Everything was done simply in those old days. If someone had a lot of money, he would just put it in a jar, bury it under the fence, say, “I have money in the jar,” and not worry about anything else.
© Lewis Carroll (Charles Latwidge Dodgson)
Bank (from Italian banco - bench, bench, table on which money changers laid out coins). Today, a bank, as a rule, refers to financial institutions that dispose and manage monetary assets, various securities (), precious metals (silver, gold, etc.) and real estate.
The very first banks in the world were born from organizations that carried out commercial activities and had a solid level of funds and clients, at the expense of which they began to conduct lending activities and thus extract interest on profits.
Later, as their activities expanded, completely new types of operations appeared, which also began to provide banks with profit. With increasing profitability, such financial institutions began to be in demand among “daredevils,” and bank robberies became a problem for the police.
However, in today’s 21st century it is impossible to imagine life without banks, they are almost everywhere and it is banks that play one of the most important roles in the development of the economy of any country. Today we will take a closer look at the top 10 oldest banks in the world that still continue to operate. So, here we go:
The oldest banks in the world
No. 1. Monte dei Paschi di Siena Italy, 1472
This Bank was founded on February 27, 1472 by the General Council of the Republic of Siena to issue microloans at low interest rates to those residents who did not have a sufficient level of income. Monte dei Paschi di Siena is the oldest bank in the world that is still in operation today. Today it has more than 2000 departments and 4.5 million clients. The bank's headquarters, Palazzo Salimbeni, houses a collection of various works of art and unique historical documents belonging to the bank. The collection is not available to every person.
Some experts believe that the very first bank in the world was founded in Genoa under the name Banco di San Giorgio in 1407. However, this bank did not exist for a relatively long time, until 1805. Therefore, it is Monte dei Paschi di Siena that is considered to be the oldest operating bank in the world.
No. 2. Berenberg Bank Germany, 1590
The bank was founded in 1590 by clothing merchants brothers Hans and Paul Berenberg from Antwerp in modern-day Belgium. John Gossler then joined the bank. The bank's logo is the combined coat of arms of the Berenberg and Gossler families, depicting a Berenberg bear and a goose leg - Gossler. Initially, the Berenbergs were engaged in the sale and production of fabrics, and their company was a merchant house, one of the largest players in the fabric import-export market. The company quickly expanded its business into other goods and became involved in shipping and investment in the 17th century.
No. 3. Stadsbank van Lening Holland, 1614
The Credit Bank in Amsterdam was founded in 1614. The Bank mainly consists of 6 branches, two shops and an auction house. Stadsbank van Lening can accept various jewelry made of precious metals (gold, silver), diamonds, as well as goods such as bicycles, musical instruments, etc. as collateral. The items will be kept in pawn for about 6 months, but if they are not bought back, then such items will be transformed into auction house lots. Trades are carried out once a month for jewelry and once every 2 months for others. Unpurchased goods are sent to the company's stores.
No. 4. Sveriges Riksbank Sweden, 1668
The Riksbank is rightfully considered one of the oldest existing central banks in the world. It was founded in 1668. Its predecessor was Stockholm Banco, a private banking institution that failed when it made too many loans without the right collateral. Palmstruch, who was responsible for issuing loans, was sentenced to death, but was later pardoned. The new bank, in order not to repeat the mistakes of the old one, began work under the strict control of the Riksdag of the Estates.
No. 5. C. Hoare & Co England, 1672
Hoare & Co is an English private bank, the oldest bank in the UK and the fifth largest in the world. Founded in 1672 by Sir Richard Hoare, C. Hoare & Co remains family owned and is today run by the eleventh generation of Hoare's direct descendants. Richard Hoare was a successful jeweler and jewelers back then had very secure premises which they needed to lend to their clients and this was the start of C. Hoare & Co. The bank's symbol was a gilded leather bottle.
No. 6. Metzler Bank Germany, 1674
Metzler Bank is a private bank headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Metzler Bank is the second oldest bank in Germany, and has been exclusively owned by the founding family since its founding in 1674 until the present day.
