Which of the world's main banks are the strongest in financial terms? A ranking produces the answer.

Banks in Germany, Switzerland and Netherlands dominate rankings of the world’s safest lenders when ranked by assets and credit ratings, according to the Global Finance publication in a recent report. 

For the sixth year in a row, Germany’s KfW is in the top spot, followed by Zürcher Kantonalbank of Switzerland and Germany’s Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank.

Asian banks put in a strong showing in the top 20, led by Singapore’s DBS Bank at number 11, the publication said. Other Asian names high in the list were OCBC, United Overseas Bank, Korea Development Bank, and Export-Import Bank of Korea, holding positions 13 through 16, and Industrial Bank of Korea moves up five spots to #20.

The top-ranking bank in the Middle East is First Abu Dhabi Bank, maintaining National Bank of Abu Dhabi’s ranking after the merger with First Gulf Bank, the report said. New entries to the list this year include AgFirst and Farm Credit Bank of Texas at #43 and #45, LGT Bank from Liechtenstein at #44 and Bank für Sozialwirtschaft from Germany at #46.

Winners were selected through an evaluation of long-term foreign currency ratings—from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch - and total assets of the 500 largest banks worldwide.