OCBC is Asia-Pacific’s strongest bank and third globally: The Asian Banker

[SINGAPORE] OCBC has been ranked as the third-strongest bank globally and the strongest in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific.

Released on Tuesday (Oct 27), the TAB Global 1000 World’s Strongest Banks 2026 ranking placed DBS in 23rd place and UOB at 187th.

JPMorgan Chase and Saudi National Bank rounded out the top three in the ranking.

OCBC’s placing marks the first time a Singapore bank has finished among the top three in the world since the ranking by The Asian Banker (TAB) debuted in 2023.

The bank is also the top performer in the Straits Times Index this year, with its share price up by 46.8 per cent in the year to Oct 23.

Christian Kapfer, research director of TABInsights, said: “OCBC’s diversified earnings, sound asset quality and strong capital position distinguish it from many of its regional peers.

“Its ability to combine profitability with prudent balance sheet management has been an important factor in its financial strength.”

OCBC on Aug 7 reported a record second-quarter net profit of S$2.22 billion, up 22 per cent from the year before and above the S$1.91 billion consensus forecast in a Bloomberg survey of five analysts.

Tan Teck Long, group CEO of OCBC, said: “The criteria used to assess the strongest bank in the world are very comprehensive.”

SEE ALSO

OCBC to add ringgit to Singapore-based savings accounts from Oct 23

The ranking of the world’s strongest banks relied on a scorecard to evaluate banks and financial holding companies in seven dimensions of balance-sheet strength and financial performance: sovereign risk, scale, balance sheet growth, risk profile, profitability, asset quality and liquidity, incorporating 15 financial and sovereign factors.