Exhibit 99.1

		News Release
CONTACTS:	Jeff Richardson (Investors)	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
	(513) 534-0983	October 26, 2008
	Jim Eglseder (Investors)
	(513) 534-8424
	Debra DeCourcy, APR (Media)
	(513) 534-4153

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP ANNOUNCES PLANS TO PARTICIPATE IN U.S.

TREASURY CAPITAL PURCHASE PROGRAM

Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) today announced its plans to participate in the U.S. Treasury Capital Purchase Program (“CPP” or “Program”).

The Treasury has announced plans to purchase up to $250 billion of senior preferred shares on a voluntary basis in U.S. financial institutions, as part of its efforts to provide a firmer capital foundation for financial firms and to increase credit availability to consumers and businesses. Nine institutions participated initially in this plan and several others have subsequently announced their participation. We expect many additional institutions to also avail themselves of this program.

Last week, we announced that we were considering participation in this program. Subsequently, Fifth Third has had the requisite discussions with its primary regulator and submitted an application for participation, which was filed Thursday. Our application was for an amount equal to 3 percent of risk-weighted assets, or approximately $3.4 billion. We anticipate that our application will be approved shortly by Treasury. Upon approval, we will provide further information regarding the benefits and the impact on Fifth Third of its participation in the program.

Corporate Profile

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. As of September 30, 2008, the Company has $116 billion in assets, operates 18 affiliates with 1,298 full-service Banking Centers, including 93 Bank Mart^® locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,329 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates five main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, Investment Advisors and Fifth Third Processing Solutions. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of September 30, 2008, has $196

billion in assets under care, of which it managed $30 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® National Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.”

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report may contain forward-looking statements about Fifth Third Bancorp within the meaning of Sections 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated thereunder, that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. This report may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of Fifth Third Bancorp including statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words or phrases such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “trend,” “objective,” “continue,” “remain” or similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “can,” “may” or similar expressions. There are a number of important factors that could cause future results to differ materially from historical performance and these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (1) general economic conditions and weakening in the economy, specifically the real estate market, either national or in the states in which Fifth Third, does business, are less favorable than expected; (2) deteriorating credit quality; (3) political developments, wars or other hostilities may disrupt or increase volatility in securities markets or other economic conditions; (4) changes in the interest rate environment reduce interest margins; (5) prepayment speeds, loan origination and sale volumes, charge-offs and loan loss provisions; (6) Fifth Third’s ability to maintain required capital levels and adequate sources of funding and liquidity; (7) changes and trends in capital markets; (8) competitive pressures among depository institutions increase significantly; (9) effects of critical accounting policies and judgments; (10) changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory agencies; (11) legislative or regulatory changes or actions, or significant litigation, adversely affect Fifth Third, or the businesses in which Fifth Third, one is engaged; (12) ability to maintain favorable ratings from rating agencies; (13) fluctuation of Fifth Third’s stock price; (14) ability to attract and retain key personnel; (15) ability to receive dividends from its subsidiaries; (16) potentially dilutive effect of future acquisitions on current shareholders’ ownership of Fifth Third; (17) effects of accounting or financial results of one or more acquired entities; (18) difficulties in combining the operations of acquired entities; (19) inability to generate the gains on sale and related increase in shareholders’ equity that it anticipates from the sale of certain non-core businesses, (20) loss of income from the sale of certain non-core businesses could have an adverse effect on Fifth Third’s earnings and future growth (21) ability to secure confidential information through the use of computer systems and telecommunications networks; (22) the impact of reputational risk created by these developments on such matters as business generation and retention, funding and liquidity; and (23) the Treasury providing satisfactory definitive documentation for its purchase of senior preferred shares and agreement on final terms and conditions. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements is available in the Bancorp’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of this filing are available at no cost on the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov or on the Fifth Third’s Web site at www.53.com. Fifth Third undertakes no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report.

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