List of oldest banks in continuous operation

The merchant banker Cornelius Berenberg, a member of the Berenberg family, whose grandfather founded Berenberg Bank in 1590
Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, headquarters in Siena today

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. Banco di Napoli, which was absorbed by different entities between 2002–2018, had origins dating back to 1539, and until its absorption was likely the oldest bank worldwide in continuous operation; some scholars posit that its origins may be dated back to 1463.[1]

Banks established in the 15th and 16th century

[edit]
Year Company Country (historic) Country (modern) Notes
1472 Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena Siena, Republic of Siena  Italy The world's oldest bank. Founded as a mount of piety, refounded in its present form in the Republic of Florence in 1624. From 2017 to 2024, the main shareholder was the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.
1590 Berenberg Bank Hamburg, Holy Roman Empire  Germany The oldest merchant bank

Banks established in the 17th century

[edit]
Year Company Country (historic) Country (modern) Notes
1668 Sveriges Riksbank Kingdom of Sweden  Sweden The world's oldest central bank.
1672 C. Hoare & Co. Kingdom of England  United Kingdom One of the oldest British banks and the oldest privately owned bank, not a limited company.
1674 Metzler Bank Free City of Frankfurt  Germany
1690 Barclays Kingdom of England  United Kingdom
1692 Coutts & Co. Kingdom of England  United Kingdom Part of NatWest Group.
1694 Bank of England Kingdom of England  United Kingdom
1695 Bank of Scotland Kingdom of Scotland  United Kingdom Part of Lloyds Banking Group.

Banks established in the 18th century

[edit]
Year Company Country (historic) Country (modern) Notes
1702 Monte de Piedad de Madrid Spain  Spain Predecessor institution to Bankia (today part of CaixaBank)
1717 Drummonds Bank Kingdom of Great Britain  United Kingdom A branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland
1727 Royal Bank of Scotland Kingdom of Great Britain  United Kingdom Part of NatWest Group
1737 Van Lanschot Kempen Dutch Republic  Netherlands The oldest independent bank in the Netherlands[2] and the Benelux.[3][4]
1747 Banque Nagelmackers Liège  Belgium
1750 Rahn+Bodmer Zürich   Switzerland
1760 Banque Courtois Kingdom of France  France
1765 Lloyds Bank Kingdom of Great Britain  United Kingdom Part of Lloyds Banking Group.
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 (and Northern Ireland)
1784 The Bank of New York United States  United States Oldest US bank tracing to its original incorporation, without resorting to an acquired predecessor[citation needed]
1785 Trinkaus & Burkhardt Palatinate  Germany Acquired in 1980s by Midland Bank and then 1992 to British bank HSBC
1786 Hottinger & Cie Kingdom of France  United Kingdom Edmond de Rothschild acquired a 42.5% stake in Hottinger Group on 31 May 2022
1792 State Street Corporation United States  United States Age dated to predecessor Union Bank
1796 Hauck & Aufhäuser Free City of Frankfurt  Germany
1796 Lombard Odier & Cie Geneva   Switzerland
1798 Donner & Reuschel Hamburg  Germany
1798 M. M. Warburg & Co. Hamburg  Germany
1799 Bank of the Manhattan Company United States  United States Predecessor institution to JPMorgan Chase

