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:
Official namePurview Short-form name Year of inception Bank of EnglandUnited Kingdom BOE 1694 Federal ReserveUnited States The Fed 1913 Bank of JapanJapan BOJ 1882 European Central BankEuropean Union ECB 1998
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: Official name Short-form name Year of inception ANZ Bank ANZ 1835 Commonwealth Bank CommBank or CBA 1911 National Australia Bank NAB 1858 Westpac WBC 1817
Austria The "Big Four" banks of Austria are: Erste Group Bank Austria Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group BAWAG PSK (formerly Österreichische Postsparkasse) Belgium The big four banks of Belgium are a result of national and international mergers in the early 90s. KBC Group, 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 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):
Rank Bank Ownership Total assets (USD B) Year of incorporation 1 Itaú Unibanco Private bank 555.72 2008 (merger of Itaú and Unibanco; Itaú founded in 1945) 2 Banco do Brasil Public bank 447.72 1808 3 Banco Bradesco Private bank 394.76 1943 4 Caixa Econômica Federal Public bank 377.29 1861 5 Santander Brasil Private bank 237.66 1982
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".
Official name Short-form name Year of inception Royal Bank of Canada RBC 1864 Toronto-Dominion Bank TD 1955 Scotiabank BNS 1832 Bank of Montreal BMO 1817 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce CIBC 1961 National Bank of Canada NBC 1928
China
In the People's Republic of China, the "Big Four" banks (四大银行) are:
Official name Short-form name Chinese name Year of inception Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ICBC 中国工商银行 1984 Bank of China BOC 中国银行 1912 China Construction Bank CCB 中国建设银行 1954 Agricultural Bank of China ABC / AgBank 中国农业银行 1951
Colombia According to reports from 2025, only 4 banks surpass the 100 trillion Colombian peso gap, They account about 65% of all assets. Name Ownership Branches Total assets in COP billions(USD billions) Bancolombia Private bank 650 264 790 (73,38) Davivienda Private bank 663 224 497 (62,03) Banco de Bogotá Private bank 422 156 164 (43,15) BBVA Colombia Private bank 379 110 164 (30,50)
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)
Egypt
As of 2025 data, big five dominant banks are: Name Ownership Branches Total assets(USD billions) National Bank of Egypt Public bank 679 (156 89) National Bank of Egypt Banque Misr Public bank 820 (78) Commercial International BankPrivate bank214(23,4)Investors Relations, Financial Highlights Arab African Internatıonal Bank Joint-stock company 99 (18,2) Anual Report AAIB 2024 QNB Egypt Private bank 239 (17,9) Consolidated Financial Statements Together With Auditors’ Report For The Year Ended December 31, 2025
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:
Bank Assets (EUR billion) Year of incorporation BNP Paribas 2,594.14 2000 Crédit Agricole 2,476.43 1894 Société Générale 1,553.81 1864 BPCE Group 1,544.14 2009 Crédit Mutuel 1,142.19 1882 La Banque postale 738.15 2006
Germany Deutsche Bank DZ Bank KfW Commerzbank
Greece Alpha Bank Eurobank National Bank of Greece Piraeus Bank
Hong Kong
Bank Chinese name Year of incorporation HSBC (Hong Kong) 香港上海滙豐銀行 1865 Bank of China (Hong Kong) 中國銀行(香港) 2001 Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) 渣打銀行(香港) 1859 Hang Seng Bank 恒生銀行 1933
HSBC Hong Kong, 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 four largest banks by total assets, revenue, and market capitalization consist of 3 government-owned banks and 1 private bank. As of 2025, the four largest banks by market capitalization are:
Official name Short-form name Year of inception Bank Central Asia BCA 1957 Bank Rakyat Indonesia BRI 1895 Bank Mandiri BMRI 1998 Bank Negara Indonesia BNI 1946
BRI, Bank Mandiri, and BNI are all controlled by the central government as state-owned enterprises as a part of Danantara Indonesia.
Ireland In Ireland, the term "big four" applies to the four largest banks by market capitalisation. Bank of Ireland Allied Irish BanksRyan, Susan. AIB's First Trust refunds £350,000 to customers over fee error , Business ETC, 30 November 2011. Accessed 14 April 2014. Permanent TSB Ulster Bank – a wholly owned subsidiary of NatWest Group, which withdrew from the Republic of Ireland market in 2023.
Israel In Israel, the term "big five" is used instead of "big four". Bank Hebrew name Year of incorporation Bank Leumi בנק לאומי 1902 Bank Hapoalim בנק הפועלים 1921 Israel Discount Bank בנק דיסקונט לישראל 1935 Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot בנק מזרחי טפחות 1923Formed by the merger of Bank Mizrahi (established 1923) and Tefahot Bank (established 1980) First International Bank of Israel הבנק הבינלאומי 1970
Italy
According to S&P Global in 2024, the 'Big Five' major banking groups in Italy are:
Bank Assets (EUR billion) Year of incorporation Intesa Sanpaolo 965.13 2007Formed by the merger of Banca Intesa (1998) and Sanpaolo IMI (1998) UniCredit 789.24 1998 Banco BPM 202.13 2017Formed by the merger of Banco Popolare and Banca Popolare di Milano BPER Banca 142.13 1867 Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena 122.61 1472
Japan In Japan, the term "big three"Nakano, M., Financial Crisis and Bank Management in Japan (1997 to 2016) (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016), p. 128. is used instead of "big four". The related term city bank is also sometimes used for these banks. The "big three" are:
Financial group Bank Japanese name Year of incorporation Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group MUFG Bank 三菱UFJ銀行 2005 Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) 三井住友銀行 2002 Mizuho Financial Group Mizuho Bank みずほ銀行 2000
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:
Bank name Year of inception Maybank 1960 CIMB 2006 Public Bank 1966 RHB Bank 1997 Hong Leong Bank 1965
Mexico According to S&P Global in 2024, the "Big Four" banks in Mexico (which are within the 10 largest banks in Latin America):
Bank Total assets (USD B) Ownership Year of incorporation BBVA México 197.29 Private (Foreign-owned) 1932 Banorte 134.56 Private bank 1899 Santander México 108.40 Private (Foreign-owned) 1932 (as Banco Mexicano) / 1997 (became part of Santander) Banamex 93.92 Private bank 1884
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:
Official name Year of inception ING Group 1991 Rabobank 1898 ABN AMRO 1991 de Volksbank 1817
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.Gray, Jamie. NZ's big banks under pressure , The New Zealand Herald, 5 August 2011. 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