California borrowers have a broad field of commercial real estate banks, but balance sheet size and portfolio composition vary substantially. BestCRE ranks 25 banks headquartered in California by total commercial real estate loans reported as of June 30, 2026. Together, the banks in the table hold $142.2 billion in CRE loans, including $10.9 billion in construction and land loans, $33.7 billion in multifamily loans, $29.1 billion in owner occupied loans and $68.4 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. These balances describe each bank’s reported loan book. They do not establish current pricing, approval standards or availability for a particular property.
The headquarters distinction is important. California has 111 banks headquartered in the state, with $183.2 billion in total CRE loans and year over year growth of +7.4%. This ranking covers the leading institutions within that group. It does not rank every bank operating in California because banks headquartered in other states report their CRE portfolios at the bank level across all states. Some of those institutions maintain extensive California branch networks and large deposit bases in the state. Borrowers can therefore use the ranked table as a starting point for identifying California headquartered banks, while separately considering out of state banks and nonbank capital sources.
California banks ranked by total CRE loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East West Bank | Pasadena, CA | $21,796 | $814 | $4,606 | $3,434 | +5.6% | 37.0% |
| 2 | City National Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $16,549 | $2,834 | $2,698 | $4,414 | +5.7% | 23.9% |
| 3 | Banc of California | Los Angeles, CA | $11,904 | $1,867 | $5,882 | $1,509 | -11.4% | 47.4% |
| 4 | Cathay Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $9,893 | $308 | $2,587 | $1,962 | +4.7% | 48.0% |
| 5 | Citizens Business Bank, N.A. | Ontario, CA | $9,149 | $214 | $1,235 | $2,823 | +43.6% | 76.1% |
| 6 | Bank of Hope | Los Angeles, CA | $8,920 | $213 | $1,144 | $3,138 | +4.6% | 59.3% |
| 7 | Mechanics Bank | Walnut Creek, CA | $7,498 | $350 | $5,074 | $461 | +55.3% | 55.2% |
| 8 | Axos Bank | San Diego, CA | $5,610 | $1,221 | $1,183 | $184 | +8.5% | 22.5% |
| 9 | Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | $5,207 | $418 | $358 | $780 | -0.9% | 78.5% |
| 10 | Tri Counties Bank | Chico, CA | $5,072 | $298 | $1,157 | $1,041 | +6.3% | 69.4% |
| 11 | Poppy Bank | Santa Rosa, CA | $4,563 | $498 | $920 | $1,614 | +6.2% | 78.1% |
| 12 | River City Bank | Sacramento, CA | $4,186 | $41.8 | $1,618 | $160 | +7.8% | 90.8% |
| 13 | Hanmi Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $3,994 | $13.8 | $459 | $886 | +2.2% | 61.0% |
| 14 | Preferred Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $3,830 | $671 | $586 | $227 | +10.2% | 61.0% |
| 15 | Five Star Bank | Roseville, CA | $3,742 | $148 | $1,390 | $605 | +17.6% | 82.8% |
| 16 | Commercial Bank of California | Irvine, CA | $2,387 | $113 | $495 | $492 | +6.2% | 85.9% |
| 17 | California Bank of Commerce, N.A. | San Diego, CA | $2,326 | $134 | $286 | $664 | +4.8% | 74.8% |
| 18 | American Business Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $2,323 | $99.2 | $52.0 | $1,401 | +3.5% | 74.3% |
| 19 | Community West Bank | Fresno, CA | $2,243 | $224 | $230 | $531 | +49.7% | 63.3% |
| 20 | PCB Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $2,024 | $23.6 | $209 | $719 | +7.8% | 69.0% |
| 21 | CTBC Bank Corp. (USA) | Los Angeles, CA | $2,009 | $1.6 | $408 | $306 | -1.6% | 45.5% |
| 22 | Fremont Bank | Fremont, CA | $1,803 | $105 | $277 | $615 | +6.9% | 37.5% |
| 23 | West Coast Community Bank | Santa Cruz, CA | $1,768 | $259 | $242 | $417 | +7.2% | 77.8% |
| 24 | United Business Bank | Walnut Creek, CA | $1,743 | $10.1 | $346 | $479 | +2.2% | 84.0% |
| 25 | Bank of Marin | Novato, CA | $1,631 | $37.2 | $245 | $274 | +3.0% | 77.6% |
Source: FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026 (schedule RC-C). Dollar figures in millions. Change, 1 year compares total CRE loans with June 30, 2025. Bank names link to each bank’s FDIC record. Table shows the top 25 of 111 banks headquartered in California.
