The largest banks in Guernsey according to assets includes the Royal Bank of Canada, ABN AMRO, and Bank J. Safra Sarasin Limited among others.
Guernsey is the second biggest of the Channel Islands and can be found in the Bay of St. Malo, some thirty miles from the coast of Normandy in France. Its capital, St. Peter Port, is located on the island.
Guernsey is one of the islands that make up the Bailiwick of Guernsey, along with Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, and a few other smaller islets. Guernsey is not a member of the European Union due to the fact that it is a dependent territory of the British Crown.
It is well-known for having a financial services industry that is secure and well-regulated as well as a workforce that is competent and inventive.
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Table of Contents
9 Largest Banks In Guernsey
1. Royal Bank of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited
Overview
The Royal Bank of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited was formed in 1973 and is now the most successful among the largest banks in Guernsey.
Its parent company, The Royal Bank of Canada, is a Canadian international financial services firm that also happens to be the biggest bank in Canada as measured by its market value. It is one of the best wealth management banks in Canada.
The bank has more than 89,000 staff located all over the globe and serves more than 17 million customers. It was established in 1864 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, although it now has both its corporate headquarters and its head office located in Toronto, Ontario.
Royal Bank of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited in Guernsey was under the authority of two different regulatory agencies:
- the Guernsey Financial Services Commission; and
- the Jersey Financial Services Commission.
Due to the fact that it was registered in accordance with the Banking Business (Jersey) Law, 1991 and the Banking Supervision (Guernsey) Law, 1994, this bank is authorized to take deposits.
Again, it serves in the investment industry since it is registered under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law, 1998 and the Protection of Investors (Guernsey) Law, 1987. Both of these laws were passed in Jersey and Guernsey in the 1980s and 1990s respectively.
Banking Products and Services
The Royal Bank of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited is an active participant in Guernsey’s deposit guarantee scheme.
This deposit guarantee system is applicable to all deposit accounts created by natural people, whether they are residents of Guernsey or not, and it protects deposits of up to 50,000 British Pounds (GBP) per bank and depositor.
Royal Bank of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited is a participant in the Guernsey Banking Deposit Compensation Scheme (DCS), as well as a member of the organization that contributes to it.
RBC Wealth Management in Guernsey provides clients with individualized solutions that take into account all facets of their financial lives by using its extensive local knowledge and international experience.
The company’s goal is to provide customers a one-of-a-kind and remarkable experience while at the same time providing the peace of mind that comes with knowing they are backed by a reliable, trustworthy, and well-established organization that has access to resources all around the world.
RBC Wealth Management offers a broad spectrum of financial services to its clients.
Some of these services include credit and financing, international private banking, discretionary investment management, trust and fiduciary services, fund administration, structured products, investment advisory, international tax consultancy, investment funds, and global custody.
2. ABN AMRO
Overview
One of the largest banks in Guernsey is ABN AMRO.
ABN AMRO was established in 1991, which is now thirty-one years in the past. Although its main office is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the company has a significant presence in Guernsey. This location employs around 22,048 people.
The Netherlands serves as the major market of ABN AMRO. Due to this, the bank is not only one of the largest banks in Guernsey, but also one of the largest banks for expats in the Netherlands.
ABN AMRO Bank is also active in a number of countries throughout the world.
Banking Products and Services
ABN AMRO Bank caters to customers in the retail, private, and corporate banking sectors.
Retail banking, wealth management, and fiduciary services were some of the offerings that ABN AMRO (Guernsey) Limited made available to private persons as well as institutions.
Butterfield Bank (Guernsey) Limited completed the acquisition of ABN AMRO (Guernsey) Limited in the month of September 2019.
Retail banking, wealth management, fiduciary services, and international banking are some of the sectors that ABN AMRO (Guernsey) Limited caters to with its assortment of goods and services.
Private people as well as organisations are able to take use of the solutions provided by ABN AMRO (Guernsey) Limited.
