List of oldest banks in continuous operation
This list of the oldest banks includes financial institutions in continuous operation, operating with the same legal identity without interruption since their establishment until the present time.
Depending on the definition, the world's oldest bank is either Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena or Berenberg Bank. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena was founded in its present form in 1624, but traces its history to a mount of piety founded in 1472. The Berenberg company was founded in 1590 and has operated continuously ever since with the same family as owners or major co-owners. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena is today a large Italian retail bank, while Berenberg Bank is primarily involved in investment banking and private banking for wealthy customers; in any event Berenberg Bank is the world's oldest merchant bank or investment bank. The world's oldest central bank is the Sveriges Riksbank, which was founded in 1668.
Banks established before 1600
Year | Company | Country (historic) | Country (modern) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1472
1624 |
Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena | Siena
Tuscany|medici |
Italy | Tracing its history to a mount of piety founded in 1472, but founded in its present form in 1624 |
1590 | Berenberg Bank | Hamburg | Germany | The oldest bank operating continuously with the same legal identity; the oldest merchant bank |
Banks established in the 17th century
Year | Company | Country (historic) | Country (modern) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1668 | Sveriges Riksbank | Sweden | Sweden | The world's oldest central bank |
1672 | C. Hoare & Co | Kingdom of England | United Kingdom | The oldest British bank |
1674 | Metzler Bank | Frankfurt | Germany | |
1690 | Barclays | Kingdom of England | United Kingdom | |
1692 | Coutts | Kingdom of England | United Kingdom | |
1694 | Bank of England | Kingdom of England | United Kingdom | |
1695 | Bank of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | United Kingdom |
Banks established in the 18th century
Year | Company | Country (historic) | Country (modern) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1702 | Caja Madrid | Castile | Spain | |
1717 | Drummonds Bank | Kingdom of Great Britain | United Kingdom | |
1727 | Royal Bank of Scotland | Kingdom of Great Britain | United Kingdom | |
1737 | Van Lanschot | Dutch Republic | Netherlands | |
1747 | Banque Nagelmackers | Liège | Belgium | |
1760 | Banque Courtois | Kingdom of France | France | |
1765 | Lloyds Bank | Kingdom of Great Britain | United Kingdom | |
1774 | Fürstlich Castell'sche Bank | Würzburg | Germany | |
1780 | Landolt & Cie | Neuchâtel | Switzerland | |
1782 | Bank of Spain | Spain | Spain | |
1783 | Bank of Ireland | Kingdom of Ireland | Ireland | |
1784 | The Bank of New York | United States | United States | Oldest US bank tracing to its original incorporation, without resorting to an acquired predeecessor |
1785 | Trinkaus & Burkhardt | Palatinate | Germany | |
1786 | Hottinger & Cie | Kingdom of France | Switzerland | |
1787 | La Roche & Co. | Basel | Switzerland | |
1787 | Raphaels Bank | Kingdom of Great Britain | United Kingdom | |
1789 | Sal. Oppenheim | Cologne | Germany | Acquired by Deutsche Bank, which began shutting it down as a separate entity in 2017 |
1792 | State Street Corporation | United States | United States | Age dated to predecessor Union Bank |
1796 | Hauck & Aufhäuser | Frankfurt | Germany | |
1796 | Lombard Odier & Cie | Geneva | Switzerland | |
1798 | Donner & Reuschel | Hamburg | Germany | |
1798 | M. M. Warburg & Co. | Hamburg | Germany | |
1799 | The Manhattan Company | United States | United States | Reverse merged with Chase National, retaining the Manhattan charter, but later acquired by Chemical Bank. While Chemical renamed itself Chase Manhattan, the direct corporate lineage was Chemical's |
Banks established in the 19th century
Year | Company | Country (historic) | Country (modern) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1800 | Banque de France | France | France | |
1804 | Schroders | UKGBI | United Kingdom | |
1805 | Pictet & Cie | Geneva | Switzerland | |
1806 | State Bank of India | Calcutta | India | |
1808 | Banco do Brasil | Brazil | Brazil | |
1810 | Brown, Shipley & Co. | UKGBI | United Kingdom | |
1811 | N M Rothschild & Sons | UKGBI | United Kingdom | |
1811 | Bank of Finland | Finland | Finland | |
1812 | Citibank | United States | United States | Originally City Bank of New York and then National City Bank of New York. |
1812 | Sparkasse Schwyz | Schwyz | Switzerland | |
1814 | De Nederlandsche Bank | Netherlands | Netherlands | |
1815 | Banque Bonhôte | Neuchâtel | Switzerland | |
1817 | SNS Bank | Netherlands | Netherlands | |
1817 | Bank of Montreal | Lower Canada | Canada | |
