Bank capital to total assets in South Africa
South Africa: Bank capital to total assets was 7.9% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Bank capital to total assets in South Africa, 1999–2020
Source: Financial Soundness Indicators Database (fsi.imf.org), International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, bank capital to total assets in South Africa stood at 7.9%.
That represents a change of down 7.3% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, bank capital to total assets in South Africa peaked at 9.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2008.
South Africa ranks 105th of 139 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Bank capital to total assets in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 8.2% | — |
| 2000 | 8.7% | +6.1% |
| 2001 | 9.0% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 9.3% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 8.0% | -14.0% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 7.9% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | -28.7% |
| 2009 | 6.7% | +17.5% |
| 2010 | 7.0% | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 7.2% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | +16.5% |
| 2017 | 8.8% | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 8.4% | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 8.5% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 7.9% | -7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 7.9% | 5.7% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.9% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More financial sector data for South Africa
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 10.08 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is bank capital to total assets in South Africa?
- Bank capital to total assets in South Africa was 7.9% in 2020, according to Financial Soundness Indicators Database (fsi.imf.org), International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest bank capital to total assets recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.3% in 2002.
- What is the lowest bank capital to total assets recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2008.
- How does South Africa rank for bank capital to total assets?
- South Africa ranks 105th out of 139 countries with data for 2020.
- Is bank capital to total assets rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Financial Soundness Indicators Database (fsi.imf.org), International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Bank capital to total assets (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of bank capital and reserves to total assets. Capital and reserves include funds contributed by owners, retained earnings, general and special reserves, provisions, and valuation adjustments. Capital includes tier 1 capital (paid-up shares and common stock), which is a common feature in all countries' banking systems, and total regulatory capital, which includes several specified types of subordinated debt instruments that need not be repaid if the funds are required to maintain minimum capital levels (these comprise tier 2 and tier 3 capital). Total assets include all nonfinancial and financial assets. Reported by IMF staff. Note that due to differences in national accounting, taxation, and supervisory regimes, these data are not strictly comparable across countries.