Commercial bank: definition, history, types, functions and role

Commercial bank: definition, history, types, functions and role

A commercial bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits and offers loans to individuals and businesses including mortgages, auto loans, business loans, personal loans, deposit accounts such as checking, savings, custodial accounts, and collections.

The history of commercial banks in India goes back to the 18th century with the establishment of the Bank of Bengal in Calcutta.

The types of commercial banks include Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, and Regional Rural Banks.

The functions of commercial banks include accepting deposits, granting loans and advances, discounting bills of exchange, creating credit, transferring electronic funds, providing overdraft facilities, providing foreign exchange services, etc. Commercial banks play a major part in the agricultural credit supply by financing the agricultural sector.

What is a commercial bank?

A commercial bank is a financial institution that provides services like loans, certificates of deposits, savings bank accounts bank overdrafts, etc. to its customers, according to Economic Times.

Simply speaking, a commercial bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits and offers loans to businesses and individuals.

Commercial banks make money by accepting deposits at lower interest and lending loans to individuals and businesses at high interest. Business loans, car loans, house loans, personal loans, and education loans are some of the loans offered by commercial banks.

Commercial banks help a country’s economy by creating capital, credit, and liquidity in the market and generally have physical branches. But, nowadays online commercial banks like DBS banks are growing in numbers and providing all the bank services online to their customers without any physical branches.

There are a total of 158,000 commercial bank offices across India and out of this 44,000 offices are in southern India, as per reports by Statista article titledNumber of scheduled commercial bank offices across India in the financial year 2023, by region“.

What is the history of commercial banks in India?

A picture showing commercial bank pre-independence era.

The history of commercial banking in India is traced back to the late 18th century when European trading companies established banks. However, in India, the evolution of commercial banks is divided into a pre-independence era, post-independence, liberalization, consolidation, and regulatory changes, and the current landscape for better understanding.

The evolution of commercial banks in India is listed below.

  • Pre-independence era (pre-1947): The Pre-independence era of the Indian banking system led to the establishment of two banks, The Bank of Hindustan in 1770 and the General Bank of India in 1786. The Bank of Calcutta was established in 1806 which later merged with the Bank of Bombay and the Bank of Madras in 1921 to form the Imperial Bank of India which later became State Bank of India in 1955.
  • Post-independence and nationalization (1947-1969): After Independence, several banking reforms were made to foster India’s economic development under the regulatory framework provided by the Banking Regulation Act of 1949. Further, In 1869, 14 major banks were nationalized by the government of India to increase cash flow to the agricultural and small-scale industries.
  • Liberalization and technological advancements (1991 onward): The liberalization in 1991 made a reformation to the financial sectors in India and promoted efficiency and competition. This opened gates for the private and foreign banks creating more competition and innovation leading to technological advancements introducing online banking services.
  • Consolidation and regulatory changes (2000s onward): After 2000, several acquisitions and mergers of the banks consolidated banks leading to enhanced efficiency and scale. RBI also introduced new BASEL regulations.
  • Current landscape (2020s onward): The current commercial banking landscape is all about digital and mobile banking which has made banking at the fingertips. However, with so many tech advancements in the banking sector, cybersecurity risks are still there.

What is the structure of commercial banks in India?

A picture showing structure of banks in India.

Generally, the structure of commercial includes Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, and Regional Rural Banks. Recently RBI licensed a few more banks known as Payments Banks and Small Finance Banks.

What is the importance of commercial banks?

The importance of commercial banks in India is listed below.

