Park Karlsruhe (TPK), the Technology Park Mannheim (TPMA), the Technology Park Tübingen-Reutlingen (TTR), and the Stuttgart Engineering Park (STEP) in Stuttgart-Vaihingen.
70.7 billion euros were in total assets as of December 31, 2017. The L-Bank was listed as the 17th biggest bank in Germany. 1,241 individuals work at the bank.
The L-Bank comes in fourth position in a 2017 rating of the world’s safest banks. The L-Bank was given the highest possible rating of AAA or Aaa by the rating companies Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s.
7. KBN (Kommunalbanken)
With total assets of over NOK 500 billion, Kommunalbanken AS (KBN), sometimes known simply as KBN, is one of the major financial organisations in Norway. The bank ranks seventh among the ten safest banks in the world.
The bank offers loans to the municipal government sector with the goal of playing a part in the development of environmentally responsible communities.
KBN was created in 1927 and is wholly owned by the Norwegian state, which exercises management over the company via the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
KBN obtains the funds necessary to support its loans to the local government sector by direct borrowing from the capital markets.
KBN is now one of the major Norwegian borrowers participating in foreign capital markets, and the company has an annual borrowing need of approximately NOK 100 billion. By the issuance of green bonds, KBN is able to fund its green lending programme for the local government sector.
KBN is one of the few financial organisations in the world to have a AAA credit rating, in addition to having a low risk profile.
Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s have both awarded the highest attainable credit rating to KBN. This is due to the fact that KBN is a state-owned firm with a public mandate, a solid capital basis, robust operations, and a low risk appetite.
8. NRW.BANK
The North Rhine-Westphalian state’s financial institution for economic growth and expansion is known as NRW.BANK. The bank ranks third among the eighth safest banks in the world.
It helps its owner, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, carry out its responsibilities, especially in the areas of structural, economic, social, and housing policy.
Promotion and development initiatives from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and the European Union are combined in the NRW.BANK.
They are used in conjunction with the bank’s own equity and debt products as well as consulting services.
It provides a comprehensive suite of financial services for three distinct markets: the economy, the housing market, and infrastructure and local governments.
While working with other financial institutions, NRW.BANK does not favour one over the other.
9. Swedish Export Credit Corporation (SEK)
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The Export Credit Agency (ECA) of Sweden is known as the Swedish Export Credit Corporation, or SEK for short. The bank ranks ninth among the ten safest banks in the world.
In 1962, it was established with the participation of both the Swedish government and the main Swedish banks.
Both when the economy is doing well and when it is struggling, buyers from other countries are able to receive loans from SEK so that they may make purchases of Swedish products and services.
In addition, SEK provides exporters in Sweden with direct loans so that they may maintain and expand their operations.
The Swedish government has charged SEK with the responsibility of providing Swedish businesses engaged in international trade with access to long-term financial solutions.
SEK’s primary emphasis is on providing financial assistance to businesses engaged in international trade.
The SEK is an autonomous entity that is wholly owned by the government of Sweden and functions as a supplement to financial institutions such as banks.
In 2016, SEK extended a total of 55 billion Skr in loans.
10. Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations
Caisse des Dépôts is a French government-owned financial organization that serves federal, state, and municipal governments. The bank ranks last among the ten safest banks in the world.
Caisse des Dépôts is the preeminent administrator of private money in France that is guaranteed by French law, including savings accounts and retirement funds.
And it’s the frontrunner in both urban renewal and the funding of houses for the poor in France.
As an investor in local development initiatives and via its subsidiaries that provide regional development services and engage in real estate and private equity, the bank is also a reliable long-term partner of local and regional governments.
Caisse des Dépôts has regional offices around France, allowing it to serve communities and provide access to its entire suite of financial services and expertise on a local level. Caisse des Dépôts is well recognised as a top institutional investor worldwide.
In addition to being the largest stakeholder in CNP (personal insurance), Caisse des Dépôts also joined Caisse Nationale des Caisses d’Épargne as a strategic investor in July 2004. (CNCE).
Its portfolio management services extend to private equity investments, real estate, and shares in publicly traded firms.
To contribute to sustainable development, Caisse des Dépôts, like other big companies and institutions, must seek performance on three registers: economic, social, and environmental.
Each area’s success is evaluated by how it contributes to society as a whole. Caisse des Dépôts is a large French financial organisation that has an effect on economic, social and political solidarity through generations, as well as on the growth and prosperity of local communities and businesses.
Caisse des Dépôts, a large institutional investor, views long-term profitability as a need for sustainable growth.
Caisse des Dépôts is at the forefront of carbon finance, developing groundbreaking financial mechanisms that encourage proactive responses from businesses to the challenge of lowering their carbon footprint.
Its engineering and service divisions are actively engaged in transportation, real estate, infrastructure, and tourism-related issues that affect society and the environment.
Caisse des Dépôts has established a Sustainability Department to manage and promote these efforts, and the organization has taken a three-pronged strategy to address these issues: social and environmental responsibility, socially responsible investment, and combating global warming.
The Caisse des Dépôts is a strong supporter of the UNEP FI initiative. The Principles for Responsible Investing Initiative counts it as a major supporter.
The project’s goal is to create and spread a set of guidelines for responsible investing that has the support of the United Nations and major financial institutions throughout the globe.
In 2004, Caisse des Dépôts became a member of UNEP FI. Since its inception in 2003, it has participated in a wide range of UNEP FI initiatives.
Notice that the top 10 safest banks in the world are all found in Europe. If you happen to be in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Lion City, check out the safest banks in Singapore.
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