In 1742, the son of the founder, Benjamin Metzler, was elected to the board of directors of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Since then, the bank's owners have been continuously represented on the governing body of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
No. 7. Barclays England, 1690
Barclays is one of the world's largest financial institutions with a wide presence in Europe, the USA and Asia. The conglomerate's operations are carried out through its subsidiary Barclays Bank PLC. The modern banking institution was founded in 1896. This happened after some small English banks merged and began to operate under the common brand Barclays and Co. Barclays is the title sponsor of the English Football Premier League.
No. 8. Coutts England, 1692
Coutts was founded in 1692 and is fully owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group.
The bank that eventually became Coutts & Co was originally a small shop that was set up on a London beach, under the symbol of the three crowns, jeweler and banker John Campbell. The owner of the bank died in 1712, leaving the business to his family members. And in 1755, John Campbell's granddaughter married merchant and banker James Coutts and the bank became known as Campbell & Coutts.
No. 9. Bank of England England, 1694
The bank was originally erected as a treasury for the English government. Today it is the central bank of England and organizes the work of the All Monetary Policy Committee, which is responsible for managing the country's monetary policy.
No. 10. Bank of Scotland Scotland, 1695
It was founded by an act of the Scottish Parliament on July 17, 1695 in order to support entrepreneurship in the country and on the basis of a banking monopoly for a period of 21 years. It is the first and last commercial establishment to be created by the Scottish Parliament and continues to operate to this day.
At first, the bank could not give loans to the government without parliamentary approval; this emphasized the bank’s focus on business development in the long term. Well, that’s all, in this article you found out what the first bank in the world was and got acquainted with the rating - the top 10 oldest banks on earth.
Bank of New York Mellow
At all times, people cared about the safety of their savings. Some people prefer to hide it in their underwear, others bury it in the garden, but what if you try to put your hard-earned money in one of the five oldest banks in the world? The youngest surviving bank is the New York Bank. He is rightfully considered the oldest and most respected in the United States.
It was founded in 1784 by Alexander Hamilton, an outstanding statesman of his time. Since then, only the name has changed: after merging with Mellon Financial Corporation, it is called Bank of New York Mellow.
But don’t be afraid to trust the next bank, which was the first in the country to start printing its own money. Halifax Bank of Scotland, founded in 1695, is headquartered in Edinburgh. In 1727, the bank had a strong competitor in the issue of banknotes in the form of the Royal Bank of Scotland. But he managed to withstand the struggle. In 2001, the Scottish Bank became known as Halifax Bank of Scotland.
C. Hoare&Co registered in 1672. This banking institution turned out to be very stable: during World War II, all securities were evacuated, and the building was saved from fire by several brave employees. The bank's head office is located in London, and it is managed by the descendants of the founder.
The oldest bank in Germany is Berenberg Bank, founded by the brothers Ganz and Paul Berenberg in 1590. The brothers were engaged in clothing trade, import and export, and over time, with the money they earned, they opened a bank that is still thriving to this day.
But the oldest operating bank is Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, founded in 1472. The bank is located in Sienna, Italy. Throughout its existence, it has continuously provided financial support to the city.
The reliability and reputation of the bank are the main criteria that a potential client pays attention to. The longer a bank exists on the market, the more reasons there are to trust it.
This is confirmed by the experience of the first bank of South Korea - Shinhan Bank. February 1 marked 120 years since the financial institution first opened its doors to clients. For more than a century, the bank not only did not make depositors doubt their solvency. But he also accumulated impressive capital. The bank's assets amount to $260 billion.
We suggest recalling ten banks that appeared long before the Korean Shinhan Bank and are still operating to this day.
1. Monte dei Paschi di Siena - Italy, 1472
The bank was founded on February 27, 1472 by the General Council of the Siena Republic to issue loans at low interest rates to poor residents. Monte dei Paschi di Siena is the oldest bank in the world still in operation. It has over 2000 branches and 4.5 million users. The bank's headquarters, Palazzo Salimbeni, houses a collection of works of art and unique historical documents belonging to the bank. The collection is not available to the public.
