Handelsbanken's decentralised business model is the foundation for the Bank's stability, high credit quality and long-term profitable growth.

"Our close, personal relationships and local presence are key elements of our successful efforts to maintain Handelsbanken's high credit quality and low risk tolerance," says Mårten Bjurman, CFO Handelsbanken.

Handelsbanken is the bank with the highest credit rating among all privately-owned peer banks, as well as the highest rating globally when looking at the combined assessments of the leading credit rating agencies: Fitch, Moody's, and S&P.

Handelsbanken's ranking in Global Finance's list of the world's safest banks represents further confirmation of the Bank's successful business model.

The ranking is the result of a thorough analysis of 500 banks around the globe. In first place was the Royal Bank of Canada. Handelsbanken was in fifth place worldwide - and thus continues to be the safest bank in Europe.

More information about the survey

Global Finance's "The World's 50 Safest Commercial Banks" is an annual ranking of the 50 safest commercial banks worldwide. The list does not include banks that are majority-owned by governments or regions. Read more about the survey here. 

For further information, please contact:
Handelsbanken Press Office, press@handelsbanken.se, +46 8 701 80 18

For more information about Handelsbanken, see: www.handelsbanken.com