Banks established in the 19th century

[edit]
Year Company Country (historic) Country (modern) Notes
1800 The Washington Trust Company United States  United States United States' oldest commercial bank
Rhode Island community bank
1800 Banque de France French Republic  France
1804 Schroders United Kingdom  United Kingdom
1805 Pictet & Cie France (Léman/annexed Geneva)   Switzerland
1808 Banco do Brasil Kingdom of Portugal (State of Brazil)  Brazil Brazil's oldest bank
1810 Brown, Shipley & Co. United Kingdom  United Kingdom
1811 N M Rothschild & Sons United Kingdom  United Kingdom
1811 Bank of Finland Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire  Finland
1812 Citibank United States  United States Originally City Bank of New York and then National City Bank of New York
1812 Sparkasse Schwyz Swiss Confederation   Switzerland
1814 Caisse d'Epargne Riviera [de] Switzerland   Switzerland One of the oldest active banks in Switzerland.
1814 De Nederlandsche Bank Netherlands  Netherlands Precursor: Amsterdam Wisselbank, founded in 1609 and the first Central bank in the world
1815 Banque Bonhôte Swiss Confederation   Switzerland
1816 Norges Bank Norway  Norway Central bank of Norway, founded on the capital of privately owned silver which was delivered to the bank
1816 Cater Allen Private Bank United Kingdom  United Kingdom
1817 Bank of Montreal Lower Canada  Canada
1817 Westpac New South Wales  Australia as Bank of New South Wales
1818 Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. United States  United States
1818 Groupe Caisse d'Épargne Kingdom of France  France Merged with Groupe Banque Populaire in 2009 to form Groupe BPCE
1818 Berliner Sparkasse Prussia  Germany
1818 Danmarks Nationalbank Denmark  Denmark
1819 Mirabaud & Cie Swiss Confederation   Switzerland
1819 Erste Bank Austrian Empire  Austria
1819 BankNewport United States  United States as Newport Savings Bank
1820 Nordea Finland  Finland
1820 Swedbank Sweden  Sweden
1820 Institution for Savings United States  United States
1822 Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Province, United Provinces of the Río de la Plata  Argentina
1822 DNB Norway  Norway as Christiania Sparebank
1824 Stadtsparkasse München Bavaria  Germany
1825 Česká spořitelna Bohemia, Austrian Empire  Czech Republic
1825 Millbury National Bank United States  United States
1825 Key Bank United States  United States Oldest ancestor chartered as Commercial Bank of Albany
1826 AEK Bank 1826 Restored Swiss Confederacy   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 Bank Indonesia Dutch East Indies  Indonesia as De Javasche Bank, the current form was nationalized and officially founded in 1953
1829 Clientis Caisse d’Epargne CEC Restored Swiss Confederacy   Switzerland
1831 Dedham Institution for Savings United States  United States The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves has an account at the bank, opened in 1832, that is believed to be the oldest account in the nation.[5][6] The bank is also called Dedham Savings.[7]
1831 National Grand Bank United States  United States
1832 Wilmington Savings Fund Society United States  United States
1832 Scotiabank Nova Scotia  Canada
1833 Chemung Canal Trust Company United States  United States Merged with Elmira Trust Company in 1902, originally named Chemung Canal Bank.[8]
1833 Arbuthnot Latham United Kingdom  United Kingdom
1834 Hingham Institution for Savings United States  United States
1834 Bank BSU Restored Swiss Confederacy   Switzerland
1834 First Financial Bank United States  United States as Terre Haute branch of the Second State Bank of Indiana
1834 Old National Bank United States  United States
1835 ANZ Bank Colony of New South Wales  Australia founded in London as Bank of Australasia; first branch in Sydney
1836 The Honesdale National Bank United States  United States
1836 Ulster Bank United Kingdom  United Kingdom &  Ireland Now a subsidiary of NatWest and operates in two countries
1838 Ballston Spa National Bank United States  United States
1838 Clydesdale Bank United Kingdom  United Kingdom
1838 First National Bank Cape Colony  South Africa
1838 Mauritius Commercial Bank British Mauritius  Mauritius
1839 Provident Bank of New Jersey United States  United States
1840 Montepio Portugal  Portugal
1841 National Bank of Greece Kingdom of Greece  Greece
1844 Bordier & Cie Restored Swiss Confederacy   Switzerland
1844 CaixaBank Spain  Spain as Caixa de Barcelona. Its predecessor institution Caja Madrid was founded as Monte de Piedad de Madrid in 1702.
1846 Banco de Portugal Portugal  Portugal
1846 Laurentian Bank Lower Canada  Canada As the Montreal City and District Savings Bank
1847 Auckland Savings Bank New Zealand  New Zealand
1847 National Iron Bank United States  United States Oldest private bank in New England
1848 Lazard United States  United States Founded as Lazard Frères & Co., a merchant goods store that expanded into banking and foreign exchange.[9]
1849 Oddo et Cie France  France
1849 Hoerner Bank Baden  Germany
1849 Australian Mutual Provident Society New South Wales  Australia
1850 Spar- und Leihkasse Bucheggberg Switzerland   Switzerland
1850 Nationale Bank van België Belgium  Belgium
1850 Bank Sparhafen Zürich Switzerland   Switzerland
1850 Volksbank Austrian Empire  Austria
1851 Bank of the Philippine Islands Spanish Philippines  Philippines Oldest bank in Southeast Asia
1851 Essex Savings Bank United States  United States
1852 PNC Bank United States  United States
1852 Crédit Foncier de France France  France
1852 Wells Fargo 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
1855 Toronto-Dominion Bank Province of Canada  Canada as Bank of Toronto; merged with The Dominion Bank in 1955
1856 Credit Suisse Switzerland   Switzerland
1856 Banque et Caisse d'Épargne de l'État Luxembourg  Luxembourg
1856 Garanti Bank Ottoman Empire  Turkey as Ottoman Bank; merged 2001
1856 M&T Bank United States  United States
1856 Regions Bank United States  United States as 1st National Bank of Huntsville; merged with two other banks in 1971
1856 Exchange Bank & Trust[10] United States  United States Founding date of 1/1/1856 comes from predecessor bank - First National Bank of Leavenworth, Kansas. Exchange was founded in Atchison, Kansas in 1857.
1857 Baraboo State Bank United States  United States
1857 Santander Spain  Spain
1857 Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Spain  Spain
1857 First National Bank Omaha United States  United States founded as Kountze Brothers Bank; became First National Bank Omaha in 1865.
1858 Fifth Third Bank United States  United States
