SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM T-1

                            STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                      UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939
                  OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY
                   OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2)

                          ----------------------------

                       THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO
               (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

         A National Banking Association                   36-0899825
                                                          (I.R.S. employer
                                                          identification number)

         One First National Plaza, Chicago, Illinois      60670-0126
         (Address of principal executive offices)         (Zip Code)

                       The First National Bank of Chicago
                      One First National Plaza, Suite 0286
                          Chicago, Illinois 60670-0286
             Attn: Lynn A. Goldstein, Law Department (312) 732-6919
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                          -----------------------------

                           Fleet Financial Group, Inc.
               (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

         Rhode Island                                     05-0341324
         (State or other jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. employer
         incorporation or organization)                   identification number)

         One Federal Street
         Boston, Massachusetts                            02110
         (Address of principal executive offices)         (Zip Code)


                        Guarantee of Preferred Securities
                           of Fleet Capital Trust VIII
                         (Title of Indenture Securities)





         
Item 1.     General Information.  Furnish the following
            information as to the trustee:

            (a)   Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to
                  which it is subject.

            Comptroller of Currency, Washington, D.C., Federal Deposit Insurance
            Corporation, Washington, D.C., The Board of Governors of the Federal
            Reserve System, Washington D.C.

            (b)   Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

            The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Item 2.     Affiliations With the Obligor. If the obligor
            is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each
            such affiliation.

            No such affiliation exists with the trustee.

Item        16. List of exhibits. List below all exhibits filed as a part of 
            this Statement of Eligibility.

            1.    A copy of the articles of association of the trustee now in
                  effect.*

            2.    A copy of the certificates of authority of the trustee to
                  commence business.*

            3.    A copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise
                  corporate trust powers.*

            4.    A copy of the existing by-laws of the trustee.*

            5.    Not Applicable.

            6.    The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the
                  Act.

            7.    A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee
                  published pursuant to law or the requirements of its
                  supervising or examining authority.






         
            8.    Not Applicable.

            9.    Not Applicable.


      Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, the trustee, The First National Bank of Chicago, a national banking
association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of
America, has duly caused this Statement of Eligibility to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Chicago
and the State of Illinois, on this 24th day of March, 1998.


                  The First National Bank of Chicago,
                  Trustee

                  By  /s/ John R. Prendiville
                     --------------------------------
                      John R. Prendiville
                      Vice President


* Exhibit 1, 2, 3 and 4 are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibits bearing
identical numbers in Item 16 of the Form T-1 of The First National Bank of
Chicago, filed as Exhibit 25.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of
SunAmerica, Inc., filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October
25, 1996 (Registration No. 333-14201).



                                    EXHIBIT 6

                       THE CONSENT OF THE TRUSTEE REQUIRED
                          BY SECTION 321(b) OF THE ACT


                                                                  March 24, 1998


Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C.  20549

Gentlemen:

            In connection with the qualification of a guarantee between Fleet 
Financial Group, Inc. and The First National Bank of Chicago, the undersigned,
in accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, hereby consents that the reports of examinations of the undersigned,
made by Federal or State authorities authorized to make such examinations, may
be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon
its request therefor.


                                  Very truly yours,

                                  The First National Bank of Chicago

                                  By  /s/ John R. Prendiville
                                    ---------------------------------
                                      John R. Prendiville
                                      Vice President


                                    EXHIBIT 7



                                                           
Legal Title of Bank:     The First National Bank of Chicago      Call Date: 12/31/97  ST-BK:  17-1630 FFIEC 031
Address:                 One First National Plaza, Ste 0303                                                     Page RC-1
City, State Zip:         Chicago, IL  60670
FDIC Certificate No.:    0/3/6/1/8


Consolidated Report of Condition for Insured Commercial
and State-Chartered Savings Banks for December 31,1997

All schedules are to be reported in thousands of dollars. Unless otherwise  
indicated, report the amount outstanding as of the last business day of the
quarter.

Schedule RC--Balance Sheet



                                                                       Dollar Amounts in          C400
                                                                                                  ----
                                                                                                               
ASSETS
1.  Cash and balances due from depository institutions (from Schedule RC-A):
    a. Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin(1)                                       0081      4,267,336    1.a.
    b. Interest-bearing balances(2)                                                                0071      6,893,837    1.b.
2.  Securities
    a. Held-to-maturity securities(from Schedule RC-B, column A)                                   1754              0    2.a.
    b. Available-for-sale securities (from Schedule RC-B, column D)                                1773      5,691,722    2.b.
3.  Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to
    resell                                                                                         1350      6,339,940    3.
4.  Loans and lease financing receivables:
    a. Loans and leases, net of unearned income (from Schedule
       RC-C)                                                               RCFD 2122 25,202,984                           4.a.
    b. LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses                           RCFD 3123    419,121                           4.b.
    c. LESS: Allocated transfer risk reserve                               RCFD 3128          0                           4.c.
    d. Loans and leases, net of unearned income, allowance, and
       reserve (item 4.a minus 4.b and 4.c)                                                        2125      24,783,863   4.d.
5.  Trading assets (from Schedule RD-D)                                                            3545       6,703,332   5.
6.  Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)                                       2145         743,426   6.
7.  Other real estate owned (from Schedule RC-M)                                                   2150           7,727   7.
8.  Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated
    companies (from Schedule RC-M)                                                                 2130         134,959   8.
9.  Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding                                   2155         644,340   9.
10. Intangible assets (from Schedule RC-M)                                                         2143         268,501   10.
11. Other assets (from Schedule RC-F)                                                              2160       2,004,432   11.
12. Total assets (sum of items 1 through 11)                                                       2170      58,483,415   12.