2. Berenberg Bank - Germany, 1590
The oldest bank in Germany and the second oldest in the world in operation. Berenberg Bank is physically located in Hamburg. The founders of the bank, the Berenberg brothers, Hans and Paul, traded in clothing and were involved in import and export. The period of formation and development of the bank very successfully coincided with the heyday of Hamburg. The city quickly became a center of trade and financial activity, and the entrepreneurs succeeded in their business along with other members of a small group of Dutch people who did not even have full civil rights in Hamburg. The company grew quickly and accumulated funds, with which a bank was eventually opened, which is still in business today.
3. Stadsbank van Lening - Holland, 1614
The Credit Bank in Amsterdam was founded in 1614. The bank consists of six branches, two shops and an auction house. Stadsbank van Lening accepts gold, silver and diamond jewelry as collateral, as well as goods such as bicycles, musical instruments and digital cameras. Items are pledged for 6 months, but if they are not bought back, then such items turn into auction house lots. Auctions are held once a month for jewelry and once every 2 months for others. Unpurchased goods are sent to the company's stores.
4. Sveriges Riksbank - Sweden, 1668
The Bank of Sweden is considered not only one of the oldest banks, but also the oldest central bank in the world. At its foundation it was called the Bank of State Estates (Riksens ständers bank). It received its modern name in 1866, when the class governing body was eliminated.
Today, in addition to its regulatory functions, the Bank of Sweden is involved in awarding the Nobel Prize in Economics.
5. C. Hoare & Co - England, 1672
The oldest bank in the UK and the fifth oldest bank in the world. Founded in 1672 by Sir Richard Hoare, C. Hoare & Co remains family owned and is now run by the eleventh generation of Hoare's direct descendants.
Richard Hoare was a successful jeweler. At that time, jewelers had safe premises and the necessary resources, which is why he began lending to his clients. This was the beginning of C. Hoare & Co. Bank. The symbol of his business was a gold-plated leather bottle.
6. Metzler Bank - Germany, 1674
Metzler Bank is a private bank headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Metzler Bank is the second oldest bank in Germany, and has been exclusively owned by the founding family since its founding in 1674 until the present day.
In 1742, the son of the founder, Benjamin Metzler, was elected to the board of directors of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Since then, the bank's owners have been continuously represented on the governing body of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
7. Barclays - England, 1690
Barclays is one of the UK's and the world's largest financial institutions, with a strong presence in Europe, the US and Asia. The conglomerate's operations are carried out through its subsidiary Barclays Bank PLC.
The modern bank was formed in 1896, when several small London and provincial English banks began to operate under the single Barclays and Co. brand. Barclays is the title sponsor of the English Football Premier League.
8. Coutts - England 1692
It is interesting that one of the oldest banks in the world, Coutts, was not originally a bank at all. It was a small shop set up on a London beach, owned by jeweler and banker John Campbell.
But in 1712 the founder died, leaving the business to his family members. And in 1755, Campbell's granddaughter married a merchant and banker named James Coutts, who used the store's resources to create a credit organization. It was then that the bank became known as Campbell & Coutts.
Coutts is now a private bank wholly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group.
9. Bank of England - England, 1694
Another European Central Bank on the list. The bank was originally erected as a treasury for the English government. Now it fully performs all the functions of the regulator, so there is no need to talk about its closure.
One of the most scandalous robberies in the world took place here. So, in 2006, the bank's depository manager was forced to open a vault containing ninety-two and a half million dollars because robbers were holding his entire family hostage.
10. Bank of Scotland - Scotland, 1695
The bank was founded in 1695 and its head office is located in Edinburgh. The existence of this bank proves that nothing is more permanent than temporary. The Bank of Scotland was founded by an Act of Parliament to support business in the country for a period of 21 years.
