World's Most Profitable Banks

The best and most profitable banks in the world are the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank Corporation, Santander Central Hispano, BBVA, HSBC, among others.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is the most profitable banks in the world based on 2008 earnings as per The Banker magazine, followed by China Construction Bank Corporation.

Based on International Financial Reporting Standards, ICBC's profit after tax for the first three quarters of 2010 was RMB 127.8 billion, up 27.1% from the same period of 2009. As of the end of September 2010, ICBC has established 194 overseas branches and subsidiaries in 27 countries and regions.

The Santander Group is the fourth largest bank in the world by profits and eighth by stock market capitalisation. In 2009, its net ordinary profits were more than EUR 8.9 billion, 1% more than the previous year. Santander is one of the most highly valued brands in the finance sector (third in the world according to the consultant Brand Finance).

BBVA is one of the most profitable international financial groups, and the third largest banking group in the euro area by market cap. In 2004 it completed the takeover of BBVA Bancomer, purchasing the remaining 40.6% of capital hitherto in the hands of minority interests. BBVA is also the first big European bank to list on the Mexican stock exchange.

HSBC is one of the world's strongest and most profitable independent banks. As of 2 April 2008, according to Forbes magazine, HSBC was the 4th largest bank in the world in terms of assets ($2,348.98 billion), the 2nd largest in terms of sales ($146.50 billion), the largest in terms of market value ($180.81 billion). It was also the most profitable bank in the world with $19.13 billion in net income in 2007.

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Author

Kelvin Wong Loke Yuen is an experienced writer with a strong background in finance, specializing in the creation of informative and engaging content on topics such as investment strategies, financial ratio analysis, and more. With years of experience in both financial writing and education, Kelvin is adept at translating complex financial concepts into clear, accessible language for a wide range of audiences. Follow him on: LinkedIn.

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