KBC Groupe NV

Major Shareholding Notification • Nov 15, 2017

Press release

Outside trading hours – Regulated information*

Brussels, 15 November 2017, 08 h

Publication of transparency notification(s) received by KBC Group NV

(art. 14, 1 st section of the Act of 2 May 2007 concerning the disclosure of significant participations)

Summary of the notification(s)

KBC Group NV has received a transparency notification dd. 8 November 2017, which states that BlackRock Inc. has crossed the reporting threshold of 5% (in voting rights) downwards.

Content of the notification(s)

The notification(s) contain(s) following information:

• Reason for the notification(s): acquisition or disposal of voting securities or voting rights
• Notification(s) by: BlackRock Inc.
• Persons subject to the notification requirement: see annex 1
• Date(s) on which the threshold is crossed: 7 November 2017
• Threshold that is crossed: 5% (KBC Group's Articles of Association set a notification threshold of 3% of the total number of voting rights. In addition, the legal thresholds of 5% or any multiple thereof also apply)
• Denominator (number of shares KBC Group NV): 418 372 082
• Notified details: see annex 1
• Chain of controlled undertakings through which the holding is effectively held: See "11: Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the holding is effectively held" in the PDF-file on www.kbc.com (see below).
• The relevant notification(s) is (are) available at www.kbc.com > Investor relations > Shareholder information > Shareholder structure.

For more information, please contact:

Wim Allegaert, General Manager, Investor Relations, KBC Group Tel + 32 2 429 50 51 – E-mail: wim.allegaert@kbc.be

Viviane Huybrecht, General Manager, Corporate Communication/Spokesperson, KBC Group Tel + 32 2 429 85 45 – E-mail: pressofficekbc@kbc.be

* This press release contains information provided in compliance with European transparency legislation for listed companies. KBC Group NV is listed at NYSE Brussels.

KBC Group NV Havenlaan 2 – 1080 Brussels Viviane Huybrecht General Manager, Corporate Communication/ Spokesperson Tel. + 32 2 429 85 45

Press Office Tel. + 32 2 429 65 01 Tel. + 32 2 429 29 15 Fax + 32 2 429 81 60 E-mail:pressofficekbc@kbc.be KBC press releases are available at www.kbc.com or can be obtained by sending an e-mail to pressofficekbc@kbc.be

Check this document's authenticity at www.kbc.com/en/authenticity .

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Annex 1

Notification dd. 8 November 2017

A) Voting rights	Previous notification	After the transaction
	# of voting rights	# of voting rights		% of voting rights
Holders of voting rights		Linked to securities	Not linked to the securities	Linked to securities	Not linked to the securities
BlackRock, Inc.	0	0		0,00%
BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V.	35.255	35.255		0,01%
BlackRock (Singapore) Limited	11.328	11.328		0,00%
BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited	1.417.183	1.482.763		0,35%
BlackRock Advisors, LLC	268.781	269.059		0,06%
BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited	35.969	35.969		0,01%
BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG	1.781.950	1.781.950		0,43%
BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited	1.853	1.853		0,00%
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.	70.706	70.706		0,02%
BlackRock Fund Advisors	3.897.044	3.897.584		0,93%
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association	3.598.819	3.600.109		0,86%
BlackRock International Limited	136.658	136.658		0,03%
BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited	74.805	74.805		0,02%
BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited	2.754.464	2.689.973		0,64%
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC	538.658	540.489		0,13%
BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd.	532.289	348.146		0,08%
Subtotal	15.155.762	14.976.647		3,58%
TOTAL		14.976.647	0	3,58%	0,00%

B) Equivalent financial instruments	After the transaction
Holders of equivalent financial instruments	Type of financial instrument		Expiration date Exercise period or date	# of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised	% of voting rights	Settlement
BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited	Securities Lent			542.821	0,13%	physical
BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited	Securities Lent			86.500	0,02%	physical
BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited	Securities Lent			5.027.127	1,20%	physical
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC	Securities Lent			1.946	0,00%	physical
BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited	Contract For Difference			1.206	0,00%	cash
BlackRock Advisors, LLC	Contract For Difference			128	0,00%	cash
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association	Contract For Difference			79.209	0,02%	cash
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC	Contract For Difference			14.295	0,00%	cash
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC	Depository Receipt			1.809	0,00%
	TOTAL			5.755.041	1,38%

TOTAL (A & B)		# of voting rights % of voting rights
	CALCULATE	20.731.688	4,96%