OCBC has been recognised as the strongest bank in Singapore and Asia Pacific, and third globally, in the latest World’s 1,000 Strongest Banks ranking by The Asian Banker, extending a run of recognition that began with an inaugural global ranking just weeks earlier.
Key Takeaways
- OCBC has been named the strongest bank in Singapore and Asia Pacific, and third globally, in The Asian Banker’s 2026 World’s 1,000 Strongest Banks ranking.
- The recognition follows OCBC topping the inaugural Forbes and Statista World’s Top Performing Banks ranking in September 2026.
- OCBC’s share price is up 46.8% year-to-date as of 23 October 2026, making it the top performer on the Straits Times Index this year.
The accolade comes after OCBC took the top spot among global banks in the inaugural World’s Top Performing Banks ranking developed by Forbes and Statista in September 2026. This marks the first time a Singapore bank has finished among the top three in the world since The Asian Banker’s ranking was introduced in 2023. The bank is also the top performer on the Straits Times Index this year, with its share price up 46.8% year-to-date as of 23 October 2026.
Assessed Across Seven Dimensions
In compiling the ranking, The Asian Banker’s editorial team assessed the 1,000 largest banks worldwide across seven dimensions: sovereign risk, scale, balance-sheet growth, risk profile, profitability, asset quality and liquidity. The other two banks in the global top three were JPMorganChase and Saudi National Bank.
“Being named one of the world’s strongest banks, soon after being recognised as the ‘top performing bank’, reflects the resilience of the OCBC franchise. Such resilience is built on customer trust that endures over generations,” said OCBC Group CEO Tan Teck Long. “We will continue to build on this strong foundation to create lasting value for our customers, communities and shareholders.”
Diversified Earnings Cited as a Differentiator
“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,” said Christian Kapfer, Research Director of TABInsights, The Asian Banker’s research arm.
The Forbes World’s Top Performing Banks list ranks licensed deposit-taking banks with a core lending business and more than US$3 billion in assets, evaluated across profitability, growth and earnings quality, capital and funding resilience, and asset quality and efficiency – criteria that, taken together with The Asian Banker’s seven-dimension assessment, point to a bank whose performance has held up on more than one measure this year.
