Borrow
Banking’s big 4 set to become the big 5
The tying up of regional institutions could see the big four of the Australian banking scene become the “big five” within the next 10 years, a law firm has predicted.
Banking’s big 4 set to become the big 5
The tying up of regional institutions could see the big four of the Australian banking scene become the “big five” within the next 10 years, a law firm has predicted.
A new report from multinational law firm MinterEllison that looked at the mergers and acquisition outlook for Australia’s financial services “towards 2030” has envisaged a number of changes to occur in the short term, most notably the idea that a fifth major bank will emerge.
A merger of regional banks servicing different geographic areas would provide greater scale and geographical scope, it said.
The additional acquisitions of smaller banks or mutual or credit unions would then address additional servicing gaps.
The report conceded such a process as being similar to what Australia’s current big four have undertaken “over at least the past 35 years”.
The report also noted that the next 10 years will likely see foreign banks looking to increase their presence in Australia despite the domestic sector continuing to experience significant problems and devaluation.
In particular, it identified Japanese and Chinese institutions among others having a “significant savings surplus and limited domestic or existing long-term growth opportunities” as potentially identifying Australia as an attractive market.
RELATED ARTICLES
About the author
About the author
Banking
PayPal Open Debuts in Australia: A Unified Platform for Business Growth
Sydney, 14 October 2025 – In a significant move to bolster commerce capabilities for businesses across Australia, PayPal has officially launched its new merchant platform, PayPal OpenRead more
Banking
RBA holds interest rates steady at 3.6% amid strong labour market and inflation concerns
In a widely anticipated move, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced that it would maintain the cash rate at 3.6%. The decision was unanimous, reflecting a cautious approach as the central bank ...Read more
Banking
Hardship is the new conduct frontier: A bank’s playbook for turning ASIC scrutiny into ROI
ASIC has put financial hardship on its 2025 enforcement radar, shifting lender performance from a customer service problem to a board-level conduct risk. This case study examines how an Australian ...Read more
Banking
RBA flags price uplift as Home Guarantee expansion accelerates: what it means for banks, builders and the bottom line
Australia’s expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) has been brought forward to 1 October, compressing a multi‑year policy shift into weeks. The RBA expects the changes to lift borrowing capacity and add ...Read more
Banking
ASIC's crackdown on private credit sector gains support from industry veteran
In the wake of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's (ASIC) recent regulatory actions, Richard Woodhead, Founder and Managing Director of GPS Investment Fund, has voiced strong ...Read more
Banking
Why central banks are ditching Treasuries for gold and what it means for business leaders
Gold’s renaissance is no longer just an investor narrative; it’s a reserve‑management strategy. Multiple reports indicate central bank gold holdings now exceed US Treasuries by value for the first ...Read more
Banking
AMP Bank GO strengthens fraud protection with innovative security measures
AMP Bank GO has emerged as a formidable player in the fight against financial fraud, with its innovative security measures setting new standards in the digital banking sector. Since its launch in ...Read more
Banking
APRA’s hybrid exit is a A$43bn catalyst: who captures the flow—bank credit or private credit?
Australia’s phase-out of bank hybrids isn’t just a regulatory clean-up—it’s a forced portfolio reallocation the size of a mid-tier super fund. Read more
Banking
PayPal Open Debuts in Australia: A Unified Platform for Business Growth
Sydney, 14 October 2025 – In a significant move to bolster commerce capabilities for businesses across Australia, PayPal has officially launched its new merchant platform, PayPal OpenRead more
Banking
RBA holds interest rates steady at 3.6% amid strong labour market and inflation concerns
In a widely anticipated move, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced that it would maintain the cash rate at 3.6%. The decision was unanimous, reflecting a cautious approach as the central bank ...Read more
Banking
Hardship is the new conduct frontier: A bank’s playbook for turning ASIC scrutiny into ROI
ASIC has put financial hardship on its 2025 enforcement radar, shifting lender performance from a customer service problem to a board-level conduct risk. This case study examines how an Australian ...Read more
Banking
RBA flags price uplift as Home Guarantee expansion accelerates: what it means for banks, builders and the bottom line
Australia’s expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) has been brought forward to 1 October, compressing a multi‑year policy shift into weeks. The RBA expects the changes to lift borrowing capacity and add ...Read more
Banking
ASIC's crackdown on private credit sector gains support from industry veteran
In the wake of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's (ASIC) recent regulatory actions, Richard Woodhead, Founder and Managing Director of GPS Investment Fund, has voiced strong ...Read more
Banking
Why central banks are ditching Treasuries for gold and what it means for business leaders
Gold’s renaissance is no longer just an investor narrative; it’s a reserve‑management strategy. Multiple reports indicate central bank gold holdings now exceed US Treasuries by value for the first ...Read more
Banking
AMP Bank GO strengthens fraud protection with innovative security measures
AMP Bank GO has emerged as a formidable player in the fight against financial fraud, with its innovative security measures setting new standards in the digital banking sector. Since its launch in ...Read more
Banking
APRA’s hybrid exit is a A$43bn catalyst: who captures the flow—bank credit or private credit?
Australia’s phase-out of bank hybrids isn’t just a regulatory clean-up—it’s a forced portfolio reallocation the size of a mid-tier super fund. Read more
