Best Banks in Norway

Here’s the list of 10 best banks in Norway.

Norway (officially the Kingdom of Norway) is an affluent and democratic nation in Northern Europe, situated mostly on the western coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula.

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Banking System in Norway

Regional Savings Banks and domestic commercial banks, as well as several foreign-controlled banks from Europe and many minor savings banks, dominate the Norwegian banking market. At the end of 2018, Norway’s banking sector included 122 banks as well as 12 branches and subsidiaries of international banks.

Consolidated banking assets were NOK 3,861.22 billion at the end of 2017, and bank returns on equity averaged 11.3 percent. The financial sector generates around 6% of Norway’s GDP and is a major supporter of the European financial sector. Norway has a high level of life in the globe, thanks to a vast quantity of natural resources in relation to its population size.

Norges Bank is Norway’s Central Bank, and it works to maintain the country’s economic stability. The Central Bank also implements monetary policy and works to improve the financial markets and payment system. The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway (FSA) is an independent government body in Norway that promotes financial stability and market functioning.

Norway’s economy is a combination of free market activity and significant governmental ownership in certain critical industries. Foreign bank branches contribute 19% of the retail market and 38% of the domestic corporate market. Because more and more individuals use financial services online, the number of banks branches has declined dramatically.

10 Best Banks in Norway

1. DNB Bank

DNB Bank is Norway’s largest bank by assets and one of the largest in the Nordic area by market capitalization. For retail and business customers, the bank provides a broad range of financial services such as advisory services, loans, savings, insurance, and pension products.

It is Norway’s largest internet bank, with over 1.3 million customers, as well as a significant investment bank. During 2018, the bank recorded a profit of NOK 24,282 million and a return on equity of 11.7 percent. It employs around 9,225 employees. DNB provides banking services in all of the country’s In-store Post and Post Offices. In 2017, the bank’s total assets were NOK 2,053.79 billion.

2. Bank Norwegian AS

Bank Norwegian AS was established in 2007 and provides conventional financial products that are simple to acquire and sell. A bank recorded a net profit of NOK 1,800.5 million in 2018, up from NOK 1,607.7 million in 2017. The return on equity was 30.5 percent, while the return on assets was 3.8 percent.

The bank has 1,507,600 customers at the end of the fourth quarter of 2018, and total assets surpassed NOK 50 million. Retail clients can obtain services from their banks such as installment loans, credit cards, and deposit accounts. It is a subsidiary of Norwegian Finans Holding ASA and one of the major banks in Norway.

3. Handelsbanken

Handelsbanken is one of Norway’s biggest banks, having been established in 1986. The bank provides services such as savings, mortgages, loans, credit and debit cards, asset management, insurance services, internet banking, and so on. The bank operates a comprehensive network of 49 locations throughout Norway, each with a qualified adviser ready to provide personal follow-up and guidance to customers. The bank employs about 800 individuals.

4. Storebrand Bank ASA

Storebrand, formed in 2006 and headquartered in Lysaker, Norway, is one of the major companies in the Nordic market for long-term savings and insurance. Bank handles around NOK 700 billion in assets, making it Norway’s largest asset manager.

In 2018, the group recorded a profit of NOK 3,158 million and a return on equity of 13.7 percent, up from 11.3 percent in 2017. The Group is structured into three divisions: savings, insurance, guaranteed pension, and others. In Norway and Sweden, Storebrand is a significant provider of pension and insurance goods.

5. Sparebank 1 SMN

Sparebank 1 SMN is a member of the Sparebank 1 Alliance and a regional independent bank with a local presence. The firm and its subsidiaries employ around 1,400 people, with its headquarters in Trondheim. It has 48 locations around the country and 223,000 retail consumers as well as 15,100 corporate clients.

During 2018, the bank recorded a profit of NOK 2,450 million before taxes and a return on equity of 12.2 percent. Retail clients, agriculture sector customers, clubs, associations, investment and operations finance, fixed income, and currency hedging, among other things, are served by the bank’s consulting services.

6. BN Bank ASA

BN Bank ASA is a retail and corporate bank headquartered in Trondheim, Norway. In Norway, the bank offers all of its services via the internet and telephone. Savings, long-term mortgage, high return and fixed deposit accounts, housing and vehicle loans are among services provided by the bank. In addition, the bank offers payment intermediation services.

The bank made a profit of NOK 278 million in 2018, up from NOK 298 million in 2017. BN Bank ASA is one of Norway’s six largest commercial banks, with assets of NOK 2,606,048 million in 2017. It does not provide sophisticated investment products.

7. Santander Consumer Bank AS

Santander Consumer Bank AS is a subsidiary of Banco Santander, one of the world’s major financial conglomerates. A bank’s headquarters are in Lysaker, and the bank’s total assets in the Nordic area are NOK 82 billion. In the Nordic area, the bank employs around or more than 650 individuals, with 350 of them based in Norway.

The bank provides services such as credit cards, auto and recreational finance, consumer loans, and savings products. The bank recorded a net income of NOK 3,139 million in 2018, up from NOK 3,055 million the previous year. Santander Consumer Bank AS is Norway’s second largest commercial bank.

8. Skandiabanken

Skandiabanken was founded in 2000 and has its headquarters in Bergen. It is one of Norway’s top internet banks. Deposit products, savings accounts, house loans, vehicle loans, credit cards, overdraft facilities, custody account loans, personal loans, mortgage loans, and other services are available from their banks.

Net income for the fourth quarter of 2018 was NOK 162.717 Million, compared to NOK 167.960 Million in the same time previous year. For the full year 2018, net income was NOK 697.339 Million, compared to NOK 634.367 Million a year earlier. Skandiabanken is well-known for providing excellent customer service.

9. Sparebanken Møre

It is one of the country’s biggest financial institutions, with 28 offices in 24 municipalities and a group with total assets of NOK 71 billion, headquartered in Romsdal. A bank’s main business areas are Banking and Finance, Leasing, and Real Estate.

During 2018, the bank recorded an operational profit of NOK 824 million, a profit after tax of NOK 605 million, and a profit per share equity of NOK 29.80. Sparebanken bank also provides deposits, various types of investment, asset management, financing, financial advising, currency and interest rate hedging, and other services.

10. YA Bank AS

YA Bank was created in 2006 in Oslo, Norway, and it offers simple and straightforward retail banking solutions. It is Norway’s 12th largest commercial bank. Deposits, house mortgages and borrowings, loans, credit cards, and refinancing are all services provided by their banks. Swedish Resurs Bank AB, which purchased the YA bank in 2015, owns the bank. As of March 2017, the bank’s total assets were NOK 6.037 million, and its operating income was NOK 268, 96 million.

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