Includes special features of this country’s banking system and rules/laws that might impact U.S. business.
Last Published: 12/10/2019

Israel has a modern and sophisticated banking system. There are five major domestic commercial banks in Israel, with a number of smaller banks, some of which are subsidiaries of the larger banks. The two largest banks, with similar asset size are Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi, followed by Israel Discount Bank, Mizrahi Tefahot Bank and First International Bank of Israel, respectively.

There are currently five foreign banks with commercial activities in Israel: Citibank NA, HSBC Bank plc., Barclays Bank plc., BNP Paribas Israel and State Bank of India. In addition, there are several foreign banks with representation in Israel: Bank Julius Baer & Co., Bank Lombard Odier & Co., Banque Pictet & Cia SA, BNP Paribas Israel, CBH Compagnie Bancaire Helvetique S.A., Dreyfus Sons & Co., Hyposwiss Private Bank Geneve SA, JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A., Silicon Valley Bank, and Union Bancaire Privee. 

According to Bank of Israel’s annual survey, Israel’s banking system has continued to maintain its stability and resilience, as well as a high level of liquidity. The banks accumulated profits from business activity and have adopted policies to attain capital levels that are appropriate to their risk profiles. The results of stress tests carried out by the Banking Supervision Department this year support the assessment that the banking system is stable.

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