Columbia-based banks among leaders in deposits

A pair of Columbia-based banks, First Citizens and SCBT, were among the state's biggest gainers in deposits over the past year, according to federal data released this week.

Bank of America, the nation's second-largest bank, gained the most South Carolina deposits by adding nearly $563 million between June 2008 and June 2009, according to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. statistics.

First Citizens bolstered deposits statewide by $485 million, while SCBT added nearly $142 million.

Despite the recession, customers added more deposits in S.C. banks over the past year ($3.2 billion) than the year before ($2.46 billion).

The big loser among South Carolina's largest banks in the past year was the one with the state's most deposits -- Wachovia.

The Charlotte-based bank, which was bought by Wells Fargo last year, lost nearly $230 million in deposits. Its market share fell to a low not reached since 2001, just before Wachovia merged with First Union.

But Wachovia gained deposits and market share in the Columbia area over the past year.

SCBT, though, had a big deposits boost in Richland and Lexington counties -- up by 41 percent in the past year. SCBT president John Windley said the bank has focused hard on gathering more deposits from customers.

First Citizens grew deposits by about 10 percent, in part, thanks to its purchase of Orangeburg's Community Resource Bank last year, but also because the bank offers competitive interest rates, chief financial officer Craig Nix said.

The rankings of the 10 largest banks based on deposits statewide and in the Columbia area changed little over the past year. SCBT rose one spot on both lists.