1817 | Bank of New South Wales | New South Wales | Australia | |
1818 | Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. | United States | United States | |
1818 | Groupe Caisse d'Épargne | restoration | France | |
1818 | Berliner Sparkasse | 1803 | Germany | |
1818 | Danmarks Nationalbank | Denmark | Denmark | |
1819 | Mirabaud & Cie | Geneva | Switzerland | |
1819 | Erste Bank | Austrian Empire | Austria | |
1820 | Nordea | Sweden | Sweden | |
1820 | Swedbank | Sweden | Sweden | |
1820 | Institution for Savings | United States | United States | |
1822 | Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires | Argentina | Argentina | |
1822 | DNB | Norway | Norway | as Christiania Sparebank |
1824 | Stadtsparkasse München | Bavaria | Germany | |
1825 | Česká spořitelna | Bohemia | Czech Republic | |
1826 | AEK Bank 1826 | Bern | Switzerland | |
1827 | Hamburger Sparkasse | Hamburg | Germany | |
1828 | Bankhaus Spängler | Austrian Empire | Austria | |
1828 | De Curaçaosche Bank | Curaçao | Curaçao | |
1828 | Citizens Financial Group | United States | United States | |
1828 | Centreville Bank | United States | United States | |
1828 | Javasche Bank | Dutch East Indies | Indonesia | |
1829 | Clientis Caisse d’Epargne CEC | Bern | Switzerland | |
1831 | Dedham Institution for Savings | United States | United States | |
1831 | National Grand Bank | United States | United States | |
1832 | Wilmington Savings Fund Society | United States | United States | |
1832 | Scotiabank | Lower Canada | Canada | |
1833 | Chemung Canal Trust Company | United States | United States | |
1834 | Bank BSU | Zürich | Switzerland | |
1834 | Old National Bank | United States | United States | |
1835 | Australia and New Zealand Banking Group | British Empire | Australia | |
1836 | The Honesdale National Bank | United States | United States | |
1838 | Ballston Spa National Bank | United States | United States | |
1838 | Clydesdale Bank | UKGBI | United Kingdom | |
1838 | First National Bank | 1801 | South Africa | |
1838 | Mauritius Commercial Bank | British Empire | Mauritius | |
1839 | Ionian Bank | Ionian Islands | Greece | Continued operations in Greece until 1999, then merged with Alpha Credit Bank to form Alpha Bank |
1839 | Provident Bank of New Jersey | United States | United States | |
1840 | Montepio | Portugal | Portugal | |
1841 | National Bank of Greece | Kingdom of Greece | Greece | |
1841 | Sberbank | Russian Empire | Russia | |
1844 | Bordier & Cie | Geneva | Switzerland | |
1844 | CaixaBank | Spain | Spain | as Caixa de Barcelona |
1847 | Auckland Savings Bank | New Zealand | New Zealand | |
1846 | Banco de Portugal | Portugal | Portugal | |
1848 | Lazard | United States | United States | |
1849 | Oddo et Cie | France | France | |
1849 | Hoerner Bank | 1848 | Germany | |
1849 | Australian Mutual Provident Society | New South Wales | Australia | |
1850 | Spar- und Leihkasse Bucheggberg | Switzerland | Switzerland | |
1850 | Bank Sparhafen Zürich | Switzerland | Switzerland | |
1850 | Volksbank | Austrian Empire | Austria | |
1851 | Essex Savings Bank | United States | United States | |
1852 | PNC Bank | United States | United States | |
1851 | Bank of the Philippine Islands | Philippines | Philippines | |
1852 | Crédit Foncier de France | France | France | |
1852 | Wells Fargo | United States | United States | |
1853 | Beneficial Bank | United States | United States | |
1854 | Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank | United States | United States | |
1854 | UBS | Switzerland | Switzerland | |
1855 | Salem Five Cents Bank | United States | United States | |
1856 | Credit Suisse | Switzerland | Switzerland | |
1856 | Banque et Caisse d'Épargne de l'État | Luxembourg | Luxembourg | |
1856 | Ottoman Bank | Ottoman Empire | Turkey | |
1856 | M&T Bank | United States | United States | |
1856
1869 |
Regions Bank | United States | United States | as 1st National Bank of Huntsville |
1857 | Santander | Spain | Spain | |
1857 | Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria | Spain | Spain | |
1858 | Fifth Third Bank | United States | United States | |
1858 | Bendigo Bank | Victoria | Australia | |
1858 | Standard Chartered | British Raj | India | |
1859 | National Bank of Canada | Canada | Canada | |
1860 | State Bank of the Russian Empire | 1858 | Russia | |
1861 | Caixa Econômica Federal | Empire of Brazil | Brazil | |
1861 | Bank of New Zealand | New Zealand | New Zealand | |
1861 | Associated Bank | United States | United States | |
1862 | Bank Spółdzielczy w Brodnicy | 1803 | Poland | |
1862 | Standard Bank | 1801 | South Africa | |
1863 | Crédit Lyonnais | France | France | |
1863 | Ziraat Bankası | Ottoman Empire | Turkey | |
1864 | First Horizon National Corporation | United States | United States | as First National Bank |
1864 | Royal Bank of Canada | Canada | Canada | |
1864 | Société Générale | France | France | |
1864 | CEC Bank | 1848 | Romania | |
