Business · Companies · 4 hrs ago
Chinese banks take the top four places in global asset ranking
A ranking based on 2025 year-end financial figures places China’s four biggest banks first through fourth among the world’s largest banks by assets.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China leads with $7.65 trillion, followed by Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Bank of China.
JPMorgan Chase is fifth with $4.42 trillion in assets, making it the largest US bank in the ranking.
The four Chinese banks hold $26.62 trillion in assets combined, compared with about $14.41 trillion for the five listed US banks.
This reflects differences in how the countries’ financial systems work: Chinese companies rely heavily on bank lending, while US businesses also raise substantial financing through bond and capital markets.
Assets measure balance-sheet size, including loans, investments and cash, not a bank’s profits or market value.
The ranking is based on research dated April 2026, and it does not say what will happen next.
Chinese banks took the top four places in a global ranking by total assets, based on 2025 year-end financial data.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ranked first with $7.65 trillion in assets.
Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Bank of China ranked second, third and fourth.
JPMorgan Chase was the highest-ranked US bank, placing fifth with $4.42 trillion in assets.
The ranking measures total assets, not profitability or market value.
- Who
- Chinese banks took the top four places. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ranked first.
- What
- A ranking of the world's largest banks by total assets placed four Chinese banks at the top.
- When
- The ranking used 2025 year-end financial data. The article was published on October 17, 2026.
- Where
- The ranking covers banks worldwide.
- Why
- The ranking was based on total assets, including loans, investments, cash and other balance-sheet items.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The ranking used banks' year-end financial data.
S&P Global Market Intelligence research formed the basis for the ranking.
Ekonomim published its report on the ranking.
- Top-ranked bank
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)
- ICBC assets
- $7.65 trillion
- Second place
- Agricultural Bank of China, with $6.97 trillion in assets
- Third place
- China Construction Bank, with $6.52 trillion in assets
- Fourth place
- Bank of China, with $5.48 trillion in assets
- Highest-ranked US bank
- JPMorgan Chase, fifth with $4.42 trillion in assets