Caixa Geral de Depósitos has been named the highest-ranked Portuguese bank in the TOP 1000 World Banks 2026 ranking published by The Banker, the Financial Times Group magazine.

The bank climbed two places compared to last year, reaching 183rd position worldwide and remaining the only Portuguese bank to feature among the publication’s top 200 financial institutions, according to Executive Digest.

Recognition across multiple categories

In addition to its global ranking, Caixa received a series of awards from The Banker recognising its performance in Portugal for the first time.

The bank was recognised for best overall performance, profitability, operational efficiency, risk-adjusted return, financial strength, leverage and Tier 1 capital.

According to the publication, the distinctions reflect the institution’s strong financial results and capital position during the opening months of the year.

Strong financial results

The latest ranking reflects the bank’s financial performance during the first quarter of 2026, where Caixa reported a consolidated net profit of 397 million euros and shareholders’ equity of 12.2 billion euros.

The bank maintained CET1 and Total Capital ratios of 21.2 percent, even after accounting for the deduction of the 1.25 billion euros dividend related to the 2025 financial year. According to Caixa, this represents the largest dividend ever distributed by a Portuguese bank.

Commercial activity also expanded during the period. Business volume in Portugal increased by around 3 billion euros, supported by growth in lending and customer deposits.

The loan portfolio increased by 1.7 billion euros, while customer resources grew by 1.1 billion euros.

Growth in lending and digital banking

Corporate and institutional lending rose by 852 million euros during the quarter, while new investment loans reached 2.2 billion euros.

Housing lending exceeded 1.6 billion euros, representing a 41 percent increase compared with the same period a year earlier.

Caixa said it continues to lead Portugal’s banking sector, holding a market share of 22.9 percent in total deposits and 18.3 percent in total credit.

In the retail market, the bank accounts for 30.9 percent of deposits and 24.2 percent of housing loans.

The institution also highlighted continued growth in its digital services, with more than 2.5 million active digital customers, alongside improvements in asset quality and a reduction in exposure to non-strategic assets.\