It is the first and last commercial establishment to be created by the Scottish Parliament and continues to operate to this day. At first, the bank could not give loans to the government without parliamentary approval; this emphasized the bank’s focus on business development in the long term. In addition, it was Bank of Scotland that was the first in the country to print its own paper money.
We present to your attention the TOP 20 largest world banks in 13.01.2019 .
For several years in a row, the leading positions in this ranking have been occupied by Chinese banks, and this is quite natural, given the annual growth of the economy and productivity of the Celestial Empire.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)
Assets: $4,009 billion.
Country: China.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is the largest bank in the world, is one of the “Big Four” financial institutions of the Celestial Empire, controls almost a fifth of the entire banking sector in China.
ICBC has $4,009 billion in assets at its latest and a market capitalization of $180.69 billion.
The bank was founded in 1984 and currently has more than 460 thousand employees. The company's headquarters are located in Beijing. More than 70% of the company is owned by the state.
China Construction Bank Corporation
Assets: $3,400 billion.
Country: China.
The second in our ranking, as well as the second largest, Bank of China was founded in 1954 and is literally referred to as the “Chinese Construction Bank”. According to the latest data, its assets are 3,400 billion dollars, and its market capitalization is more than 253.04 billion.
Initially, CCB was organized exclusively for government mutual settlements, but was later successfully repurposed as a commercial one. The company includes more than 14 thousand branches around the world, employing 372 thousand employees.
Agricultural Bank of China
Assets: $3,235 billion.
Country: China.
ABoC was founded in 1951 by Mao Zedong to help collective farms, peasants and workers. Currently, the bank has confidently gained a foothold in the field of commercial financial organizations in China and the world. The main office is located in Beijing, but the bank also has about 24 thousand representative offices throughout the country and even abroad.
The assets of Agricultural Bank of China total more than $3,235 billion, and the latest market capitalization is $203.96 billion.
Bank of China ltd
Assets: $2,991 billion.
Country: China.
Bank Of China is one of the oldest and most reliable in China. It was organized in 1912 and to this day remains a leader in the banking sector. More than 70% of the company is owned by the Chinese government, and the bank itself has branches in more than 20 countries.
According to the latest data, the bank's assets include about $2,991 billion, and its market capitalization is 180.69 billion.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
Assets: $2,780 billion.
Country: Japan.
The Japanese holding company has $2.78 trillion in assets, making it Japan's largest bank with a market capitalization of $111.66 billion. An expanded network of branches around the world allows MUFG to provide services to clients in 40 countries.
The company was founded in 2005 during the merger of two largest banks in Japan, and the headquarters of the current holding is located in Osaka.
JPMorgan Chase
Assets: $2,533 billion.
Country: USA.
JPMorgan Chase is one of the fastest growing and most influential US conglomerates in the banking sector.
The company was founded in 2000 as a result of the merger of several largest banks. The headquarters of JPMorgan Chase is located in New York in Manhattan. It is one of the largest investment banks in the world.
HSBC Holdings plc
Assets: $2,520 billion.
Country: Great Britain (England).
London-based HSBC is one of the largest banking conglomerates in Europe and the world, with assets of more than $2.52 trillion and a market capitalization of $154.75 billion.
Initially, it was created exclusively for mutual settlements between Europe and China and, to this day, remains key in these matters, however, it additionally has over 10 subsidiaries that are engaged in all possible operations in this industry.
BNP Pariba
Assets: $2,357 billion.
Country: France.
The European leader in financial, banking and insurance services BNP Paribas was founded in 1999. Currently, the company has representative offices around the world and main offices in Geneva, Paris and London.
This bank has assets of more than $2,357 billion with a market capitalization of $84.31 billion.
Bank of America (BoA)
Assets: $2,281 billion.
Country: USA.
BOA is the largest banking conglomerate in the United States, providing a wide range of financial services throughout the country and abroad. The company's headquarters is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
According to the latest reports, Bank of America has $2,281 billion in assets on its balance sheet and a market capitalization of $325.33 billion.