1858 Bendigo & Adelaide Bank Victoria  Australia as Bendigo Bank
1858 Standard Chartered British Raj  India
1859 National Bank of Canada Province of Canada  Canada
1859 Standard Chartered (Singapore) Straits Settlement  Singapore First few foreign banks established in Singapore.
1860 State Bank of the Russian Empire Russian Empire  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 Prussia  Poland
1862 Standard Bank Cape Colony  South Africa
1863 Crédit Lyonnais Second French Empire  France
1863 First Financial Bank United States  United States
1863 U.S. Bank United States  United States through merger with The First National Bank of Cincinnati (National Charter #24)
1863 Ziraat Bankası Ottoman Empire  Turkey
1864 First National Bank of Pennsylvania United States  United States as First National Bank of West Greenville
1864 First Horizon National Corporation United States  United States Founded as First National Bank of Memphis, or First National Bank, and also later went by First Tennessee Bank.[11]
1864 Royal Bank of Canada Province of Canada  Canada
1864 Société Générale Second French Empire  France
1864 CEC Bank Romanian United Principalities  Romania
1864 The First National Bank & Trust Company of Newtown United States  United States
1865 HSBC British Hong Kong  Hong Kong as The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank
1865 Allahabad Bank British Raj  India
1865 Isle of Man Bank Isle of Man Isle of Man The bank was acquired by National Provincial Bank in 1961
1866 Huntington Bancshares United States  United States as The Huntington National Bank
1867 Bank of Stockton United States  United States
1867 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Province of Canada[a]  Canada as Canadian Bank of Commerce; merged on 1 June 1961 with the Imperial Bank of Canada
1868 Busey Bank United States  United States both Busey Brothers Bank, and bought-out The Bank of Edwardsville, date back to 1868
1868 Sandy Spring Bank United States  United States
1868 Oldenburgische Landesbank Oldenburg  Germany
1869 The Savings Bank United States  United States founded as the Wakefield Savings Bank
1869 Goldman Sachs United States  United States
1869 Baker Boyer Bank United States  United States
1869 Jefferson Security Bank United States  United States Founded as Jefferson Savings Bank[12]
1870 Banco de Bogotá Colombia  Colombia
1870 Bank Handlowy Congress Poland, Russian Empire  Poland
1870 Commerzbank Kingdom of Prussia  Germany
1870 Deutsche Bank Kingdom of Prussia  Germany
1870 Dominick & Dominick United States  United States Founded as Dominick & Dickerman, renamed several times.[13]
1870 Zürcher Kantonalbank Switzerland   Switzerland
1871 Banco Nacional de Bolivia Bolivia  Bolivia
1871 Danske Bank Denmark  Denmark
1871 Handelsbanken Sweden  Sweden
1871 Wayne Bank United States  United States
1872 Truist Financial United States  United States
1872 Sparkasse Schwaz Austrian Empire  Austria
1873 The Daishi Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1873 Zions Bank United States  United States
1873 Bank of the Province of Córdoba United Provinces  Argentina
1874 Bank of Queensland Queensland  Australia
1874 The Bank of Marion United States  United States Third oldest bank in Virginia
1875 Toowoomba Permanent Building Society Queensland  Australia
1875 Standard Chartered Bank Straits Settlements  Malaysia Malaysia's oldest bank
1876 Pharaon & Chiha Bank Ottoman Empire  Lebanon Oldest bank in Lebanon; acquired by Byblos Bank in 2016[14]
1876 Caixa Geral de Depósitos Portugal  Portugal
1877 POSB Bank Straits Settlements  Singapore Singapore's oldest local bank
1877 Banco de Costa Rica Costa Rica  Costa Rica
1877 QNB Bank United States  United States
1877 The Juroku Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1877 Eighteenth Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1877 Bank of Washington United States  United States
1878 Close Brothers Group United Kingdom  United Kingdom
1878 Bank of the City of Buenos Aires Argentina  Argentina
1878 The Hyakujushi Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1878 The 77 Bank Japan  Japan
1878 The Hyakugo Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1879 Alpha Bank Kingdom of Greece  Greece
1879 Bulgarian National Bank Principality of Bulgaria  Bulgaria
1879 Kakegawa Shinkin Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1880 Illawarra Mutual Building Society New South Wales  Australia
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 French Third Republic  France
1882 Bank of Japan Japan  Japan
1883 Bank Mendes Gans Netherlands  Netherlands
1883 Hancock Bank United States  United States
1884 National Bank of Serbia Kingdom of Serbia  Serbia
1884 Banque de Tunisie French protectorate of Tunisia  Tunisia
1884 Banco Nacional de Mexico Mexico  Mexico
1885 Banco Davivienda 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 Obwaldner Kantonalbank Switzerland   Switzerland
1886 Banco Francés del Río de la Plata Argentina  Argentina
1887 Banco Nacional de la República Oriental del Uruguay Uruguay  Uruguay The only part of the bank that did not go into bankruptcy, the mortgage section, became in 1892 the Banco Hipotecario del Uruguay, nationalized in 1912 and still in operation.
1888 Hatton National Bank Ceylon  Sri Lanka Established in 1888 as the “Hatton Bank” to cater to the flourishing tea industry in the central region of Sri Lanka.[15]
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 Later named the First National Bank of Arkansas and then in 2022, the Bank of 1889.[16]
1890 Banco de Venezuela Venezuela  Venezuela Founded as a government institution as Banco Comercial, then renamed in 1890 to Banco de 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 as Commercial Banking Company of Sydney
1894 First Bank of Nigeria Lagos Colony  Nigeria
1895 Punjab National Bank British Raj  India
1895 Bankwest Western Australia  Australia as Agricultural Bank of Western Australia
1895 Bank Rakyat Indonesia Dutch East Indies  Indonesia
1895 Bay State Savings Bank United States  United States
1896 The Awa Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1896 Banco de la República Oriental del Uruguay Uruguay  Uruguay
1896 Kenya Commercial Bank Group East Africa Protectorate  Kenya as a subsidiary of National Bank of India
1897 Shinhan Bank Joseon  South Korea
1898 National Bank of Egypt Egypt  Egypt
1899 Bank of Cyprus British Cyprus  Cyprus
1899 Woori Bank Korean Empire  South Korea
1899 Fukui Bank (ja) Japan  Japan
1899 Bank of Taiwan Japan-administered Formosa  Taiwan
1899 First Commercial Bank Japan-administered Formosa  Taiwan

