SBP designates UBL, HBL, NBP as D-SIBs for 2026

Mettis Global reported that the State Bank of Pakistan has named United Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited and National Bank of Pakistan as Domestic Systemically Important Banks for 2026. The three lenders must now hold extra capital buffers under the central bank's D-SIB framework. The announcement was made on August 21, 2026.

The designation falls under a framework introduced in April 2018 and revised in December 2022, which the central bank says follows international standards while taking local financial conditions into account. Each year the SBP shortlists sample banks on quantitative and qualitative criteria, then picks D-SIBs using composite scores that weigh size, interconnectedness, substitutability and complexity. The selection is based on the lenders' accounts as at December 31, 2025.

Additional Common Equity Tier-1 requirements apply from March 31, 2027, on top of enhanced supervisory requirements. United Bank Limited carries the largest add-on at 2.5%, followed by Habib Bank Limited at 1.5% and National Bank of Pakistan at 1.0%. Branches of G-SIBs operating in Pakistan must also set aside extra CET-1 capital, measured against their domestic risk-weighted assets, at rates the Financial Stability Board sets for their parent G-SIBs.