  • Providing funds for rural and agricultural development: Commercial banks offer funds to farmers to purchase seeds, cultivate crops, and buy tractors, fertilizers, and other farming tools. 86 percent of Indian farmers are small and marginal farmers, and agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries contribute to around 18% of India’s GDP, according to the “Press Information Bureau, Government of India“. The commercial banks have launched several financial services designed for the development of rural sectors. For example, the State Bank of India (SBI), offers specialized agricultural loans, saving accounts, and Kisan credit cards to increase the customer base in rural India.
  • Providing funds to women entrepreneurs: Commercial banks offer funds to women entrepreneurs to women entrepreneurs to start their own businesses, empower them financially, and make them independent. Simply speaking, they help women entrepreneurs get the resources, means, and support they need for their businesses. State Bank of India (SBI), one of India’s largest commercial banks has also launched a scheme named Svyam Siddha scheme to offer personal loans up to 5 lakh to women from smaller towns and rural villages who are professionals, salaried or self-employed as teacher, doctor, nurse, C.A. ICWA, CS, etc., as per article titled “Swayamsiddha Loan Scheme” by cosmosbank.
  • Financing small businesses: Start-ups and small businesses need cash flow to grow and contribute to economic development. Commercial banks provide financial support to these startups and small businesses by offering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises loans and Small Medium enterprises loans. “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, with more than 6.30 crore enterprises, has emerged as a highly vibrant and dynamic sector of the Indian economy“, as per Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, India. The recently launched PM Vishwakarma Scheme is the latest scheme that supports artisans and craftsmen in improving the quality and reach of their products.
  • Creation of credit for entrepreneurial development: Commercial banks create credit for businesses to buy equipment, build inventory, and pay their vendors helping them boost their business without actually having the funds with themselves. Commercial banks also offer loans and small business credit cards and buy securities. Lack of initial capital is one of the most important major problems faced by entrepreneurs in obtaining loans from the banks, as per the International Journal of Engineering and Management Research titled “Banks Plays a Pivotal Role in Entrepreneurship Development” by Dr. Anand. K et. al.
  • Motivating people for savings to create capital: Motivating people to save a part of their income in a bank account not only creates wealth for people but also creates enormous capital for commercial banks to fund loans for small and medium-sized companies to expand their businesses, and create more jobs.

Which is the largest commercial bank in India?

The State Bank of India also referred to as SBI is the largest and oldest commercial bank in India. The SBI has more than 24 thousand branches across India and 190 branches in 36 foreign countries.

What are the examples of commercial banks?

The examples of commercial banks are the State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda, HDFC Bank, Bank of India, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Canara Bank. The commercial banks include all the public sector banks, private banks, foreign banks, and regional rural banks.

What are the objectives of a commercial bank?

The objectives of a commercial bank include profit maximization, risk management, treasury management, liquidity management, obtaining savings, wealth management, credit and financing, money flow, granting loans, and facilitating payments. Commercial banks help to promote investment in production, entrepreneurship, and cultural innovation.

What are the types of commercial banks?

There are seven types of commercial banks in India that include public sector banks (PSBs), private sector banks, foreign banks, and regional rural banks. Overall, there are 33 private and public sector licensed banks in India, according to Statista article titled “Number of banks across India as of November 2023, by type,”.

The types of commercial banks in India are listed below.

1. Public Sector Banks (PSBs):

Public sector banks (PSBs) also known as government banks or nationalized banks are those banks in which the majority of the stake is owned by the government either directly or through other government agencies, usually at least 51%. These banks were formed when private banks were nationalized in 1969 and 1980 with the aim to expand banking services to unbanked areas that had not been reached before or had missed out on economic programming.

PSBs are the backbone of India’s banking system with extensive branch networks that play a huge role in implementing government schemes, providing priority sector loans, and serving the mass market.

State Bank of India (SBI) is the largest and oldest public sector bank in India. The Indian banking system consists of 13 public sector banks, with a total asset size of US$ 1861.72 billion in 2024, as per the article titled, “Banking Sector in India” published by India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF).

The list of public sector banks with their headquarters is listed in the below table.

