(Reuters) - Here is a factbox on bank
ownership limits in various Asian countries.
VIETNAM
Vietnam caps foreign ownership in a domestic bank at 30 percent with a 15 percent limit for a strategic investor (can be increased to 20 percent with PM approval). A foreign bank (non-strategic) can own 10 percent and a non-bank investor that is not a strategic investor can own 5 percent.
CHINA
China limits the share of a single foreign
investor in a Chinese bank to 20 percent, and will treat the entire bank as
foreign if more than 25 percent is in non-Chinese hands. This has sparked
complaints from other countries who said China did not agree limits on foreign
ownership when it joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001.
MALAYSIA
Malaysia caps foreign ownership of local
banks at 30 percent. However, the government has recently stated that it may be
willing to review this and allow foreign investors to own up to 49 percent.
INDONESIA
Allows foreign entities to hold up to 99 percent of local banks. Any single entity trying to own 25 percent or more of the total shares needs approval from the central bank.
THAILAND
Foreign banks can own up to 25 percent of a Thai bank before seeking approval from the Bank of Thailand. Owning between 25 and 49 percent requires approval from the BoT and anything beyond that is subject to approval by the Ministry of Finance.
A single investor must also receive approval from the Bank of Thailand if their shareholding exceeds 10 percent of a local bank.
INDIA
Foreign ownership of India's private sector
banks is not allowed to exceed 74 percent of paid-up capital with individual
foreign institutional investors' holding capped at 10 percent.
Foreign banks operating in the country must
presently be run as a branch of their headquarters. However, the Reserve Bank
of India is considering allowing them to operate as wholly-owned subsidiaries.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan limits foreign ownership of
locally incorporated banks to 49 percent. Foreign banks whose tier-one capital
exceeds $5 billion can operate branches or wholly owned local subsidiaries.
AUSTRALIA
There are no ownership restrictions in
Australia, but the government has a "Four Pillar" policy in place
under which the top four banks are barred merging or taking over the other.
This is aimed at maintaining competition.
TAIWAN
Foreign banks and private equity funds are allowed
to own up to 100 percent of local banks. But Chinese mainland banks are not
allowed to buy more than 5 percent of domestic banks.
JAPAN
There is no foreign ownership restriction
in Japan. Foreign banks, private equity and corporations can buy 100 percent of
domestic banks, subject to regulations and government approval.
SINGAPORE
A single shareholder requires permission of
the minister in charge of the central bank to increase shareholdings in a local
bank at 5 percent, 12 percent and 20 percent thresholds. So if the government
allows, foreign banks or other entities can own 100 percent of a Singaporean
bank.
SOUTH KOREA
Under local banking law, a financial player
is allowed to hold up to 10 percent stake in a bank without approval and can
become the majority stakeholder in a bank, while a non-financial player must
not own over 9 percent. There isn't any specific limit imposed on foreigners in
holding stakes in banks.
(Reporting
by Rachel Armstrong, Saeed Azhar, Taiga Uranaka, Rachel Lee, Narayanan Somasundaram
and Denny Thomas; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)