First Quarter 2026 Results

We’ve released our results for the first quarter 2026.

For full details please go to our Financial Results page.

Selected information on Q1’26 financial performance with comparisons to Q1’25 unless otherwise stated

• Operating income of USD5.9bn up 9 per cent; a record quarter
  • Net interest income¹ (NII) up 1 per cent to USD2.9bn
  • Non-interest income¹ up 16 per cent to USD3.0bn largely driven by Wealth Solutions and Global Banking
  • Record quarter in Wealth Solutions with income up 32 per cent, with strong performance in Investment Products and Bancassurance
  • Global Banking up 19 per cent, driven by higher origination volumes, and increased capital markets activity
• Operating expenses up 1 per cent to USD3.1bn; driven by targeted investments for business growth partly offset by efficiency saves
• Credit impairment charge of USD296m up USD79m, mostly driven by USD190m of precautionary management overlays relating to the Middle East conflict, partly offset by releases and recoveries in Corporate & Investment Banking and reduction in other overlays.
• Record profit before tax of USD2.5bn, up 17 per cent at ccy
• Return on Tangible Equity (RoTE) of 17.4 per cent, up 260bps
• Balance sheet remains strong, liquid and well diversified with underlying loans and advances to customers up 3 per cent and underlying customer deposits up 3 per cent quarter-on-quarter
• Risk-weighted assets (RWA) of USD266bn up USD8.2bn since 31.12.25; Credit risk RWA up USD5.3bn, Market risk RWA up USD3bn, and Operational RWA was broadly unchanged
• The Group remains strongly capitalised with a Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 13.4 per cent, down 16bps quarter-on-quarter excluding the impact of the share buyback of 58bps
• Earnings per share of 74.2 cents, up 17.6 cents or 31 per cent year-on-year
• Tangible net asset value per share of USD17.20, up 159 cents or 10 per cent year-on-year

Guidance

• Our 2026 guidance remains unchanged and is as follows:
• Reported operating income growth year-on-year to be around the bottom end of 5-7 per cent range at constant currency
  • Within which, net interest income¹ expected to be broadly flat year-on-year at constant currency
• Reported cost to be broadly flat at constant currency including the final year of Fit for Growth charges
• Statutory RoTE to be greater than 12 per cent

Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, said:

“We delivered a record first quarter performance in 2026, with double digit growth in Wealth Solutions and Global Banking. Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainty, our advantaged market presence and disciplined risk management give us confidence in our ability to perform. We continue to support our clients as they manage their businesses and wealth across borders, and we look forward to setting out our next phase of growth at our Investor Event next month.”

Pete Burrill, Interim Group Chief Financial Officer, said:

“It’s been a strong start to 2026 for Standard Chartered, reflecting the continued success of our cross-border and affluent strategy. In Q1, we delivered record income of USD5.9 bn and profit before tax of USD2.5 bn. This was driven by double-digit growth in Global Banking, Global Markets flow income, and Wealth Solutions, alongside record Affluent net new money. As a result, we delivered a return on tangible equity of 17.4 per cent and a 31 per cent increase in earnings per share.”

1. Net interest income and non-interest income are adjusted for trading book funding cost, treasury currency management activities, interest from cash collateral from trading businesses and from prime services activities