BankHeadquarter
State Bank of IndiaMumbai
Bank of BarodaVadodara
Punjab National BankNew Delhi
Union Bank of IndiaMumbai
Indian Overseas BankChennai
Canara BankBengaluru
Indian BankChennai
UCO BankKolkata
Bank of IndiaMumbai
Central Bank of IndiaMumbai
Bank of MaharashtraPune
Punjab & Sind BankNew Delhi

2. Private sector banks

Private sector banks are those banks owned by a private company, individual, or group of people and are free to operate based on market forces and make independent decisions. These banks follow the regulations set by the central bank, such as the Reserve Bank of India in India.

The primary goal of a private bank is to maximize profits, focus on putting customers first, and manage risks efficiently.

The list of private sector banks in India with their headquarters city is given in the table below.

Bank nameHeadquarter
HDFC BankMumbai
ICICI BankMumbai
Kotak MahindraMumbai
Axis BankMumbai
IndusInd BankPune
IDBI BankMumbai
IDFC First BankMumbai
Yes BankMumbai
AU Small Finance BankJaipur
Bandhan BankKolkata
Federal BankAluva
RBL BankMumbai
Jammu & Kashmir BankSrinagar
Karur Vysya BankKarur
City Union BankKumbakonam
Karnataka BankMangaluru
Tamilnad Mercantile BankThoothukudi
CSB BankThrissur
South Indian BankThrissur
DCB BankMumbai
Dhanlaxmi BankThrissur
Lakshmi Vilas BankChennai

3. Foreign banks

Foreign banks are those banks headquartered in a different country but have operations and provide financial services, including lending, borrowing, deposits, and accounts in India. These banks follow the rules of their home country and the country where they operate as banks or as subsidiaries.

The foreign banks are important because they provide competition in the banking sector by improving services, attracting foreign investment, and providing access to the global market.

The popular foreign banks in India include CitiBank, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank, BNP Paribas, DBS Bank, and Barclays Bank.

The list of all the foreign banks operating in India with their headquarters is in the below table.

Name of the BankHeadquarter
AB Bank Ltd.Dhaka, Bangladesh
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank LtdAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
American Express Banking CorporationNew York, United States
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd.Melbourne, Australia
Barclays Bank PlcLondon, United Kingdom
Bank of AmericaCharlotte, North Carolina, United States
Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait BSCManama, Bahrain
Bank of CeylonColombo, Sri Lanka
Bank of ChinaBeijing, China
Bank of Nova ScotiaToronto, Canada
BNP ParibasParis, France
Citibank N.ANew York, United States
RabobankUtrecht, Netherlands
Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment BankParis, France
Credit Suisse A.GZürich, Switzerland
CTBC Bank Co. Ltd.Nangang District, Taipei, Taiwan
DBS Bank India LimitedSingapore
Deutsche BankFrankfurt, Germany
Doha BankDoha, Qatar
Emirates Bank NBDDubai, United Arab Emirates
First Abu Dhabi BankAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
FirstRand Bank LtdJohannesburg, South Africa
HSBC LtdLondon, England, UK
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd.Xicheng District, Beijing, China
Industrial Bank of KoreaJung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
J.P. Morgan Chase Bank N.A.New York, USA
JSC VTB BankMoscow, Russia
KEB Hana BankSeoul, South Korea
Kookmin BankSeoul, South Korea
Krung Thai Bank Public Co. Ltd.Watthana, Bangkok, Thailand
Mashreq Bank PSCDubai, United Arab Emirates
Mizuho Bank Ltd.Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan
MUFG Bank, Ltd.Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan
NatWest Markets PlcLondon, United Kingdom
PT Bank Maybank Indonesia TBKSenayan, Jakarta, Indonesia
Qatar National Bank (Q.P.S.C.)Doha, Qatar
SberbankMoscow, Russia
SBM Bank (India) LimitedPort Louis, Mauritius
Shinhan BankJung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Societe GeneraleParis, France
Sonali Bank Ltd.Dhaka, Bangladesh
Standard Chartered BankLondon, England, UK‎
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking CorporationChiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan
United Overseas Bank LtdSingapore
Westpac Banking CorporationSydney, Australia
Woori BankJung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

4. Regional rural banks (RRBs)

Regional rural banks (RRBs) are scheduled commercial banks that operate at the regional level in different states of India and are owned by the Ministry of Finance, the Government of India, Sponsored Bank, and the State Government in the ratio of 50:35:15 respectively.

