Barclays

Barclays plc is a British multinational universal bank and financial services holding company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It offers personal, corporate, and investment banking services, as well as wealth and investment management, payments, and card services. The group operates through multiple subsidiaries and brands and serves millions of customers in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Barclays traces its history to a goldsmith banking business founded in London in 1690 by John Freame and Thomas Barnett, which later became known as Barclays Bank. Through the 19th and 20th centuries, the business expanded through mergers and acquisitions to form the modern Barclays plc, the holding company for its banking operations.

In the international arena, Barclays expanded its presence in the United States through the acquisition of Lehman Brothers’ North American investment banking and capital markets operations in 2008, substantially strengthening its global investment banking franchise. In Africa, Barclays Africa Group Limited managed the bank’s operations on the continent; in 2018 that entity was rebranded as Absa Group Limited after Barclays reduced its stake.

Barclays is listed on the London Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. It is regulated by the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. The bank operates across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, and continues to emphasize digital banking, payments, and financial services for individual and corporate customers.