How many US banks have failed?
There were 566 bank failures from 2001 through 2024. See Summary by Year below.
In the wake of the Great Recession, it was typical to see dozens—if not hundreds—of bank failures each year. This slowed significantly from 2015 to 2020, when the U.S. saw an average of fewer than five bank failures per year. Zero banks failed in both 2021 and 2022.
Bank Name | City | State |
---|---|---|
Citizens Bank | Sac City | IA |
Heartland Tri-State Bank | Elkhart | KS |
First Republic Bank | San Francisco | CA |
Signature Bank | New York | NY |
That includes Washington Mutual (WaMu), still the largest bank failure in U.S. history. WaMu had some $307 billion in assets when it collapsed, equivalent to more than $424 billion in today's dollars.
Bank | City | Assets at time of failure |
---|---|---|
Nominal | ||
First Republic Bank | San Francisco | $229 billion |
Silicon Valley Bank | Santa Clara | $209 billion |
Signature Bank | New York | $118 billion |
Recently, a report posted on the Social Science Research Network found that 186 banks in the United States are at risk of failure or collapse due to rising interest rates and a high proportion of uninsured deposits.
The increase in mobile banking use, inflation and interest rates, and real-estate struggles all contributed to why 2023 experienced so many banks shutting their doors. These issues caused Silicon Valley Bank to collapse in March 2023, with First Republic Bank and Signature Bank following only a few months later.
JPMorgan Chase, the financial institution that owns Chase Bank, topped our experts' list because it's designated as the world's most systemically important bank on the 2023 G-SIB list. This designation means it has the highest loss absorbency requirements of any bank, providing more protection against financial crisis.
Generally speaking, credit unions are safer than banks in a collapse. This is because credit unions use fewer risks, serving individuals and small businesses rather than large investors, like a bank.
Is Bank of America in trouble?
Bank of America's Financial Health
In recent years, Bank of America's financial performance has been relatively stable. In 2022, the bank reported a net income of $20.4 billion, a decrease from the previous year's $27.4 billion. However, its revenue increased from $91.2 billion in 2021 to $95.2 billion in 2022.
San Francisco-based First Republic Bank goes down as the second-largest failure in U.S. history. Santa Clara, California-based Silicon Valley Bank follows at number three on the all-time list and New York City-based Signature Bank is the fourth-largest bank to fail.
Both can be hit hard by tough economic conditions, but credit unions were statistically less likely to fail during the Great Recession. But no matter which you go with, you shouldn't worry about losing money. Both credit unions and banks have deposit insurance and are generally safe places for your money.
Bank name | Bank failure date | Assets* |
---|---|---|
Signature Bank | March 12, 2023 | $110 billion** |
IndyMac Bank, F.S.B. | July 11, 2008 | $31 billion |
Colonial Bank | Aug. 14, 2009 | $26 billion |
First Republic Bank-Dallas, N.A. | July 29, 1998 | $17 billion |
A run on deposits (leaving the bank without the cash to pay customer withdrawals). Too many bad loans/assets that fall sharply in value (eroding the bank's capital reserves). A mismatch between what the bank can earn on its assets (primarily loans) and what it has to pay on its liabilities (primarily deposits).
On March 10, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) failed after a bank run, marking the third-largest bank failure in United States history and the largest since the 2007–2008 financial crisis.
Asset-heavy, diversified and regulated banks like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, PNC Bank and U.S. Bank are among the safest banks in the U.S. and should be considered if you are weighing your options.
Still, the FDIC itself doesn't have unlimited money. If enough banks flounder at once, it could deplete the fund that backstops deposits. However, experts say even in that event, bank patrons shouldn't worry about losing their FDIC-insured money.
- Bank of Scotland – 10 more branches closing (26 in total).
- Halifax – 22 more branches closing (69 in total).
- Lloyds – 21 more branches closing (81 in total).
If the bank fails, you'll get your money back. Nearly all banks are FDIC insured. You can look for the FDIC logo at bank teller windows or on the entrance to your bank branch. Credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
What happens if all the banks collapse?
Loss of Savings: If banks were to fail, people would lose their savings, including deposits, investments, and retirement funds. This could lead to a loss of confidence in the financial system, and people may become hesitan.
1. JP Morgan Private Bank. “J.P. Morgan Private Bank is known for its investment services, which makes them a great option for those with millionaire status,” Kullberg said. “With J.P. Morgan, each client is given access to a panel of experts, including experienced strategists, economists and advisors.”
- JPMorgan Chase – $3.31 Trillion.
- Bank of America – $2.41 Trillion.
- Citigroup – $1.714 Trillion.
- Wells Fargo & Co. – $1.712 Trillion.
- U.S. Bancorp – $591.21 Billion.
- PNC Financial Services – $553.39 Billion.
- Truist Financial Corporation – $534.19 Billion.
- Goldman Sachs – $513.91 Billion.
Your money is safe at Capital One
Capital One, N.A., is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an independent federal agency. The FDIC insures balances up to $250,000 held in various types of consumer and business deposit accounts.
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