Bank Assets
The overall assets that ABN AMRO purchased in 2015 were worth €390.317 billion, while the total assets that were managed by the company in 2014 were worth €183.7 billion
The profit for the year 2015 was reported to be €1.924 billion. In the same year, the operational income was in the amount of €8.455 billion.
3. Bank J. Safra Sarasin Limited (Guernsey)
Overview
The Bank J. Safra Sarasin Limited is one of the largest banks in Guernsey that operates a branch.
It is a firm that is owned in private hands. Joseph Safra has been leading the whole company in his role as chairman.
Although this bank’s headquarters are located in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the majority of its customers are located on the island of Guernsey.
The Bank J. Safra Sarasin Ltd Guernsey Branch was formed in 2011 and provides a discretionary investment management service in partnership with Sarasin & Partners LLP, located in London. Additionally, the Branch is able to accept deposits brought in from other financial institutions.
The Guernsey Financial Services Commission has granted authorization to the Branch and is responsible for its regulation in accordance with the Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2020, as amended, and the Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2020, as amended.
The Safra Group is a well-known and respected brand in the industry of worldwide private banking, and the J. Safra Sarasin Group is a subsidiary of the Safra Group, which is controlled by the Safra family.
The Safra Group is comprised of several businesses, each of which is established on solid financial groundwork.
Stability and a consistent long-term strategy are provided to both the Group and its customers by the family ownership of the company.
Since 1992, the Bank has maintained a presence on the island of Guernsey, and in 2011, Bank J. Safra Sarasin Ltd. opened a branch in the island.
Deposits from customers of other financial institutions and clients from institutions are accepted at this location. Additionally, in partnership with Sarasin & Partners LLP, London, the Branch provides a service for discretionary investment management.
This bank is home to over 30,000 workers. This financial institution provides assistance to consumers in a variety of nations, including Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the United States of America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Bank Products and Services
Bank J. Safra Sarasin Limited (Guernsey) provides customized solutions that are tailored to the specific financial circumstances of each individual client.
They are able to function as an investment adviser or asset manager for private customers since they provide a comprehensive variety of services and have substantial industry experience.
The company’s services are backed up by the extensive expertise of its personnel, the meticulousness of its procedures, the conscientiousness of its controls, and the discretion of its workers.
They address each unique circumstance with a systematic approach, which ensures that the quality of the services they provide is constant and reproducible.
Your money may be effectively preserved and expanded upon by using the tailored money Management services offered by Bank J. Safra Sarasin, which provide the right basis.
The market experience and know-how of their employees, as expressed in their market perspectives, is critical to the development and maintenance of their wealth.
Additionally, Bank J. Safra Sarasin is a pioneer in the area of sustainability and operates as a worldwide asset manager. They see investing in a sustainable manner as not just a fantastic opportunity but also the morally responsible thing to do.
Bank J. Safra Sarasin also provides its corporate customers with a comprehensive selection of corporate banking services. These services include lending, financial market hedging, debt capital markets issuances, and asset management solutions.
Bank J. Safra Sarasin is responsible for executing orders in stocks, derivatives, currencies, and precious metals on behalf of its private and institutional customers.
Naturally, in order to provide their services in a compliant manner, they adhere to the MiFID rules and the “best execution” principles.
The bank is able to provide its customers with the experience and knowledge that their traders all around the world, including Asia, Europe, and America, have gained over the course of many years.
4. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. (Guernsey)
Overview
The Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. (Guernsey) is one of the largest banks in Guernsey. The bank is a member of the Julius Baer Group.
Bank Julius Baer Guernsey Limited was established in 1994 as a subsidiary of Julius Baer Holdings. It began operations in 1995 by acquiring the local banking license and a portion of the business of Aitken Hume Bank (Guernsey) Limited, which was itself a subsidiary of Aitken Hume International, London.
Bank Julius Baer Guernsey Limited is headquartered in Guernsey. Bank Julius Baer Guernsey Ltd. was elevated to the rank of full branch on November 1, 1999, at which time it changed its name to Bank Julius Baer & Co Ltd Guernsey Branch.