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Bank was founded on May 15; two months before Canadian confederation (July 1)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Storia: Banco di Napoli - Intesa Sanpaolo".
  2. ^ International Investment UBS to sell its Netherlands wealth management bizhttps://www.internationalinvestment.net/internationalinvestment/news/3503988/ubs-sell-netherlands-wealth-management-biz Archived 8 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2 January 2021
  3. ^ "A Chinese carmaker agrees to buy a Danish investment bank". The Economist. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  4. ^ The New York Times Belgian Bank Deal 25 April 1990 https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/25/business/company-news-belgian-bank-deal.html Accessed 2 January 2021
  5. ^ Dedham Institution for Savings (2004). "This man has an account with us, opened in 1832, to fund the apprehension of horse thieves" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2005. Retrieved 2 December 2006.
  6. ^ Howard, Marjorie (25 January 2013). "Office Treasures: No Horse Thievery Here". Tufts Now. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
  7. ^ "South Shore, Dedham Savings banks to merge, but keep their respective brands - the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
  8. ^ "Star-Gazette Subscription Offers, Specials, and Discounts".
  9. ^ Guy de Rougemont, Lazard Frères, Banquiers des Deux Mondes (1840-1939), Librairie Arthème Fayard, 2010
  10. ^ "Exchange Bank & Trust | Personal, Business & Military Banking". www.ebt.bank. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  11. ^ "First Tennessee National Corporation." International Directory of Company Histories, edited by Paula Kepos, vol. 11, St. James Press, 1995, pp. 120-121. Gale Virtual Reference Library.
  12. ^ "Tennant recognizes Jefferson Security Bank as state's oldest business". shepherdstownchronicle.com. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  13. ^ "ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED.; Dominick & Dominick, Brokers, Observe Fiftieth Year in Business". The New York Times. 15 June 1920. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  14. ^ "News Room | Byblos Bank Acquires Banque Pharaon & Chiha | Lebanon | Byblos Bank". www.byblosbank.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  15. ^ "About HNB | Recognized as the Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka".
  16. ^ Waldon, George (30 May 2022). "'Bank of 1889' Set to Debut In Berryville". Arkansas Business.

Literature

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_oldest_banks_in_continuous_operation&oldid=1257998402"