Bank deposits grow by Rs 558bn in one year

Commercial banks expanded their deposits by 10.28 percent to Rs 558bn over the past year. By mid-Jan 2025, 20 commercial banks in the country had total deposits of Rs 5,987bn compared to Rs  5,429bn in mid-Jan last year, data provided by the Nepal Bankers’ Association (NBA) shows. However, loan disbursement during the period grew by only 7.06 percent to Rs 317bn. Total loan investments of commercial banks reached Rs 4,815bn in mid-Jan this year, compared to Rs 4,498 a year ago.

Slow credit disbursement by commercial banks due to persisting economic slowdown has further aggravated liquidity situation, driving interest lowers and hitting their profitability. Loans demands have not picked up due to declining confidence among entrepreneurs and businesspeople. There, however, are some signs of recovery particularly from hydropower and tourism sectors, bankers say.

Four commercial banks saw their lending decline over the past year. NIC Asia Bank saw its total lending fall by the highest 13.72 percent Standard Chartered was next with a decline of 3.75 percent followed by Prabhu Bank (3.32 percent) and Himalayan Bank (1.03 percent). Except for NIC Asia Bank, all commercial banks reported deposit growth in the review period. According to the NBA, NIC Asia’s total deposits fell by 17.7 percent to Rs 313bn. Conversely, Rastriya Banijya Bank Ltd recorded the highest deposit growth among commercial banks in the country during the one-year period. The state-owned bank’s deposit increased by 32.58 percent to Rs 446bn in mid-January.

As at mid-Jan, Global IME Bank has the biggest credit portfolio of Rs 430bn among 20 commercial banks in the country. Nabil Bank and Nepal Investment Mega Bank Ltd are next with total lendings of Rs 409.11bn and Rs 355.42bn, respectively. These three banks also have the highest deposits of Rs 534.07bn, Rs 489.13bn and Rs 445.14bn, respectively. Commercial banks extended Rs 94bn in credit and mobilized Rs 51bn in deposits in the sixth month of the current fiscal year (mid-Dec to mid-Jan) alone.

Total Deposits of Commercial Banks