Top Banks in the USA

Major American banking Industries

Author: Andy Yan
Andy Yan
Andy Yan
Investment Banking | Corporate Development

Before deciding to pursue his MBA, Andy previously spent two years at Credit Suisse in Investment Banking, primarily working on M&A and IPO transactions. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Andy was a Business Analyst Intern for Capital One and worked as an associate for Cambridge Realty Capital Companies.

Andy graduated from University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Statistics and is currently an MBA candidate at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business with a concentration in Analytical Finance.

Reviewed By: Hassan Saab
Hassan Saab
Hassan Saab
Investment Banking | Corporate Finance

Prior to becoming a Founder for Curiocity, Hassan worked for Houlihan Lokey as an Investment Banking Analyst focusing on sellside and buyside M&A, restructurings, financings and strategic advisory engagements across industry groups.

Hassan holds a BS from the University of Pennsylvania in Economics.

Last Updated:December 5, 2022

With the formation of the nation in the 1780s, the banking industry in the United States had its start. Since then, it has grown into a very powerful and complicated banking and financial service system.

The banking industry is concentrated in New York and Wall Street and focuses on private banking, asset management, deposit security, and other financial services.

The Bank of Pennsylvania was founded in 1780 to provide financial support for the American Revolution, marking the beginning of banking. 

In order to enable more complex financial operations, North American banks were established because merchants in the 13 colonies required a kind of currency as a means of exchange.

Many things have changed in banks today. Banks can now provide a greater range of goods and services and do it more quickly and effectively than ever before. However, the primary purpose of the bank has stayed the same. It is crucial to remember this.

The Top Banks in the USA

There are four different sorts of banks in the U.S. They are:

1. Commercial banks 

Commercial banks can profit by charging interest on loans like mortgages, auto, company, and personal loans. Banks receive their funding for these loans from customer deposits.

2. Savings banks

An organization that accepts savings deposits and pays interest is a savings bank. 

These financial institutions receive deposits from clients who have accounts and invest the funds they receive. On the returns from the investment, the account's owner will receive interest.

They started in Europe in the 18th century to give people from various socioeconomic backgrounds access savings products. These early banks were created to enable low-income people to save money and use banking services and were frequently connected with social good.

Savings and loans are sometimes confused with savings banks. Savings banks initially solely accepted deposits from customers. Savings banks make investments in corporate and governmental debt.

However, savings and loan organizations aim to increase the significance of house loans.As savings banks made mortgages around the turn of the 20th century, the distinctions were no longer clear.

3. Savings and loans 

Banks called Savings and Loans (S&Ls) were founded to promote affordable housing. 

They got their moniker by using savings that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation covered to finance mortgages. In addition, they have a history of providing higher savings rates to entice additional deposits, which enhances their capacity to provide mortgages.

These financial institutions carry out retail banking, where depositors receive interest on their money. These banks use the funds deposited to make loans, such as mortgages, auto loans, and other loans.

4. Credit unions 

A nonprofit cooperative financial institution is this sort of bank. People who live in the same area, work there, or otherwise share a common membership are typically the ones that run credit unions. These unions work to strengthen communities, not to increase their bottom line.

Here is a brief description of each of these banks in detail:

JP Morgan Chase & Co.

With its headquarters in New York, JPMorgan Chase was established in 1799. More than 1,200 predecessor businesses contributed to the formation of the current corporation, constructed on top of them.

With more than 255,000 workers globally, JPMorgan Chase is the largest banking organization in the United States.

Consumer & Community Banking, Corporate & Investment Banking, Commercial Banking, Asset & Wealth Management, and Corporate are the business divisions of JPMorgan.

The Consumer & Community Banking section offers individuals and companies services, including deposit and investment products, cash management, payment options, mortgage origination and servicing, credit card issuance, and auto loans.

The Corporate & Investment Bank section offers companies, investors, financial institutions, and governments investment banking, market-making, prime brokerage, and Treasury and securities products and services.

To clients comprising small enterprises, mid-sized and large corporations, and local governments, the Commercial Banking section provides comprehensive financial solutions, including loans, payments, investment banking, and asset management products.

With $4.3 trillion in client assets, the Asset & Wealth Management segment offers services for all asset classes. Along with brokerage and banking services, the area also provides retirement-related products and services.

Finally, the Corporate section, among other things, measures, keeps an eye on, reports, and manages the bank's liquidity, funding, capital, and foreign exchange risks.

Bank of America Corp

One of the biggest banks in the country is Bank of America. Its main office was established in 1784 and is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The four business divisions of Bank of America are primarily divided into groups based on the types of clients who frequent each area.

Focused on consumers and small businesses is the consumer banking category. It offers a range of credit, banking, and investing services and products to small businesses and individual customers. 

