Polish lenders continue to lead the way in The Banker’s 2019 rankings of the largest banks in central and eastern European (CEE) EU member states. Four of the top five institutions and five of the top 10 are Polish, reflecting the country’s position as the biggest market in the region. Poland accounts for 34.9% of overall assets in the ranking, nearly one-third of pre-tax profits and 18 of the top 100 banks.
PKO Bank Polski is the leading bank by Tier 1 capital in the region. Its hefty Tier 1 capital base of $9.3bn reported in 2017 was almost twice that of its nearest rival, compatriot Bank Pekao. Pekao is now state controlled, following the sale of UniCredit’s stake in the bank to a government-owned insurance company and the Polish Development Fund.
