Kutxabank and Unicaja Confirmed as Spain’s Most Solvent Banks; CaixaBank and Bankinter at the Lower End
By EFE, Investing.com – December 4, 2025
In the latest financial transparency exercise conducted by the European Banking Authority (EBA), Kutxabank and Unicaja have once again emerged as the most solvent banks among Spanish financial institutions. Conversely, CaixaBank and Bankinter continue to exhibit the lowest capital adequacy ratios within the country’s top banks.
Overview of the EBA Transparency Exercise
This year, the EBA reviewed a total of 119 banks across 25 European countries, including ten institutions from Spain. The exercise assesses key metrics such as the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratios, which are crucial indicators of a bank’s financial strength and ability to withstand economic stress.
Spanish Banks Show Solid Improvements
Overall, nine out of the ten Spanish banks evaluated showed improvements in their CET1 ratios compared to the previous year. The sole exception was Banco Sabadell, whose CET1 ratio declined from 13.47% in 2024 to 13.06% as of June 30, 2025, slipping just below the national average of 13.18%.
Top Performers: Kutxabank and Unicaja
Kutxabank leads the Spanish banking sector with a CET1 ratio of 19.68% at mid-2025, enhancing its position from 18.27% the year before. This figure not only surpasses the Spanish average but also exceeds the European average CET1 ratio of 16.33%.
Close behind, Unicaja Banco secured second place among Spanish banks with a CET1 ratio of 15.98%, up from 15.2% in the previous year.
Ibercaja Banco has climbed to the third spot with a ratio of 14.26%, overtaking Banco Cooperativo, which registered a 14.09% CET1 ratio.
Banks such as BBVA (13.34%, up from 12.75%) and Abanca (13.22%, from 13.01%) also posted ratios above the national average, indicating a general increase in capital strength among these institutions.
Banks with Lowest Capital Ratios
At the other end of the spectrum, CaixaBank records the lowest CET1 ratio among the ten Spanish banks assessed, with a modest improvement to 12.25% from 12.22% last year. Bankinter follows closely with a ratio of 12.57%, increasing from 12.44%.
Santander’s CET1 ratio is slightly below the national average as well, standing at 12.98%, up from 12.48% previously.
Non-Performing Loans Higher than European Average
The transparency report also highlights the ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) among Spanish banks, which stands at 2.56% on average — notably higher than the European average of 1.84%.
Within Spain, Kutxabank (1.23%) and Ibercaja (1.52%) are the only institutions below the European NPL average, reflecting a lower risk profile. Meanwhile, Santander (2.89%) and BBVA (2.80%) report the highest proportions of non-performing loans, pointing to greater exposure to credit risk.
Summary
The EBA’s latest data confirm that Spanish banks are broadly strengthening their capital positions, with Kutxabank and Unicaja reinforcing their reputations as the most solvent banks nationally. Despite these advances, challenges remain, particularly for CaixaBank, Bankinter, and Banco Sabadell, which maintain capital ratios below the national average. Furthermore, Spain’s higher-than-average NPL ratio suggests continued vigilance is necessary to manage credit quality effectively.
As European banking regulations and market dynamics evolve, the ability of banks to maintain robust capital buffers will remain a critical focus for regulators, investors, and customers alike.
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