These include conventional savings accounts, C.D.s, IRAs, credit and debit cards, home loans, and mortgages.

Individual clients with investable assets above $250,000 are served by the Global Wealth and Investment Management segment. 

The Global Wealth and Investment Management division offers financial consulting, brokerage, banking, and retirement solutions for clients with significant quantities of investable assets.

Global Banking offers products and services connected to investment banking. It provides investment banking and lending-related products and services, such as underwriting and advisory services. 

Middle-market companies, commercial real estate companies, not-for-profit organizations, financial institutions, and corporations of all sizes are some of the clients in this market area.

Institutional clients are the main emphasis of Global Markets. It offers institutional clients sales and trading services, research services, financing, securities clearing, settlement, custody, and market-making services.

Wells Fargo & Co.

With locations in 31 nations and territories to assist clients conducting business in the global economyWells Fargo & Co., founded in 1852 and its headquarters in San Francisco, is a diversified, community-based financial services firm with $1.92 trillion in assets.

Consumer banking and lending, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management comprise its four operating segments.

The Consumer Banking and Lending section provides financial products and services for consumers and small businesses. 

Checking and savings accounts, credit and debit cards, and loans for homes, cars, people, and small businesses are among its financial goods and services.

Commercial banking offers financial solutions to private, family-owned, and some publicly traded businesses. 

Its goods and services include secured lending and lease products, banking and credit products for various business sectors and municipalities, and treasury management services.

Corporate, commercial real estate, government, and institutional clients can choose from various capital markets, banking, and financial products and services offered by the Corporate and Investment Banking section. 

Corporate banking, investment banking, treasury management, loan and servicing for commercial real estate, equities, fixed-income solutions, sales, trading, and research capacity services are among its goods and services.

The wealth and investment management section offers high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients individualized wealth management, brokerage, financial planning, lending, private banking, trust, and fiduciary goods and services. 

It also functions as a Financial adviser.

Citigroup Inc.

Citigroup is a global provider of financial services and investment banking, established in 1812. Its headquarters are in New York, and its retail banking division has corporate offices in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Global Consumer Banking, Institutional Clients Groups, and Corporate and Other comprise its three operating segments.

Through retail banking, commercial banking, Citi-branded cards, and Citi retail services, the Global Consumer Banking business offers conventional banking services to retail customers.

A wide variety of wholesale banking products and services are provided to corporate, institutional, public sector, and high-net-worth clients worldwide through the Institutional Clients Group segment.

It consists of sales and trading of fixed-income and equities, foreign currency, prime brokerage, derivative services, equity, and fixed-income research, corporate financing, advisory, investment banking services, private banking, cash management, trade finance, and securities services.

Corporate Treasury, certain North American and international legacy consumer loan portfolios, other legacy assets, other corporate expenses, and certain unallocated global operations and technology expenses are also included in the Corporate and Other categories.

U.S. Bancorp

With its headquarters in Minneapolis, U.S. Bancorp was established in 1863. 

It engages in business across the following segments: corporate and commercial banking, consumer and business banking, wealth management, investment services, payment services, and Treasury and corporate support.

The business provides checking accounts, savings accounts, and time certificate contracts as depository services. 

It also provides lending services, such as traditional credit and credit card services, lease financing for import/export trade, asset-backed lending, agricultural finance, and other products.

Additionally, it offers corporate and governmental clients auxiliary services, such as receivable lockbox collection, treasury management, and capital markets.

As well as various asset management and fiduciary services for private clients, estates, foundations, businesses, and nonprofits.

The company also provides fund administration services to various mutual and other funds and investment and insurance products to its clients, primarily within its markets.

Additionally, it offers corporate and purchasing cards, corporate trusts, merchant processing, investment management, ATM processing, mortgage banking, insurance, brokerage, and leasing services.

The business runs 2,434 banking locations, mostly in the Midwest and West of the country, and provides goods and services via internet platforms and mobile devices. In addition, it runs a network of 4,232 ATMs and employs almost 70,000 people.

PNC Financial Services Group Inc.

1852 saw the founding of PNC Financial Services Group. Pittsburgh is home to PNC Financial Services' main office. Around 59,426 people are employed by it, with 2,300 branches and 8,900 ATMs.

In the Northeast, South, and sections of the Midwest, PNC is a regional bank. It acquired the struggling Cleveland-based National City Corp, in 2008, under its previous name, Pittsburgh Trust and Savings Co.

In addition to its usual markets, PNC reached 19 states in the region east of the Mississippi River and Washington, D.C., in 2018.

Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, Asset Management Group, and BlackRock are its operating segments.

The Retail Banking division provides consumer and small company clients with deposit, loan, brokerage, investment management, and cash management products and services.

