Nabil Bank vs Global IME Who Leads Nepal’s Private Banking?

Nepal’s private banking sector is largely dominated by two heavyweights—Nabil Bank Limited and Global IME Bank Limited. Both institutions play a defining role in shaping the country’s financial landscape, yet their strengths differ, creating a healthy rivalry that investors and depositors closely monitor.

Capital & Solvency:
Global IME leads in raw capital strength with a Total Capital Fund of Rs. 68,182 million compared to Nabil Bank’s Rs. 64,000 million. Its Core Capital is also higher at Rs. 56,040 million versus Nabil’s Rs. 51,029 million. This indicates Global IME has a larger capital buffer, enhancing its ability to absorb shocks and expand aggressively. However, Nabil maintains a solid solvency position with a CAR of 11.94%, while Global IME stands slightly stronger at 12.97%.

Deposits & Lending:
In customer deposits, Global IME again leads with Rs. 575,052 million compared to Nabil’s Rs. 532,234 million, reflecting its wider reach and ability to mobilize resources. On the lending side, Global IME also dominates with a loan book of Rs. 440,622 million, versus Nabil’s Rs. 433,680 million. Despite similar lending levels, Nabil shows a more efficient CD ratio (82.48%), higher than Global IME’s 76.06%, suggesting stronger credit deployment.

Profitability & Rates:
Nabil operates with a base rate of 9.52%, slightly lower than Global IME’s 10.66%, making Nabil more attractive to borrowers. However, Global IME earns better spreads at 3.63% versus Nabil’s 3.57%, signaling stronger margins. This shows that Nabil is prioritizing competitive lending, while Global IME balances profitability and growth.

Prescribed Sector Lending:
Nabil has allocated 31.65% of its portfolio to productive sectors, while Global IME maintains 29.03%, slightly lower. This reflects Nabil’s stronger alignment with NRB mandates, especially in agriculture and SME finance, positioning it as a bank that balances profitability with compliance.

Liquidity & Risk:
Nabil’s net liquidity ratio of 27.31% is weaker than Global IME’s 37.75%, indicating Global IME is more liquid and better cushioned in the short term. But when it comes to risk, both banks have manageable NPL levels—Nabil at 0.95% net NPL and Global IME at 1.23%, with Nabil showing slightly stronger asset quality.