Regional rural banks offer basic financial services including retail banking, corporate banking, investment banking, mortgage loans, debit cards, internet banking, mobile banking, finance, and insurance.

RRBs are the main source of finance for agricultural, small-scale industries, and micro-enterprises, leading to rural economic development.

The list of regional rural banks (RRBs), their sponsor bank, and the state they operate are given in the below table.

Regional Rural BankSponsor BankState
Andhra Pragathi Grameena BankCanara BankAndhra Pradesh
Chaitanya Godavari Grameena BankUnion Bank of IndiaAndhra Pradesh
Saptagiri Grameena BankIndian BankAndhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh Rural BankState Bank of IndiaArunachal Pradesh
Assam Gramin Vikash BankPunjab National BankAssam
Dakshin Bihar Gramin BankPunjab National BankBihar
Uttar Bihar Gramin BankCentral Bank of IndiaBihar
Chhattisgarh Rajya Gramin BankState Bank of IndiaChhattisgarh
Baroda Gujarat Gramin BankBank of BarodaGujarat
Saurashtra Gramin BankState Bank of IndiaGujarat
Sarva Haryana Gramin BankPunjab National BankHaryana
Himachal Pradesh Gramin BankPunjab National BankHimachal Pradesh
Ellaquai Dehati BankState Bank of IndiaJammu & Kashmir
J&K Grameen BankJ&K Bank Ltd.Jammu & Kashmir
Jharkhand Rajya Gramin BankState Bank of IndiaJharkhand
Karnataka Gramin BankCanara BankKarnataka
Karnataka Vikas Grameena BankCanara BankKarnataka
Kerala Gramin BankCanara BankKerala
Madhya Pradesh Gramin BankBank of IndiaMadhya Pradesh
Madhyanchal Gramin BankState Bank of IndiaMadhya Pradesh
Maharashtra Gramin BankBank of MaharashtraMaharashtra
Vidharbha Konkan Gramin BankBank of IndiaMaharashtra
Manipur Rural BankPunjab National BankManipur
Meghalaya Rural BankState Bank of IndiaMeghalaya
Mizoram Rural BankState Bank of IndiaMizoram
Nagaland Rural BankState Bank of IndiaNagaland
Odisha Gramya BankIndian Overseas BankOdisha
Utkal Grameen BankState Bank of IndiaOdisha
Puduvai Bharthiar Grama BankIndian BankPuducherry
Punjab Gramin BankPunjab National BankPunjab
Baroda Rajasthan Kshetriya Gramin BankBank of BarodaRajasthan
Rajasthan Marudhara Gramin BankState Bank of IndiaRajasthan
Tamil Nadu Grama BankIndian BankTamil Nadu
Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas BankState Bank of IndiaTelangana
Telangana Grameena BankState Bank of IndiaTelangana
Tripura Gramin BankPunjab National BankTripura
Aryavart BankBank of IndiaUttar Pradesh
Baroda UP BankBank of BarodaUttar Pradesh
Prathama UP Gramin BankPunjab National BankUttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand Gramin BankState Bank of IndiaUttarakhand
Bangiya Gramin Vikash BankPunjab National BankWest Bengal
Paschim Banga Gramin BankUCO BankWest Bengal
Uttar Banga Kshetriya Gramin BankCentral Bank of IndiaWest Bengal

5. Payment banks

Payment banks are those banks that offer financial and payment services to low-income households, small businesses, and migratory workers and are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). These banks are technology-driven and only accept deposits limited to a certain amount.