The Corporate & Institutional category includes goods and services relating to lending, treasury management, and capital markets provided to big and mid-sized businesses, the government, and not-for-profit organizations.

Personal wealth management for high-net-worth clients and institutional asset management are included in the Asset Management Group section.

The BlackRock division is a publicly traded investment management company that offers institutional and individual clients various investment, risk management, and technology services.

Truist Financial Corp

Trust Finance Corporation is an American bank holding corporation with its main office in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company was created in December 2019 due to the merger of SunTrust Bank and BB&T (Branch Banking and Trust Company).

Its banks employ 54,982 people across 2,781 locations in 15 states and Washington, D.C. 

Consumer Banking and Wealth, Corporate and Commercial Banking, and Insurance Holdings are the three divisions through which the company conducts business.

The Retail Community Banking, National Consumer Finance, Services, Payments, Wealth Management and Banking Products and Professional Services, and Mortgage Banking segments comprise the Consumer Banking and Wealth section.

Corporate and Investment Banking, Commercial Community Banking, and Commercial Real Estate comprise the Corporate and Commercial Banking category.

The Insurance Holdings sector offers property and casualty, employee benefits, and life insurance to businesses and individuals, in addition to providing small company and corporate services, including worker's compensation and professional liability, surety coverage, and title insurance.

It provides individuals and businesses with various loans. In addition, it leases financing options, such as direct consumer finance loans, long-term commercial real estate financing plans, loan servicing for outside investors, and insurance premiums.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

With its headquarters in New York, Goldman Sachs is a global investment bank and provider of financial services. It was established in 1869 and now has regional offices in London, Warsaw, Bangalore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Salt Lake City. It also employs 43,900 people worldwide.

Financial services and investment banking, securities, and investment management are also offered. Investment banking, international markets, asset management, and consumer and wealth management are the business units through which it conducts business.

Worldwide, investment banking provides funding to corporate clients as well as financial advisory services to help firms generate cash to strengthen and expand. Investment banking also serves clients from the public and private sectors.

The Global Markets division serves clients who purchase and sell financial goods and those who manage risk.

The asset management division offers investment services to help clients protect and increase their financial assets.

In addition, by offering wealth consulting and banking services, the consumer and wealth management division aids clients in achieving their financial objectives.

Morgan Stanley

On September 16, 1935, Henry Sturgis Morgan and Harold Stanley established the international investment bank known as Morgan Stanley

Over 75,000 people are employed by the corporation, which has its main office in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. In addition, the company has operations in 42 different countries.

Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management are the three divisions through which it operates.

For institutional investors, the section that specializes in providing these services, known as Institutional Services, offers financial consulting, capital-raising, and related financial services.

The Wealth Management segment provides brokerage and investment advisory services for various asset classes.

For example, stocks, options, futures, foreign currencies, precious metals, fixed-income securities, mutual funds, structured products, alternative investments, unit investment trusts, managed futures, separately managed accounts, and mutual fund asset allocation programs.

The Investment Management division offers equity, fixed income, alternative investments, real estate, and merchant banking strategies.

Capital One Financial Corp

A diversified financial services holding corporation for American banks, Capital One Financial has its corporate office in Virginia. 

The company and its subsidiaries provide financial products and services to consumers, small businesses, and commercial clients through physical branches, the Internet, and other distribution channels.

Credit cards, consumer banking, and commercial banking are the three business areas through which the bank conducts its operations.

International credit card loans, domestic credit card loans for consumers, and credit card loans for small businesses are all included in the credit card business.

Branch lending and deposit-taking services for households and small companies are included in consumer banking.

Commercial banking encompasses lending, deposit collection, and money management services for clients in the commercial and industrial sectors and those who own commercial real estate.

Along with locations on the East Coast, Texas, and Louisiana, Capital One also has cafés in a few towns where consumers can open accounts and attend financial seminars. These cafes also offer free Wi-Fi.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp

Bank of New York Alexander Hamilton established the Bank of New York in 1784, where Mellon started. The Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corp. merged on July 1, 2007, giving birth to the firm, which has its headquarters in New York, NY.

There are 48,000 of them working for it globally.

Investment Services, Other, and Investment Management comprise the company's three business segments.

The former asset and wealth management operations are now part of the investment management division.

The former asset servicing, issuer, and clearing businesses, as well as the cash management business formerly included in the former treasury services company, are all included in the Investment Services segment.

The Other segment comprises the lease financing portfolio, corporate treasury activities, such as the investment securities portfolio, equity investments in Wing Hang Bank and the ConvergEx group, business exits, and corporate overhead. 

Credit-related activities previously included in the treasury services business are also included in this segment.

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Reviewed & edited by Parul GuptaLinkedIn

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