Bank

The essential function of a bank is to provide services related to the storing of deposits and the extending of credit. The evolution of banking dates back to the earliest writing, and continues in the present where a bank is a financial institution that provides banking and other financial services. Currently the term bank is generally understood as an institution that holds a banking license. Banking licenses are granted by bank regulatory authorities and provide rights to conduct the most fundamental banking services such as accepting deposits and making loans. There are also financial institutions that provide certain banking services without meeting the legal definition of a bank, a so called non-bank. Banks are a subset of the financial services industry.

Top ten banking groups in the world ranked by tier-one capital in 2004 (In U.S. Dollars)

• Citigroup — 73 billion
• JP Morgan Chase — 69 billion
• HSBC — 67 billion
• Bank of America — 64 billion
• Credit Agricole Group — 63 billion
• Royal Bank of Scotland — 43 billion
• Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group — 40 billion
• Mizuho Financial Group — 39 billion
• HBOS — 36 billion
• BNP Paribas — 35 billion