The payment banks only offer services like digital passbooks, virtual debit cards, and money transfers and don’t issue credit or loans.

The list of payment banks in India with their headquarters is given in the table below.

Name of the BankHeadquarter
Fino Payments BankMumbai
India Post Payment BankNew Delhi
Airtel Payments BankNew Delhi
NSDL Payments BankMumbai
Paytm Payments BankNew Delhi
Jio Payments BankNew Delhi

6. Small finance banks

Small finance banks (SFBs) are financial institutions providing basic banking services to underserved communities. These banks’ SFBs focus on small business units, micro and small industries, marginal farmers, and unorganized sectors offering services including deposits, lending, savings accounts, fixed deposits, recurring deposits (RD), and customized savings schemes.

The list of small finance banks with their headquarters is given in the table below.

Name of the BankHeadquarter
ESAF Small Finance BankThrissur, Kerala
Equitas Small Finance BankChennai, Tamil Nadu
Suryoday Small Finance Bank Ltd.Belapur, Navi Mumbai
Ujjivan Small Finance BankBengaluru, Karnataka
AU Small Finance BankJaipur, Rajasthan
Jana Small Finance BankBengaluru, Karnataka
Fincare Small Finance BankBengaluru, Karnataka
Capital Small Finance BankJalandhar, Punjab
Utkarsh Small Finance BankVaranasi, UP
North East Small Finance BankGuwahati, Assam

What are the functions of commercial banks in India?

A picture with a commercial bank and its functions.

The functions of commercial banks are listed below.

  • Accepting deposits: This is the primary function of a commercial bank. Commercial banks accept various types of deposits, such as savings, current, and fixed deposits. 
  • Granting loans and advances: Commercial banks lend money to borrowers in the form of home loans, vehicle loans, personal loans, business loans, etc.
  • Credit cash: Credit creation is a primary activity of commercial banks, and by lending loans and advances to the general population, they actually supply money equivalent to living expenses or investments. Banks simply make a deposit in the borrower’s account rather than giving out physical cash as loan funds. Credit creation is very important because it will result in more funds being available for investment and consumption in the economy.
  • Discounting bills of exchange: A bill of exchange is an agreement on paper acknowledging the amount of money to be paid against the goods purchased at a given point in time in the future. Banks use discounting methods to clear these dues before the quoted time.
  • Providing overdraft facilities: An overdraft is a banking facility that allows customers to temporarily overdraw from their checking accounts. This service is designed to cover short-term cash deficiencies. Banks set a customer’s maximum overdraft limit by considering his creditworthiness and account history.
  • Investment in securities: Securities are financial instruments that represent an ownership interest (stocks) or a debt claim (bonds) in a company or government. Commercial banks, act as brokers and facilitate the buying and selling of securities on behalf of their clients (investors).
  • Locker facilities: The Bank provides locker facilities for the safekeeping of valuables like jewelry, important documents (property deeds, wills, etc.), and other precious items. But, it also charges an annual fee for the use of a locker, which varies based on the size of the locker and the bank’s location.
  • Paying and gathering the credit: It refers to the process of extending credit (lending money) and then collecting the funds back from the borrower. Instruments used in this process include Promissory Notes, Cheques, and Bills of Exchange.

What are the primary functions of a commercial bank?

The primary functions of a commercial bank are accepting deposits as savings, current, or time deposits, and lending funds in the form of loans and cash credit.

What are the secondary functions of a commercial bank?

The secondary functions of a commercial bank include the collection of bills of exchange and cheques, providing foreign exchange, locker facilities for safe keeping of valuable items, and acting as a collection center of income by collecting dividends, salaries, pensions, rents, and interests on investments for their customers.

What is the role of a commercial bank?

The role of a commercial bank includes providing funding to commercial ventures to hire employees, expand their business, and become a profitable organization. They also provide credit that allows so many companies to operate seamlessly.

