Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 22, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Add as preferred source on GooglePortugal's finance minister opposes a Spanish bank's acquisition of Novo Banco, citing concerns over market concentration and dependence.
By Sergio Goncalves
LISBON (Reuters) -Portugal is concerned about over-dependence on Spain in its banking sector and views an acquisition of its fourth-largest lender Novo Banco by a Spanish bank as contrary to the country's interests, its acting Finance Minister said.
According to Spanish media reports, the country's Caixabank, which owns Portugal's fifth largest bank BPI, was weighing a bid for Novo Banco, although the Spanish bank has not commented on those reports.
"Spanish banks already represent roughly a third of the Portuguese banking market and, for reasons of concentration and dependence, this figure should not rise," Joaquim Miranda Sarmento told broadcaster RTP late on Wednesday.
"It is in the country's interest that there is no excessive dependence or concentration in our banking sector in the hands of banks from a single country such as Spain," he said, without elaborating why it would be of concern.
Unlisted Novo Banco, which is 75% owned by U.S. private equity fund Lone Star, in February began preparations for an initial public offering of 25%-30% of its capital but a full sale has not been ruled out.
Miranda Sarmento said it was up to majority stakeholder Lone Star to decide on whether float the bank or sell it. The remaining 25% stake in the lender is held by a resolution fund, which is financed by Portugal's banks and the Portuguese state.
While the stake does not allow the state the power to block a deal, it would be difficult to finalise it without the government's consent.
Last June, the CEO of state-owned Caixa Geral de Depositos (CGD) Paulo Macedo said Portugal's largest bank was considering buying another lender to preserve its market leadership in the face of expansion by foreign banks, particularly those from Spain.
Should CGD make a bid "alone or together with another bank" for Novo Banco, the Portuguese state would have the final say on the transaction in such a scenario, Miranda Sarmento said.
Portugal's top five banks, which also include Millennium bcp and the Portuguese unit of Spain's Santander control more than 80% of the country's banking assets.
(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; additional reporting by Jesus Aguado in Madrid; editing by Charlie Devereux and Tomasz Janowski)
Portugal is concerned about over-dependence on Spain in its banking sector and views the acquisition of Novo Banco by a Spanish bank as contrary to the country's interests.
Caixabank, which owns Portugal's fifth-largest bank BPI, is weighing a bid for Novo Banco according to Spanish media reports.
Spanish banks already represent roughly a third of the Portuguese banking market, and this figure should not rise due to concerns about concentration and dependence.
Novo Banco is 75% owned by U.S. private equity fund Lone Star, which has the authority to decide whether to float the bank or sell it.
If Caixa Geral de Depositos makes a bid for Novo Banco, the Portuguese state would have the final say on the transaction, despite not having the power to block it.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
