The world’s most influential banks control vast financial resources while constantly adapting to an ever-changing global financial landscape.
This ranking highlights the ten largest banks in the world, where long-established Western financial institutions stand alongside China’s powerful banking giants.
From pioneering digital banking solutions to advancing sustainable finance initiatives, these institutions illustrate how traditional banking leaders are evolving to address modern economic challenges.
Together, they form the backbone of the global financial system, combining decades of financial expertise with advanced technological capabilities to serve millions of customers across the world.
10. BNP Paribas
Revenue: €48.8bn (US$53.6bn) – FY 2024
Employees: 193,000+
CEO: Jean-Laurent Bonnafé
Founded : 23 May 1848 (as Comptoir national d’escompte de Paris)
BNP Paribas maintains a strong global presence across 65 countries, successfully combining its rich European banking heritage with modern digital innovation. Headquartered in Paris, the bank has achieved notable growth in wealth management, with assets under management reaching €628 billion in 2024.
The institution’s strategic direction is built on three core pillars: technological advancement, leadership in sustainable finance, and operational excellence. BNP Paribas continues to serve a diverse global client base while reinforcing its reputation as a trusted financial partner for both institutional investors and individual customer
9. Citigroup
Revenue: US$81.1bn – FY 2024
Employees: 239,000
CEO: Jane Fraser
Founded: 1812 (as City Bank of New York)
Citigroup operates across more than 160 countries, representing global banking on a remarkable scale. The American financial institution utilises its extensive international network to deliver sophisticated financial services, particularly excelling in cross-border transactions and expertise in emerging markets.
Under the leadership of CEO Jane Fraser, the bank continues to advance its ambitious restructuring programme aimed at streamlining operations and accelerating technology investments. These efforts are designed to improve efficiency while enhancing the overall customer experience.
The transformation has already produced notable results, with the bank’s wealth division generating approximately US$1 billion in net income during 2024, reflecting the growing strength of its global wealth management strategy.
8. HSBC
Revenue: US$65.9bn – FY 2024
Employees: 221,000
CEO: Georges Elhedery
Founded : 1865 (as The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation)
With strong market positions across Greater China and well-established operations throughout Europe and the Americas, the bank combines deep regional expertise with extensive global capabilities.
HSBC’s key competitive advantage lies in its exceptional understanding of Asian markets, particularly its ability to support complex cross-border transactions for multinational corporations operating within one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions.
7. Wells Fargo
Revenue: US$82.3bn – FY 2024
Employees: 217,000
CEO: Charlie Scharf
Founded : 1852
Wells Fargo, founded in 1852 during California’s Gold Rush, has grown into a leading financial services institution with the nation’s most extensive retail banking network. Serving communities across all 50 states through thousands of branches and ATMs, the bank maintains a strong local presence nationwide.
Wells Fargo has made significant strides in operational modernisation and regulatory compliance while continuing to prioritise technological innovation, exceptional customer service, and robust risk management. Its focus on commercial banking and wealth management has further reinforced its competitive standing within the American financial sector.
6. Bank of China
Revenue: ¥768.2bn (US$107bn) – FY 2024
Employees: 310,000
CEO: Ge Haijiao
Founded : 1912
Bank of China, China’s oldest continuously operating bank and a key member of the nation’s ‘Big Four’ state-owned institutions, holds a strategic position at the intersection of domestic economic development and international financial integration.
The bank plays a pivotal role in supporting Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, offering essential cross-border financing and trade facilitation services across multiple continents.
Under the leadership of Chairman Ge Haijiao, Bank of China continues to pursue its dual mandate: strengthening China’s financial infrastructure while enabling Chinese enterprises to expand their global presence.
5. Bank of America
Revenue: US$171.0bn – FY 2024
Employees: 216,000
CEO: Brian Moynihan
Founded: 1904
Bank of America stands as one of the United States’ most influential retail banking institutions, blending extensive consumer accessibility with robust institutional capabilities.
Headquartered in Charlotte, the bank has established itself as a leader in digital banking, with its AI-powered assistant Erica and award-winning mobile platform setting industry benchmarks for customer engagement.
Through its combination of scale, technological innovation, and strategic purpose, Bank of America continues to shape modern American banking, serving individual clients, small- and medium-sized businesses, and large corporations alike.
4. China Construction Bank
Revenue: ¥607.8bn (US$104.1bn) – FY 2024
Employees: 347,000
CEO: Zhang Yi
Founded : 1954
China Construction Bank, originally founded to finance China’s large-scale infrastructure projects, has grown into a comprehensive financial services powerhouse, catering to diverse client needs across retail, corporate, and investment banking.
Headquartered in Beijing, the bank is at the forefront of Asia’s smart banking revolution, implementing advanced automation and digital platforms across its extensive branch network to serve hundreds of millions of customers.
China Construction Bank successfully balances its core expertise in infrastructure financing with strategic expansion into fintech partnerships, green finance initiatives, and digital innovation.
3. Agricultural Bank of China
Revenue: ¥580.6bn (US$98.7bn) – FY2024
Employees: 450,000 (2024)
CEO: Wang Zhiheng
Founded: 1951
Agricultural Bank of China holds a distinctive role in global banking, simultaneously serving China’s vast rural communities while operating as a sophisticated full-service financial institution in major urban centres.
Founded with the mission of supporting agricultural development, the bank continues to uphold this critical mandate even as it has expanded into mainstream commercial banking.
The bank’s 2024 performance demonstrated remarkable scale, issuing over 2 trillion yuan in new loans, with strategic industry lending surpassing 1.9 trillion yuan—a notable 54% increase from the start of the year.
2. JPMorgan Chase
Revenue: US$177.6bn – FY 2024
Employees: 293,000
CEO: Jamie Dimon
Founded : 1799
JPMorgan Chase consistently sets the standard for excellence in global banking, maintaining its status as the United States’ largest and most influential financial institution. In 2024, the bank achieved record-breaking results, generating US$58 billion in annual profits—the highest in American banking history—driven by robust investment banking activity and trading revenues.
Under the long-standing leadership of CEO Jamie Dimon, who has guided the institution for nearly two decades, JPMorgan continues to execute its strategic vision while preparing for leadership succession.
The bank’s competitive strengths are multi-dimensional, encompassing dominant investment banking capabilities, extensive consumer banking reach, sophisticated wealth management services, and industry-leading technology investments in AI and blockchain.
This comprehensive expertise across all business lines, combined with consistent operational excellence, positions JPMorgan as the benchmark against which other global banks measure themselves.
1. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Revenue: ¥881.6bn (US$113.6bn)
Employees: 434,000
CEO: Liao Lin
Founded : 1984
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) stands as the world’s largest bank, commanding nearly 49 trillion yuan in total assets and approximately 35 trillion yuan in customer deposits, both global records.
Since its founding in 1984 during China’s economic reform era, ICBC has evolved into an international banking powerhouse, with operations spanning 49 countries.
Despite challenging economic conditions, the bank delivered robust 2024 results, reporting operating revenue of 786.1 billion yuan while maintaining stable profitability.
Under the leadership of President Liao Lin, ICBC continues to execute a dual strategy: serving as the financial backbone for China’s industrial economy while driving innovation in digital banking through AI and mobile platforms.