East West Bank leads with $21.8 billion in CRE loans, ahead of City National Bank at $16.5 billion and Banc of California at $11.9 billion. Their portfolio mixes differ. East West Bank reports $12.9 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, while Banc of California reports $5.9 billion in multifamily loans. City National Bank has $2.8 billion in construction and land loans and $4.4 billion in owner occupied loans. Growth also varies sharply. Mechanics Bank reports +55.3%, Community West Bank +49.7% and Citizens Business Bank, N.A. +43.6%, while Banc of California reports -11.4%. Concentration provides another distinction. River City Bank reports CRE equal to 90.8% of total loans and an investor CRE to equity ratio of 7.09x, both high relative to other banks in the table. East West Bank reports 37.0% and 2.21x on those measures.
Out of state banks with branches in California
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in California | Deposits in California ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America, N.A. | North Carolina | 686 | $452,511 | $79,906 |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | South Dakota | 769 | $304,402 | $121,623 |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 857 | $297,741 | $179,847 |
| U.S. Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 563 | $115,115 | $50,718 |
| Citibank, N.A. | South Dakota | 271 | $67,927 | $26,036 |
| First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | North Carolina | 54 | $53,887 | $38,808 |
| BMO Bank, N.A. | Illinois | 226 | $33,219 | $28,802 |
| Western Alliance Bank | Arizona | 11 | $20,650 | $15,781 |
| HSBC Bank USA, N.A. | Virginia | 6 | $19,585 | $1,637 |
| Fifth Third Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 85 | $19,580 | $33,581 |
| Zions Bancorporation, N.A. | Utah | 77 | $15,938 | $23,684 |
| Columbia Bank | Oregon | 104 | $14,384 | $26,361 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for California only; CRE loans are bank wide.
Portfolio size and growth help borrowers build a call list
Total CRE loans provide a practical first screen for a loan search. A larger CRE book can indicate greater appetite and hold capacity, while the year over year change shows which institutions are adding or reducing reported balances. National rank adds context outside California. East West Bank is ranked 25 nationally, City National Bank 30 and Banc of California 40. These measures can help a borrower identify institutions with meaningful CRE exposure, but they do not show whether a bank is pursuing a particular transaction today.
Borrowers should compare portfolio size with property mix, concentration and headquarters location before making calls. Bank lending is relationship driven and local, so an institution with a relevant portfolio and nearby presence may warrant attention even when it ranks below the largest banks. Growth can identify banks adding CRE loans, while concentration can signal that a bank will be selective. The table is therefore a screening tool, not a prediction of approval. A useful search begins with several banks whose reported books align with the property type and requested loan size.
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Tell Us About Your DealHow BestCRE Capital WorksLoan mix shows distinct areas of reported activity
The component balances show where each bank is most active within its reported CRE book. Mechanics Bank holds $5.1 billion in multifamily loans against $7.5 billion in total CRE loans. American Business Bank reports $1.4 billion in owner occupied loans within a $2.3 billion CRE portfolio. Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach reports $3.7 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans within $5.2 billion of total CRE. Axos Bank reports $1.2 billion in construction and land loans, one of the larger such balances in the table.
