Home / Banks / Comparison

BNP Paribas vs Credit Agricole

Side-by-side credit pricing comparison from Pillar 3 disclosures.

Last updated: March 2026 · Data source: public Pillar 3 disclosures
Verdict:

On a representative BBB+ EUR 25M 5-year term loan, Credit Agricole is the cheaper lender by 13bp in minimum spread. For a EUR 25M facility, that's EUR 33,605 per year.

Bank profiles compared

Metric BNP Paribas
France		 Credit Agricole
France
IRB approachA-IRBMixed
Cost-to-income61.8%55.7%
Effective tax rate26.2%24.0%
Avg corporate PD0.98%2.14%
Avg LGD unsecured37.0%40.0%
Avg LGD secured22.0%24.0%
Funding spread (bp)15bp12bp
Corporate EADEUR 375bnEUR 184bn

Sample RAROC: BBB+ EUR 25M 5Y term loan

Both banks priced on the exact same deal — 150bp spread, 20bp commitment fee, 60-month maturity. Higher RAROC means the bank earns more from this deal. Lower min-spread means the borrower gets a better rate.

Component BNP Paribas Credit Agricole
Annual revenueEUR 385,000EUR 385,000
Operating costEUR 154,000EUR 154,000
Expected lossEUR 28,750EUR 28,750
Capital required (FPE)EUR 2,451,320EUR 2,451,320
RAROC (after tax)7.19%7.67%
Min spread for 12% RAROC257bp243bp
This is just one sample deal.

Your actual portfolio has different ratings, sizes, maturities, and collateral. The cheapest bank for one deal isn't always cheapest for another. Upload your real facilities and OpenRAROC will run the same calculation on each, against BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, and 57 other banks.

Compare your portfolio

Read more

BNP Paribas full profile Credit Agricole full profile All banks RAROC methodology

FAQ: BNP Paribas vs Credit Agricole

Which bank is cheaper on corporate credit: BNP Paribas or Credit Agricole?
On a BBB+ EUR 25M 5-year term loan, Credit Agricole requires a minimum spread of 243bp to reach a 12% RAROC hurdle, versus 257bp at the other bank — a difference of 13bp on the same deal.
How do BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole compare on corporate PD?
BNP Paribas reports an EAD-weighted corporate PD of 0.98%, while Credit Agricole reports 2.14%. The gap reflects differences in obligor mix and geography rather than underwriting quality.
How do the two banks differ on IRB approach?
BNP Paribas uses A-IRB and Credit Agricole uses Mixed. The IRB approach determines whether internal LGD models or supervisory LGDs apply, which materially affects capital required on every corporate facility.
What deal is used in this comparison?
A single standardised facility: BBB+ rated, EUR 25M drawn on a EUR 30M commitment, 5-year tenor, 150bp spread, 20bp commitment fee. Both banks are priced on this exact deal using their own disclosed Pillar 3 parameters.