Banks in Chile in figures: who lends the most, who earns the most and how many mortgages each one holds
Banks in Chile in figures: they lend CLP 289 trillion and earned CLP 4.34 trillion in 2026. BCI lends the most, while BancoEstado leads in home loans.
· 4 min read
The 17 banks operating in Chile had CLP 289 trillion in loans outstanding as of September 2026 and earned CLP 4.34 trillion in the first nine months of the year, according to the CMF's Monthly Financial Information Report. We review banks in Chile in figures: who lends the most, who earns the most, who holds the most mortgages and how profitable and efficient they are.
CLP 289 trillion
Bank loans outstanding
+0.93% real over 12 months
CLP 4.34 trillion
Profit from January to September
attributable to owners
15.07%
Return on equity
12-month average
62.4%
Profits of the three largest private banks
Chile, Santander and BCI
Source: CMF, Monthly Financial Information Report on the Banking System, September 2026
View the data as a table
| Bank loans outstanding | CLP 289 trillion | +0.93% real over 12 months |
| Profit from January to September | CLP 4.34 trillion | attributable to owners |
| Return on equity | 15.07% | 12-month average |
| Profits of the three largest private banks | 62.4% | Chile, Santander and BCI |
Who lends the most
Six banks hold 86% of bank lending. BCI is the largest by loans, with 21.5% of the total. The CMF figures are consolidated: they include each bank's subsidiaries, including those abroad.
Over 12 months, loans grew just 0.93% in real terms. Commercial loans (to companies) rose 1.57% and housing loans 0.93%, while consumer loans fell 1.56%. We tell you more about that last market in consumer loans in Chile.
How many mortgages each bank holds
In home loans, the order changes. BancoEstado lends the most, with CLP 19.09 trillion and 19.5% of the total:
The top five account for 84% of the CLP 98 trillion banks have lent for housing. Two of them, Santander and BancoEstado, also lead the ranking of the best mortgages for November: they have the lowest CAE in all four terms we reviewed. To compare every offer, use our mortgage comparison tool.
Who earns the most
Between January and September 2026, the banking system earned CLP 4.34 trillion. Banco de Chile leads, closely followed by Santander and BCI. Together, the three take 62.4% of the system's profits.
For scale: the BCI Concepción robbery (CLP 8,520 million) is equal to less than 1% of what that bank earned in nine months.
Who is the most profitable
Earning more is not the same as being more profitable. Return on equity (ROAE) measures how much a bank earns for each peso its owners put in. The system average is 15.07%:
Banco Falabella is the most profitable, at 28.2%. Its business is based on consumer loans and credit cards, which carry higher rates. At the other end, Itaú has a return of 5.8%, less than half the average.
Efficiency and delinquency: how the big banks compare
| Bank | Efficiency (expenses / income) | 90+ days delinquency (total) | Housing delinquency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santander | 33.0% | 3.54% | 3.37% |
| Banco Falabella | 33.5% | 2.95% | 3.78% |
| Banco de Chile | 35.9% | 1.67% | 1.62% |
| Scotiabank | 40.0% | 2.66% | 2.03% |
| BCI | 45.2% | 1.28% | 1.77% |
| BancoEstado | 48.6% | 4.02% | 4.46% |
| Banco Bice | 51.0% | 1.57% | 0.91% |
| Itaú | 66.6% | 1.98% | 1.75% |
| Banking system | 43.3% | 2.36% | 2.57% |
Source: CMF, September 2026. For efficiency, a lower number is better: the bank spends less for each peso it generates.
Santander is the most efficient: it spends 33 pesos for every 100 it generates. BancoEstado and Santander have the highest delinquency among the big banks, and they are also the ones with the most home loans. BCI has the lowest total delinquency, at 1.28%.
What it means for you
- Size does not guarantee the best offer. BancoEstado has the largest housing portfolio, but Santander beats it in November's mortgage ranking. Always get quotes from several banks.
- Profitability shows where each bank's business is. Banco Falabella, the most profitable, bases its business on consumer loans and credit cards, the most expensive credit for customers.
- Consolidation continues. Banco Bice absorbed Banco Security in November 2025, according to the CMF. Today 17 banks operate in Chile, including branches of foreign banks.
Banks in Chile in figures show a concentrated market: six banks hold 86% of loans and three take 62% of profits. This article is for information only and is not financial advice.
Sources
- CMF, Monthly Financial Information Report on the Banking System, September 2026 (published October 30, 2026)
- CMF, Monthly Financial Reports
- banks in Chile in figures
- banks in Chile
- loans
- bank profits
- mortgages
- profitability
- CMF