Credit Agricole
Assets: $2,117 billion.
Country: France.
Crédit Agricole is one of the largest companies in France, which successfully controls most of the country's banking sector.
#11 – #20 largest banks
Candidate banks that can be included in the list of the 10 largest banks at any time.
*Some data may be inaccurate given the lack of, or limited access to, published reports for recent periods.
As you can see, not a single Russian bank is included in this list. The largest bank in the Russian Federation, Sberbank, has about 25 trillion rubles in its assets, which, translated at the current exchange rate, is $350 billion, and this, as you can understand, is significantly less than even Groupe BPCE, which is in the bottom twenty.
TOP 100 world banks by country
List of countries by the number of banks included in the “top 100 by total assets”.
| Rating | Country | Number of banks in the top 100 |
|---|---|---|
| – | European Union | 36 |
| 1 | China | 18 |
| 2 | USA | 12 |
| 3 | Japan | 8 |
| 4 | France | 6 |
| United Kingdom | 6 | |
| 5 | Canada | 5 |
| Germany | 5 | |
| Spain | 5 | |
| 6 | Australia | 4 |
| Brazil | 4 | |
| South Korea | 4 | |
| Sweden | 4 | |
| 7 | Italy | 3 |
| Netherlands | 3 | |
| Singapore | 3 | |
| 8 | Belgium | 2 |
| Switzerland | 2 | |
| 9 | Austria | 1 |
| Denmark | 1 | |
| India | 1 | |
| Norway | 1 | |
| Russia | 1 | |
| Taiwan | 1 |
What criteria are used to base the rating?
Every year, rating agencies, analysts and financial companies compile ratings of the most reliable, profitable and successful banking companies, but the filtering criteria are very specific in order to confidently identify the largest bank in the world. That is why ratings are compiled according to different parameters, and the same bank can be a leader in one criterion and, at the same time, an outsider in another.
Some of the most relevant parameters for comparing banking organizations are:
Sum of all assets– the total value of all monetary objects owned by the company, as well as monetary capital, which consists of the organization’s own funds, depositors’ money, interbank loans and funds received from the issue of bonds. This rating, as mentioned above, is based on the sum of all the bank’s assets.
Market capitalization– the total value of the company, taking into account all its divisions and commercial assets. A company's market capitalization is calculated based on the stock market value of its shares.
In addition, important criteria for the bank are also: operating and net profit, turnover, number of branches and employees in the company.
Everything was done simply in those old days. If someone had a lot of money, he would just put it in a jar, bury it under the fence, say, “I have money in the jar,” and not worry about anything else.
© Lewis Carroll (Charles Latwidge Dodgson)
Bank (from Italian banco - bench, bench, table on which money changers laid out coins). Today, a bank usually refers to financial institutions that manage and manage monetary assets, various securities (stocks and bonds), precious metals (silver, gold, etc.) and real estate.
The very first banks in the world were born from organizations that carried out commercial activities and had a solid level of funds and clients, at the expense of which they began to conduct lending activities and thus extract interest on profits.
Later, as their activities expanded, completely new types of operations appeared, which also began to provide banks with profit. With increasing profitability, such financial institutions began to be in demand among “daredevils,” and bank robberies became a problem for the police.
However, in today’s 21st century it is impossible to imagine life without banks, they are almost everywhere and it is banks that play one of the most important roles in the development of the economy of any country. Today we will take a closer look at the top 10 oldest banks in the world that still continue to operate. So, here we go:
1. Monte dei Paschi di Siena Italy, 1472
This Bank was founded on February 27, 1472 by the General Council of the Republic of Siena to issue microloans at low interest rates to those residents who did not have a sufficient level of income. Monte dei Paschi di Siena is the oldest bank in the world that is still in operation today. Today it has more than 2000 departments and 4.5 million clients. The bank's headquarters, Palazzo Salimbeni, houses a collection of various works of art and unique historical documents belonging to the bank. The collection is not available to every person.
