The Global Banker — Banking Industry News &amp; Intelligence

Warba Bank closes KD 80 million perpetual AT1 sukuk at 5.50% profit rate

VersaBank receives final approval for reorganisation, targeting completion on 13 November

GTCO nine-month profit falls 12.16% to N614.57 billion as interest costs rise

Six big Chinese state-owned banks lift interim payout ratio to 31% for first time

Cathay United Bank plans stablecoin cross-border collection service with domestic VASP partners

German banks tighten corporate credit standards again, with net share at +6%

Fitch upgrades Bank of China's viability rating to 'bbb+' and affirms 'A' rating

HSBC lifts third-quarter pre-tax profit 32% to $9.6 billion and announces $1 billion buyback

Shinhan Bank reports 8.6% rise in third-quarter operating profit to 1.59 trillion won

RBI injects funds as tighter liquidity lifts weekly average call rate to 5.70%

Kenya's competition authority clears Credinvest takeover of 100% of Rafiki Microfinance Bank

National Bank of Ethiopia offers $140 million in FX auction on 27 October

California Bank & Trust names Michael MacDonald president as it targets wider state presence

SBP raises policy rate by 50 basis points to 12% on energy and inflation risks

Societe Generale faces 2.37% Pillar 2 requirement from 1 January 2027

Euro area banks tighten corporate lending standards by a net 7% in second quarter

Chile's monetary policy group recommends holding rate at 4.5% as Brent hits $116

Reserve Bank of New Zealand proposes six capital rule changes, including lower credit card risk weights

Brazil's central bank sets new rules for credit offers within Pix from July 2027

ESG

EIB Group launches adaptation plan targeting at least €30 billion by 2030

Warba Bank closes KD 80 million perpetual AT1 sukuk at 5.50% profit rate

Warba Bank has completed the closing and settlement of a KD 80 million perpetual Additional Tier 1 sukuk, which is unlisted and has a first reset date of 27 October 2031.

VersaBank receives final approval for reorganisation, targeting completion on 13 November

VersaBank has received the Federal Reserve approval that completes its regulatory requirements for the reorganisation, and is targeting 13 November 2026 for completion after a minimum 15-calendar day waiting period.

GTCO nine-month profit falls 12.16% to N614.57 billion as interest costs rise

GTCO's profit after tax for the first nine months of 2026 fell to N614.57 billion from N699.64 billion, as interest expenses rose 27.7% and net interest income slipped.

Six big Chinese state-owned banks lift interim payout ratio to 31% for first time

The six large state-owned banks plan cash dividends of about CNY 220.989 billion, a new historical high, after interim payout ratios long held at 30% moved collectively higher.

California Bank & Trust names Michael MacDonald president as it targets wider state presence

California Bank & Trust has appointed Michael MacDonald as president, and he will keep leading Zions Capital Markets while reporting to CEO Eric Ellingsen.

Wells Fargo names Kleber Santos sole head of consumer arm, Van Beurden to lead AI

Kleber Santos becomes sole CEO of Consumer Banking and Lending as Saul Van Beurden, his co-CEO since the unit's formation in 2025, turns exclusively to leading AI across Wells Fargo.

23 October 2026

BPI names Maria Cristina “Ginbee” Go chief executive from 26 April 2027

Maria Cristina “Ginbee” Go will become the first female president and CEO of the Philippines' oldest bank on 26 April 2027, succeeding Jose Teodoro “TG” Limcaoco, who stays on the board.

BMO appointed Tim Cox to lead United States banking operations

BMO appointed Tim Cox as United States country head and chief executive of its US subsidiaries from 1 November, while Darrel Hackett moves to an advisory role.

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Q4 2026: Record profits, on a tightrope

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Kenya's competition authority clears Credinvest takeover of 100% of Rafiki Microfinance Bank

The Competition Authority of Kenya has approved Credinvest International Corporate Finance Limited's acquisition of 100% of Rafiki Microfinance Bank Limited, though the notice did not disclose the financial value of the transaction.

Shiga Bank and Senshu Ikeda enter final merger talks to create top Kansai regional lender

The two banks are in the final stages of talks on a tie-up that would overtake Kyoto Financial Group by assets, though both say nothing concrete has been decided.

24 October 2026

RHB Bank wins extension to February 2027 for Tokio Marine insurance deal talks

RHB Bank now has until 11 February 2027 to negotiate with Tokio Marine Asia over the proposed disposal of up to 100% of RHB Insurance, after Bank Negara Malaysia approved an extension.

LSEG agreed $3.535 billion Octus acquisition to expand global credit data

LSEG agreed to buy New York-based Octus for $3.535 billion in cash, adding private-credit intelligence, data and workflows to its global platform, subject to regulatory approval.

Cathay United Bank plans stablecoin cross-border collection service with domestic VASP partners

Cathay United Bank will let corporate clients collect stablecoin payments through its online banking, with partner VASPs handling the exchange, and will start with business-to-business collection scenarios.

HSBC launches AI-enabled HSBCnio platform for corporate and institutional clients

HSBC's HSBCnio platform lets clients' own AI tools read authorised account and transaction data through its Model Context Protocol, and an "Ask HSBC" feature is planned.

SoFi launches SOFIE deposit token paying 4.40% APY to consumers

SoFi Technologies launches SoFi Earn (SOFIE), a tokenized deposit paying 4.40% APY with each token representing $1 held at SoFi Bank, rolling out to SoFi Crypto members through November.

Danske Bank lets business customers connect AI agents to its Premium APIs

Danske Bank is linking customers' AI assistants directly to its Premium APIs through a Model Context Protocol server, so they can check balances and build cash-flow forecasts with simple prompts.

Societe Generale faces 2.37% Pillar 2 requirement from 1 January 2027

The ECB has set Societe Generale's Pillar 2 Requirement at 2.37%, including at least 1.39% in CET1, from 1 January 2027, against 2.36% for 2026.

Reserve Bank of New Zealand proposes six capital rule changes, including lower credit card risk weights

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is consulting on six changes to how lenders assess regulatory capital, aiming to align requirements with lending risks, with submissions closing at 5pm on 1 December 2026.

Brazil's central bank sets new rules for credit offers within Pix from July 2027

The rules, set out in a resolution due to take effect on 1 July 2027, aim to reinforce institutions' responsibilities in offering and granting credit and to give Pix users greater protection and transparency.

Fed to propose higher supervisory category thresholds by year-end, Bowman says

The Federal Reserve will propose by year-end to let more banks stay in the lowest level of regulatory scrutiny, with Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman suggesting thresholds track GDP growth since 2019.