Listed Chinese banks will need to raise about $260bn in fresh capital over the next three years as regulations force shadow-bank loans back on to balance sheets and global rules on systemically important groups impose extra requirements on the largest lenders.

A lending surge by Chinese banks in response to monetary stimulus designed to support China’s slowing economy is adding to the banks’ capital needs, by accelerating expansion of their balance sheets.

China’s regulator has forcefully implemented Basel III rules on capital adequacy as it seeks to fortify lenders against risks from a decade of debt growth, which is leading to record defaults. Now, a fresh round of Chinese credit stimulus combined with rules to curb off-balance-sheet lending have increased pressure on Chinese banks to raise new capital.