As a result of the relocation of business from the London office, the Guernsey Branch was given additional responsibilities for asset and liability management.
Banking Products and Services
In Guernsey, Julius Baer has more than 120 employees and provides a wide variety of financial services.
These services include discretionary portfolio management and investment advice services, both of which are delivered directly by competent teams who are already in place on the island.
Credit services include the provision of Lombard lending as well as mortgages for buy-to-let properties in the UK and non-residents.
In addition, there is a specialized staff that caters to the requirements of External Asset Managers, and the Branch maintains tight ties with the rest of the Julius Baer Group by delivering administrative and support services from its booking center.
Bank Assets
The entire value of Julius Baer’s assets was CHF 72.522 billion in the year 2013. In the same year, the profit was reported to be CHF 188 million.
The revenue for the same year was absolutely astonishing, coming in at CHF 2.195 billion.
5. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (Guernsey)
Overview
The Banque Cantonale Vaudoise is a Swiss cantonal bank having a branch on the island of Guernsey. In the year 1845, around 177 years ago, it first opened for operation.
The Banque Cantonale Vaudoise Guernsey Branch is authorized to accept deposits in accordance with Section 6 of the The Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, which was passed in 2020.
The firm has made its name in the industry by specializing in the distribution of structured goods to members of the BCV group.
They have a focused business approach and continuously outstanding performance, which has resulted in a robust balance sheet and an AA rating from Standard & Poor’s, despite the fact that they do not have the support of a government guarantee.
They are the top bank in Vaud for both retail and commercial clients. Their role as the cantonal bank for Vaud requires them to place a strong emphasis on environmental responsibility and ethical business practices.
As the local bank for the canton of Vaud, the corporation sees its primary role as contributing to the growth of the economy in all of its subsectors.
They take great satisfaction in the fact that their efforts have improved the overall quality of life in the Canton, and as a result, they have become the bank in Vaud that is recommended the most.
As of the year 2014, this banking institution maintained 74 locations across Switzerland. According to the report for the year 2018, the Banque cantonale vaudoise has a total workforce of 1,896 people.
Banking Products and Services
The Asset Management and Occupational Pension division of BCV (Guernsey) have a combined total of 120 experts available to assist you.
They collaborate with 75 professionals in the trading room, who are organized according to their respective areas of expertise, which are as follows: foreign exchange, stocks, bonds, and structured products.
Other than asset management, BCV (Guernsey) also offers corporate banking, personal banking, and private banking services.
Bank Assets
According to financial statements from 2018, the total assets held by Banque Cantonale Vaudoise amounted to CHF 47.8 billion. This financial institution is one of the 24 banks in Switzerland that provides services to the country’s 26 cantons.
6. Barclays Bank PLC (Guernsey)
Overview
Barclays Bank PLC was one of the world’s oldest banks when it was founded in 1695. It was established on November 16th, 1690, making its age over 333 years old. Its main office may be found in London, which is located in the United Kingdom.
On the other hand, it does operate a location in Guernsey. According to the most recent data, which was completed in 2016, around 129,400 people are employed here.
The strategy of the corporation is centered on providing good returns by exploiting their position as a universal bank in the United Kingdom.
They have the scope and variety to service consumers and clients across the widest spectrum of financial demands anywhere in the globe, thanks to their long and illustrious history in the UK and the deep roots they’ve established there.
The company’s activities span the globe and include retail banking and payment processing for customers, in addition to a premier, full-service, multinational corporate and investment bank.
These corporations are backed by their service firm, which supplies the whole group with technological, operational, and functional services.
Barclays Bank PLC, Guernsey Branch has its main office in St Julian’s Court, St Julian’s Avenue, St Peter Port, Guernsey.
Under the Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 1994, as amended, and the Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 1987, as amended, the Guernsey Financial Services Commission has granted the branch a license to operate.
Banking Products and Services
In addition to this, it offers services in the areas of commercial banking, investment banking, retail banking, and wealth management.
