The National Banking System (NBS) demonstrated remarkable operational and financial strength as of the end of the first quarter of 2025, reflecting its ability to adapt and manage prudently in an environment marked by tighter financial margins and high funding costs, according to the Banking Activity Report (IAB) published by the Superintendency of Banks of Panama (SBP).
Evidence of this is seen in the NBS credit portfolio, which reached USD 64,250 million, reflecting 4.7% growth, with notable performance in the Commerce (+5.5%) and Personal Consumption (+4.4%) segments.
Meanwhile, the net credit portfolio of the International Banking Center (IBC) recorded a significant 9.6% growth compared to the same period in 2024, reaching a balance of USD 97,647 million, an increase of USD 8,582 million compared to USD 89,065 million reported last year.
The NBS deposit portfolio totaled USD 96,796 million as of March 2025, representing a 3.7% increase compared to the same period of the previous year (USD 93,365 million), an increase of USD 3,432 million. This performance was mainly driven by a 1.9% increase in domestic deposits and a 7.9% increase in external deposits. This diversified funding base strengthens liquidity stability and mitigates refinancing risk.
Deposits in the IBC totaled USD 111,189.8 million, growing by 4.5%, with a 2% increase in domestic deposits and an 8.6% increase in external deposits.
Net assets of the NBS reached USD 139,110.3 million, reflecting 5.3% growth, with notable increases in the loan portfolio (7.9%) and securities investments (3.1%), while liquid assets showed a slight decrease of 0.2%. The IBC recorded USD 157,128.1 million in net assets, growing 5.5% year-on-year.
Banks continue to show stable financial soundness indicators, with liquidity and solvency ratios of 52.41% and 15.29%, respectively. These results exceed the established regulatory minimums (30% and 8%), demonstrating that the banks operating within the IBC have maintained strong capital adequacy levels. However, it is clear that evolving financial and macroeconomic risks will require active and prudent management to preserve the system’s stability.
For more details on the results of this report, please visit our website at www.superbancos.gob.pa, in the Financial and Statistical section.
