Credit ratings of banks in New Zealand

Under section 80 of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989, the Reserve Bank requires registered banks to obtain and maintain a current credit rating applicable to their long-term senior unsecured obligations payable in New Zealand, in New Zealand dollars. Registered banks must publish their credit rating in quarterly disclosure statements.

A credit rating is an independent opinion on the capability and willingness of a financial institution to repay its debts. It provides a simple summary measure of relative risk that is relatively easy to understand. The availability of a rating allows depositors, and other creditors, to assess the relative riskiness of individual banks and to make informed investment decisions. A credit rating requirement is also likely to enhance incentives for banks to operate their business prudently in order to avoid a rating downgrade.

See Explaining Credit Ratings (PDF 71KB) for an explanation of how credit ratings work, and what they can and cannot do.

Registered banks' credit ratings

The ratings in the table below are as disclosed in banks’ quarterly disclosure statements. The table was last updated on 16 April 2013.

The Reserve Bank has made reasonable efforts to ensure that a rating recorded on this page is the most up-to-date rating applicable to the bank concerned. However, the Reserve Bank cannot guarantee that a rating will be the most up-to-date in all circumstances.

Total number of registered banks = 22

List of registered banks in New Zealand including their date of registration and links to the banks' websites.