RBS dropped from list of important global banks

Royal Bank of Scotland has been dropped from a list of the world's most important banks, signifying the lender will no longer be required to hold extra capital in case it fails.
The Financial Stability Board has removed RBS from its list of global systemically important banks. Picture: PAThe Financial Stability Board has removed RBS from its list of global systemically important banks. Picture: PA
The Financial Stability Board has removed RBS from its list of global systemically important banks. Picture: PA

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) removed the state-owned bank from its list of global systemically important banks (G-SIBs) which it started publishing following the 2008 financial crisis.

Institutions included on the list have to ensure they hold enough capital to cover possible losses in order to avoid being saved by the state.

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A decade ago, RBS was rescued from collapse by the British government with a £45.5 billion bailout. The state currently owns 62 per cent of the bank, having recently reduced its stake from 70 per cent.

RBS said: “We note this decision by the FSB which reflects our progress in building a much simpler, safer UK-focused bank.”

The FSB also removed Danish bank Nordea from its ranking, while France’s Groupe BPCE was added.

US-based investment bank JP Morgan Chase topped the list and remained the world’s most important bank.

RBS last month paid out its first dividend in ten years after reaching a long-awaited $4.9bn (£3.7bn) settlement with US regulators over claims that it mis-sold mortgages in the run-up to the financial crisis.

It was considered the largest of a string of legacy issues that the bank is starting to put to rest since its bailout.