Concentration measures provide a different view from absolute size. CRE represents 22.5% of total loans at Axos Bank, compared with 90.8% at River City Bank. The investor CRE to equity ratio ranges from 1.08x at City National Bank to 7.09x at River City Bank among the cited institutions. A ratio can be high or low relative to other banks in the table, but it does not determine whether a specific loan is available. Borrowers should read concentration together with portfolio mix and growth because a heavily concentrated institution may be selective even when its reported balances are substantial.
Out of state banks and nonbank lenders broaden the search
Banks headquartered outside California can still be important local lenders. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., headquartered in Ohio, has 857 California branches, $297.7 billion in California deposits and $179.8 billion in total CRE loans across all states. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., headquartered in South Dakota, has 769 branches, $304.4 billion in state deposits and $121.6 billion in total CRE loans. Bank of America, N.A., headquartered in North Carolina, has 686 branches, $452.5 billion in state deposits and $79.9 billion in total CRE loans.
Borrowers can also compare debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders. These nonbank sources do not appear in bank call reports, so the ranking cannot measure their activity or fit for a transaction. Comparing several sources matters because each category is represented by a different lending channel, and a bank’s reported portfolio does not establish current terms or availability. A broader search lets borrowers compare bank relationships and local presence with alternatives outside the call report dataset, while keeping the property type, transaction structure and timing in view.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this California commercial real estate lender ranking measure?
The ranking measures total commercial real estate loans held by banks headquartered in California as of June 30, 2026. It uses reported balance sheet loans rather than originations, commitments or loans made only within California. The 25 banks in the table hold $142.2 billion in total CRE loans. Each total includes construction and land, multifamily, owner occupied, and investor nonfarm nonresidential balances. The ranking therefore compares the size of reported CRE portfolios, not quoted rates, underwriting requirements or the probability that a bank will approve a particular request.
Where does BestCRE get the bank lending data?
BestCRE uses FDIC Call Reports, formally Reports of Condition and Income, including schedule RC-C, together with the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. The loan balances are as of June 30, 2026. Call reports provide bank level financial data, while deposit records help distinguish California headquartered institutions from banks based elsewhere that maintain branches in the state. The broader comparison includes 4,167 banks with $3.07 trillion in total CRE loans. Reported figures describe balance sheets at the reporting date and do not represent live loan quotes.
Which California bank has the largest multifamily loan book?
Among the banks in the ranked table, Banc of California reports $5.9 billion in multifamily loans, compared with $5.1 billion at Mechanics Bank and $4.6 billion at East West Bank. Banc of California has $11.9 billion in total CRE loans, a CRE share of total loans of 47.4% and year over year CRE change of -11.4%. Multifamily balances identify the amount held in that category at the reporting date. They do not show current capacity, property eligibility, geographic preferences or whether the bank is accepting a particular request.
Which California banks reported the strongest CRE growth?
Mechanics Bank reports year over year CRE growth of +55.3%, Community West Bank reports +49.7% and Citizens Business Bank, N.A. reports +43.6%. Five Star Bank reports +17.6%, while Preferred Bank reports +10.2%. Growth shows the change in each institution’s reported CRE balance and can help borrowers identify banks that have been adding loans. It should not be read as a commitment to continue lending at the same pace. Portfolio size, property mix and the bank’s current review of a transaction remain separate considerations.
How do current benchmark rates relate to this ranking?
The ranking is based on bank loan balances, not interest rates. For market context as of Oct 26, 2026, the Prime rate is 7.00%, SOFR is 3.89%, the 5 year Treasury is 4.78%, the 10 year Treasury is 4.96% and Fed funds is 3.88%. These benchmarks provide a reference point for the rate environment, but the call report data does not disclose a current quote for any bank or property. Borrowers must contact lenders directly to determine applicable pricing and compare any proposal with other bank and nonbank sources.
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BestCRE rankings are editorially independent and built only from public regulatory filings; no bank pays for placement. Call report figures describe loans held on each bank’s balance sheet and do not show loan terms, rates or current appetite. BestCRE is not a lender and does not make loans. Benchmark rates are informational, not quotes. See our Legal Disclaimer and Compensation Disclosure.