Commercial banks help in the successful implementation of monetary policies. They also offer agency services, overdraft facilities, and other solutions to wholesale and retail businesses to accelerate trade.

What are the major assets of commercial banks?

The major assets of commercial banks include loans, marketable securities, reserves of base money, held with the central bank in the form of bank notes, coins, or in the form of a credit (deposit) balance, as per an article published by George A. Selgin on Britannica Money on Jan. 21, 2025.

The major assets of commercial banks are listed below.

  • Cash and Reserves: This includes physical currency held by the bank and deposits held at the central bank.
  • Investments: This includes putting money into assets to obtain further returns in the future. It also includes government securities, company shares, corporate bonds, and other types of stock holding.
  • Loans: This is typically the largest asset category and encompasses various types of loans including personal loans, home loans, business loans, and auto loans.
  • Property and equipment: This includes bank buildings, technology infrastructure, real estate,e or other financial instruments.
  • Interest: This includes interest from consumer loans and other assets.
  • Fees: This includes general fees that a bank charges from its customers.

What are the strategies for making commercial banks viable?

A picture showing a bank employee with cash in hand.

The strategies for making commercial banks viable are listed below.

  • Diversification of revenue streams: Expansion of bank services into different revenue-generating streams like investment banking, wealth management, insurance, and digital financial services, diversifying the risk and creating multiple sources of income generation. For instance, a bank offers brokerage services, wealth management advice, and online banking platforms alongside traditional loans.
  • Implementation of effective risk management practices to minimize losses: The risk management practices help banks to prevent losses and maintain financial stability. The effective risk management practices include credit risk management (assessment of borrowers’ creditworthiness to minimize loan defaults), market risk management (hedging against fluctuations in interest rates), and operational risk management (implementing robust internal controls to prevent fraud, errors, and system failures).
  • Adoption of innovative technologies to enhance efficiency and reduce costs: Technology is transforming the banking industry and continuous digital innovation enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and improves customer experience. The examples of adoption of innovative technology include online and mobile banking services, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to automate tasks, detect fraud, and provide personalized financial advice, and blockchain technology to streamline payment processes and improve security.
  • Maintaining a strong capital base to withstand economic fluctuations: A strong capital base allows banks to absorb unexpected losses, withhold economic downturns, and continue lending activities. For instance, banks raise capital by issuing new shares, retaining earnings, and seeking investments from other institutions.
  • Developing and providing strong customer relationships and service: Building trust and loyalty with customers is paramount, and strong customer relationships and excellent customer service, attract and retain customers. For instance, banks offer personalized financial advice, provide responsive customer support, and use customer feedback to improve products and services.

What is the difference between Scheduled Commercial Banks and Non-Scheduled Commercial Banks?

The differences between scheduled commercial banks and non-scheduled commercial banks are given in the table below.

CriteriaScheduled Commercial BanksNon-Scheduled Commercial Banks
DefinitionScheduled Commercial banks are those banks that are listed in the Second Schedule of the RBI Act, 1934.  Scheduled Commercial banks are those banks that are listed in the Second Schedule of the RBI Act, 1934.  
Paid-Up CapitalMinimum paid-up capital of Rs. 5 lakhs or more.Paid-up capital is less than Rs. 5 lakhs.    
RegulationStrictly regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Not strictly regulated by the RBI.      
Borrowing from RBIEligible to borrow funds from RBI for regular banking purposes.Not authorized to borrow from RBI except in emergencies. 
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)Required to maintain CRR with RBI.         Can maintain CRR with themselves.     
Membership in Clearing HouseEligible for membership in the clearing house. Not eligible for membership in the clearing house. 
ExamplesState Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda.   Local area banks, State Cooperative Banks.   
Safety and SecurityGenerally considered safe and secure.    Perceived as riskier compared to scheduled banks. 
Return on DepositsTypically offer higher returns to depositors.     May offer lower returns compared to scheduled banks.