1864 | Banco de Londres y México | Mexico | Mexico | |
1865 | HSBC | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | |
1865 | Allahabad Bank | British Raj | India | |
1867 | Bank of Stockton | United States | United States | |
1867 | Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce | Canada | Canada | The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was formed through the 1 June 1961, merger of the Canadian Bank of Commerce (founded 1867) and the Imperial Bank of Canada (founded 1873) |
1868 | Busey Bank | United States | United States | |
1868 | Vojvođanska banka | 1867 | Serbia | |
1868 | Sandy Spring Bank | United States | United States | |
1868 | Oldenburgische Landesbank | Oldenburg | Germany | |
1868 | The Bank of Edwardsville | United States | United States | |
1868 | Živnostenská banka | Bohemia | Czech Republic | |
1869 | Goldman Sachs | United States | United States | |
1869 | Mellon Bank | United States | United States | as T. Mellon & Sons' Bank |
1870 | Banco de Bogotá | Colombia | Colombia | |
1870 | Bank Handlowy | Poland | Poland | |
1870 | Commerzbank | 1803 | Germany | |
1870 | Deutsche Bank | 1803 | Germany | |
1870 | Dominick & Dominick | United States | United States | |
1871 | Banco Nacional de Bolivia | Bolivia | Bolivia | |
1871 | Danske Bank | Denmark | Denmark | |
1871 | Handelsbanken | Sweden | Sweden | |
1871 | Wayne Bank | United States | United States | |
1872 | BB&T | United States | United States | |
1873 | The Daishi Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1873 | Zions Bank | United States | United States | |
1874 | Bank of Queensland | Queensland | Australia | |
1875 | Toowoomba Permanent Building Society | Queensland | Australia | |
1875 | Standard Chartered Bank | 1874 | Malaysia | |
1876 | Pharaon & Chiha Bank | Ottoman Empire | Lebanon | |
1876 | Caixa Geral de Depósitos | Portugal | Portugal | |
1877 | POSB Bank | 1874 | Singapore | |
1877 | Banco de Costa Rica | Costa Rica | Costa Rica | |
1877 | QNB Bank | United States | United States | |
1877 | The Juroku Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1877 | The Eighteenth Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1878 | Close Brothers Group | UKGBI | United Kingdom | |
1878 | Bank of the City of Buenos Aires | Argentina | Argentina | |
1878 | The Hyakujushi Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1878 | The 77 Bank | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1878 | The Hyakugo Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1879 | Bulgarian National Bank | Bulgaria | Bulgaria | |
1879 | Kakegawa Shinkin Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1880 | National Bank of Romania | Romania | Romania | |
1881 | Oppenheimer | United States | United States | |
1881 | Banc Sabadell | Spain | Spain | |
1881 | Bank of Clarke County | United States | United States | |
1882 | Crédit Mutuel | France | France | |
1882 | Bank of Japan | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1883 | Bank Mendes Gans | Netherlands | Netherlands | |
1883 | Hancock Bank | United States | United States | |
1884 | National Bank of Serbia | Serbia | Serbia | |
1884 | Banque de Tunisie | Tunisia | Tunisia | |
1884 | Banco Nacional de Mexico | Mexico | Mexico | |
1885 | HSBC El Salvador | El Salvador | El Salvador | |
1886 | Banca Sella Group | Kingdom of Italy | Italy | as Gaudenzio Sella & C. |
1886 | E. Gutzwiller & Cie. Banquiers | Switzerland | Switzerland | |
1886 | Banco Francés del Río de la Plata | Argentina | Argentina | |
1888 | Powell Valley National Bank | United States | United States | |
1889 | Bryn Mawr Trust | United States | United States | |
1889 | Northern Trust | United States | United States | |
1889 | First National Bank of Berryville | United States | United States | |
1890 | Banco de Venezuela | Venezuela | Venezuela | |
1891 | Banco de la Nación Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | |
1893 | Banca d'Italia | Kingdom of Italy | Italy | |
1893 | Banco de Chile | Chile | Chile | |
1893 | Blue Ridge Bank | United States | United States | |
1893 | National Australia Bank | Victoria | Australia | |
1894 | First Bank of Nigeria | Lagos Colony | Nigeria | |
1895 | Punjab National Bank | British Raj | India | |
1895 | Agricultural Bank of Western Australia | 1870 | Australia | |
1895 | Bank Rakyat Indonesia | Dutch East Indies | Indonesia | |
1896 | The Awa Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan | |
1896 | Banco de la República Oriental del Uruguay | Uruguay | Uruguay | |
1896 | Kenya Commercial Bank Group | British East Africa | Kenya | As a subsidiary of National Bank of India |
1898 | National Bank of Egypt | Egypt | Egypt | as Ottoman Empire Bank |
1899 | Bank of Cyprus | Cyprus | Cyprus | |
1899 | Fukui Bank (ja) | Empire of Japan | Japan |
See also
References
- Manfred Pohl, Sabine Freitag, Handbook on the History of European Banks, European Association for Banking History, 1994