Level 9 of 10: The IMF, World Bank and global finance

World Bank Group (WBG)

The World Bank Group lends, grants and guarantees money for development in poorer and middle-income countries; it committed $123.5 billion in fiscal year 2026 (World Bank Group Annual Report 2026). It is owned by 189 member countries, represented by a Board of Governors (usually finance or development ministers), with day-to-day decisions taken by Boards of Directors for each of its institutions. Voting power depends on each country's capital subscription.

Who leads it

• President: Ajay Banga (since 2 June 2023 (five-year term)) (worldbank.org)

The UK and the WBG

The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.

Key figures

What it decides

• Approves loans, credits, grants, equity investments and guarantees through four institutions: IBRD (founded 1944), IFC (1956), IDA (1960) and MIGA (1988).
• Board of Governors (one per member country) is the ultimate policymaker; it meets once a year at the Annual Meetings with the IMF.
• Four Boards of Directors (IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA) are each responsible for the general operations of their organisation.
• IBRD votes: one share vote per share held plus basic votes, with basic votes set at 5.55% of the total. IDA votes follow each IDA replenishment; MIGA uses share votes plus parity votes.

Records you can check

• Voting powers of member countries
  Country and constituency voting tables for IBRD, IDA, IFC and MIGA
• Annual Report financial summary
  Commitments and disbursements by institution and region, five years
• Board of Directors and Executive Directors
  Who sits on the Boards and which countries they represent
• World Bank projects and operations
  Every project, by country, with documents

Common questions

How much does the World Bank lend each year?

The World Bank Group committed $123.5 billion in fiscal year 2026 in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees (World Bank Group Annual Report 2026).

What share of World Bank votes does the UK have?

3.75% of IBRD voting power and 6.92% of IDA voting power, as of 30 June 2026 (World Bank voting tables).

Who is President of the World Bank?

Ajay Banga, who began a five-year term on 2 June 2023 (World Bank).

Which country has the most votes at the World Bank?

The United States, with 15.98% of IBRD voting power as of 30 June 2026 (World Bank IBRD voting table).

How many countries are members?

189 countries are members of the IBRD, according to the World Bank's voting table (data as of 30 June 2026).

Other bodies at level 9

• African Development Bank
• Asian Development Bank
• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
• Bank for International Settlements
• Basel Committee on Banking Supervision
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• European Investment Bank
• Financial Stability Board
• International Monetary Fund
• Paris Club

Sources

• World Bank: Organization, read 16 October 2026
• Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, read 20 October 2026
• World Bank Group Annual Report 2026: Financial Summary, read 20 October 2026
• World Bank: History, read 20 October 2026
• World Bank: Voting powers, read 20 October 2026
• IBRD subscriptions and voting power of member countries (30 June 2026), read 20 October 2026
• IDA voting power of member countries (30 June 2026), read 20 October 2026
• World Bank: Contacts, read 20 October 2026