Some experts believe that the very first bank in the world was founded in Genoa under the name Banco di San Giorgio in 1407. However, this bank did not exist for a relatively long time, until 1805. Therefore, it is Monte dei Paschi di Siena that is considered to be the oldest operating bank in the world.
2. Berenberg Bank Germany, 1590
The bank was founded in 1590 by clothing merchants brothers Hans and Paul Berenberg from Antwerp in modern-day Belgium. John Gossler then joined the bank. The bank's logo is the combined coat of arms of the Berenberg and Gossler families, depicting a Berenberg bear and a goose leg - Gossler. Initially, the Berenbergs were engaged in the sale and production of fabrics, and their company was a merchant house, one of the largest players in the fabric import-export market. The company quickly expanded its business into other goods and became involved in shipping and investment in the 17th century.
3. Stadsbank van Lening Holland, 1614
The Credit Bank in Amsterdam was founded in 1614. The Bank mainly consists of 6 branches, two shops and an auction house. Stadsbank van Lening can accept various jewelry made of precious metals (gold, silver), diamonds, as well as goods such as bicycles, musical instruments, etc. as collateral. The items will be kept in pawn for about 6 months, but if they are not bought back, then such items will be transformed into auction house lots. Trades are carried out once a month for jewelry and once every 2 months for others. Unpurchased goods are sent to the company's stores.
4. Sveriges Riksbank Sweden, 1668
The Riksbank is rightfully considered one of the oldest existing central banks in the world. It was founded in 1668. Its predecessor was Stockholm Banco, a private banking institution that failed when it made too many loans without the right collateral. Palmstruch, who was responsible for issuing loans, was sentenced to death, but was later pardoned. The new bank, in order not to repeat the mistakes of the old one, began work under the strict control of the Riksdag of the Estates.
5. C. Hoare & Co England, 1672
Hoare & Co is an English private bank, the oldest bank in the UK and the fifth largest in the world. Founded in 1672 by Sir Richard Hoare, C. Hoare & Co remains family owned and is today run by the eleventh generation of Hoare's direct descendants. Richard Hoare was a successful jeweler and jewelers back then had very secure premises which they needed to lend to their clients and this was the start of C. Hoare & Co. The bank's symbol was a gilded leather bottle.
6. Metzler Bank Germany, 1674
Metzler Bank is a private bank headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Metzler Bank is the second oldest bank in Germany, and has been exclusively owned by the founding family since its founding in 1674 until the present day.
In 1742, the son of the founder, Benjamin Metzler, was elected to the board of directors of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Since then, the bank's owners have been continuously represented on the governing body of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
7. Barclays England, 1690
Barclays is one of the world's largest financial institutions with a wide presence in Europe, the USA and Asia. The conglomerate's operations are carried out through its subsidiary Barclays Bank PLC. The modern banking institution was founded in 1896. This happened after some small English banks merged and began to operate under the common brand Barclays and Co. Barclays is the title sponsor of the English Football Premier League.
8. Coutts England, 1692
The bank that eventually became Coutts & Co was originally a small shop that was set up on a London beach, under the symbol of the three crowns, jeweler and banker John Campbell. The owner of the bank died in 1712, leaving the business to his family members. And in 1755, John Campbell's granddaughter married merchant and banker James Coutts and the bank became known as Campbell & Coutts.
9. Bank of England England, 1694
The bank was originally erected as a treasury for the English government. Today it is the central bank of England and organizes the work of the All Monetary Policy Committee, which is responsible for managing the country's monetary policy.
10. Bank of Scotland Scotland, 1695
It was founded by an act of the Scottish Parliament on July 17, 1695 in order to support entrepreneurship in the country and on the basis of a banking monopoly for a period of 21 years. It is the first and last commercial establishment to be created by the Scottish Parliament and continues to operate to this day.
At first, the bank could not give loans to the government without parliamentary approval; this emphasized the bank’s focus on business development in the long term. Well, that’s all, in this article you found out what the first bank in the world was and got acquainted with the rating - the top 10 oldest banks on earth.