- ---------

(1)   Includes cash items in process of collection and unposted debits.

(2)   Includes time certificates of deposit not held for trading.




                                                           
Legal Title of Bank:     The First National Bank of Chicago      Call Date: 09/30/97  ST-BK:  17-1630 FFIEC 031
Address:                 One First National Plaza, Ste 0303                                                     Page RC-2
City, State Zip:         Chicago, IL  60670
FDIC Certificate No.:    0/3/6/1/8


Schedule RC-Continued



                                                                       Dollar Amounts in
                                                                           Thousands                    Bil Mil Thou
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                            
LIABILITIES
13. Deposits:
    a. In domestic offices (sum of totals of columns A and C
       from Schedule RC-E, part 1)                                                            RCON 2200   21,756,846    13.a
       (1) Noninterest-bearing(1)                                       RCON 6631  9,197,227                            13.a.1
       (2) Interest-bearing                                             RCON 6636    559,619                            13.a.2
    b. In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and
       IBFs (from Schedule RC-E, part II)                               RCFN 2200 14,811,410                            13.b.
       (1) Noninterest bearing                                          RCFN 6631    332,801                            13.b.1
       (2) Interest-bearing                                             RCFN 6636 14,478,609                            13.b.2
14. Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements
    to repurchase:                                                                            RCFD 2800    4,535,422    14
15. a. Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury                                               RCON 2840       43,763    15.a
    b. Trading Liabilities (from Schedule RC-D)........................                       RCFD 3548    6,523,239    15.b
16. Other borrowed money:
    a. With a remaining  maturity of one year or less                                         RCFD 2332    1,360,165    16.a
    b. With a remaining  maturity of than one year through three years                             A547      576,492    16.b
    c. With a remaining maturity of more than three years .............                            A548      703,981    16.c
17. Not applicable
18. Bank's liability on acceptance executed and outstanding                                   RCFD 2920      644,341    18
19. Subordinated notes and debentures (2)                                                     RCFD 3200    1,700,000    19
20. Other liabilities (from Schedule RC-G)                                                    RCFD 2930    1,322,077    20
21. Total liabilities (sum of items 13 through 20)                                            RCFD 2948   53,987,736    21
22. Not applicable                                                                          
EQUITY CAPITAL                                                                              
23. Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus                                             RCFD 3838            0    23
24. Common stock                                                                              RCFD 3230      200,858    24
25. Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)                                  RCFD 3839    2,999,001    25
26. a. Undivided profits and capital reserves                                                 RCFD 3632    1,273,239    26.a.
    b. Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale                          
       securities                                                                             RCFD 8434       24,096    26.b.
27. Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments                                       RCFD 3284       (1,515)   27
28. Total equity capital (sum of items 23 through 27)                                         RCFD 3210    4,495,679    28
29. Total liabilities and equity capital (sum of items 21 and 28)                             RCFD 3300   58,483,415    29


Memorandum

To be reported only with the March Report of Condition.



                                                                                                          
1.   Indicate in the box at the right the number of the statement below that 
     best describes the most comprehensive level of auditing work performed for                        Number
     the bank by independent external auditors as of any date during 1996 .............RCFD 6724 .......N/A        M.1

1 =  Independent audit of the bank conducted in accordance         4 = Directors' examination of the bank performed by other
     with generally accepted auditing standards by a certified         external auditors (may be required by state chartering
     public accounting firm which submits a report on the bank         authority)
2 =  Independent audit of the bank's parent holding company        5 = Review of the bank's financial statements by external
     conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing          auditors
     standards by a certified public accounting firm which         6 = Compilation of the bank's financial statements by external
     submits a report on the consolidated holding company              auditors
     (but not on the bank separately)                              7 = Other audit procedures (excluding tax preparation work)
3 =  Directors' examination of the bank conducted in               8 = No external audit work
     accordance with generally accepted auditing standards
     by a certified public accounting firm (may be required 
     by state chartering authority)


- ----------
(1)   Includes total demand deposits and noninterest-bearing time and savings
      deposits.

(2)   Includes limited-life preferred stock and related surplus.