Bank Assets
In 2016, the total assets amounted to 1,213 trillion British pounds. In addition, during the same year, the company’s sales was 21.451 billion pounds, and its operating income was 3.230 billion pounds.
7. Butterfield Bank (Guernsey) Limited
Overview
This financial institution is formally known as “The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited.” It was in the year 1858 that this bank in Bermuda first opened its doors to customers.
The city of Hamilton in Bermuda is home to the organization’s headquarters. But in addition to that, it also has a location in Guernsey.
Aside from serving the territory of Bermuda, it also provides services to the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. It is traded on the Bermuda Stock Exchange, abbreviated as BSX.
Banking Products and Services
In the Channel Islands, Butterfield is commemorating the passage of half a century. The bank is able to provide individualized financial and fiduciary services to its customers.
Butterfield prioritizes personal connections above everything else, a value that stems directly from the company’s origins on a tiny island.
They have made it their duty to preserve and expand the wealth of their customers. The pleasant on-island staff at the bank has the local experience as well as the worldwide coverage necessary to provide its customers with the guidance, products, and services they need to achieve their monetary objectives.
Both ordinary customers and financial intermediaries may take use of Butterfield’s customized banking services. They provide mortgages that are tailored to the local area.
Additionally, Butterfield provides its customers with savings accounts that come with the advantage of competitive interest rates and the freedom they need to achieve their monetary objectives.
In addition to this, they provide custody services, investment funds, and discretionary asset management.
The bank makes an effort to get an in-depth understanding of the investing requirements and goals of its customers.
Butterfield provides its clients with access to a diverse selection of structures and solutions that may be used to develop, protect, and transfer assets.
8. Credit Suisse AG (Guernsey)
Overview
The strategy of Credit Suisse Group places an emphasis not only on enhancing and streamlining the integrated model as well as investing in environmentally responsible expansion, but also on putting risk management at the very center of the bank itself.
Credit Suisse, which operates on a worldwide scale and is structured regionally, is improving inter-divisional cooperation inside the bank in order to foster environmentally responsible expansion and maximize financial gain.
The Guernsey branch of Credit Suisse AG is a subsidiary of Credit Suisse AG that provides financial services to clients located in Guernsey.
1986 was the year it began operations. St. Peter Port in Guernsey, which is part of the Channel Islands, is home to the Credit Suisse AG, Guernsey Branch.
Banking Products and Services
General banking, private banking, and internet banking are the three primary types of services that it offers to customers. Additionally, Credit Suisse AG’s Guernsey Branch is regarded as a debt issuance instrument for Credit Suisse AG as a whole.
The Wealth Management, Investment Bank, Swiss Bank, and Asset Management departments are the channels through which the bank provides services to their customers.
Credit Suisse remains at the forefront of guiding both the bank and its customers towards a more sustainable future.
The bank will expand on its supply of sustainable investment solutions to customers via the sale of its ESG products and will form partnerships with corporate customers in order to fund the latter’s transition to a more sustainable business model.
9. Portman (Channel Islands) Ltd.
Overview
A supplier of offshore deposit-taking services, Portman (Channel Islands) Ltd is located in the Channel Islands.
In addition to providing international reserves, international access, fixed interest bonds, and offshore access as part of its offshore deposit-taking services, this organization also provides corporate tracker accounts and makes it possible for residents of the Channel Islands and the United Kingdom to get mortgages and savings facilities.
The Portman Building Society owns Portman (Channel Islands) Ltd. Prior to that time, this financial institution was a branch of the Scarborough Building Society.
Banking Products and Services
It focuses mostly on providing mortgage banking and savings banking as its services. Customers in Guernsey and the Channel Islands may benefit from this product or service even if it services a significant portion of the United Kingdom.
Bank Assets
According to the most recent report that we obtained in 2016, the total assets that this bank had acquired amounted to 2,374.9 billion, and it recorded a total revenue in the same year that was $59,836 million.
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