Barclays PLC (, occasionally ) is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as five divisions: the UK Consumer Bank, UK Corporate Bank, Private Bank and Wealth Management (PBWM), Investment Bank, and the US Consumer Bank.[5]
Barclays traces its origins to the goldsmith banking business established in the City of London in 1690 by Quakers John Freame and Thomas Gould.[6] James Barclay became a partner in the business in 1736. In 1896, twelve banks in London and the English provinces, including Goslings Bank, Backhouse's Bank and Gurney, Peckover and Company, united as a joint-stock bank under the name Barclays and Co. Over the following decades, Barclays expanded to become a nationwide bank. In 1967, Barclays deployed the world's first cash dispenser. Barclays has made numerous corporate acquisitions, including of London, Provincial and South Western Bank in 1918, British Linen Bank in 1919, Mercantile Credit in 1975, the Woolwich in 2000 and the North American operations of Lehman Brothers in 2008.[7]
Barclays has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange. It is considered a systemically important bank by the Financial Stability Board.[8] According to a 2011 paper, Barclays was the most powerful transnational corporation in terms of ownership and thus corporate control over global financial stability and market competition, with Axa and State Street Corporation taking the 2nd and 3rd positions, respectively.[9][10] Barclays operates in over 40 countries, employs over 80,000 people and is the fifth largest bank in Europe by total assets as of 2024.[11]
Barclays UK comprises the British retail banking operations, consumer credit card business, wealth management business, and corporate banking for small, medium and large-sized businesses in the UK.[13] Barclays International consists of Barclays Corporate and Investment Bank (formerly known as Barclays Capital) and the Consumer, Cards & Payments business. The bulge-bracket investment banking business provides advisory, financing and risk management services to large companies, institutions and government clients. It is a primary dealer in Gilts, U.S. Treasury securities and various European Government bonds.
Name
The bank's name has never included an apostrophe (Barclay's) in its spelling. It was first registered in 1896 as "Barclay and Company, Limited", changed to "Barclays Bank Limited" in 1917 and to "Barclays Bank PLC" in 1982.[14]
History
1690 to 1900
Barclays traces its origins back to 17 November 1690, when two Quakers, John Freame and Thomas Gould, started trading as goldsmith bankers in Lombard Street, London.[15] The name "Barclays" became associated with the business in 1736, when Freame's son-in-law James Barclay became a partner.[16] In 1728, the bank moved to 54 Lombard Street, identified by the "Sign of the Black Spread Eagle", which in subsequent years would become a core part of the bank's visual identity.[17]
The Barclay family were connected with slavery, both as proponents and opponents. David and Alexander Barclay were engaged in the slave trade in 1756.[18] David Barclay of Youngsbury (1729–1809), on the other hand, was a noted
Operations
In February 2024, Group CEO, C.S. Venkatakrishnan outlined a plan to improve operational and financial performance and improve total shareholder returns by making Barclays simpler, better and more balanced.[176][177]
As part of this strategy, Barclays was restructured into five divisions:[5]
Until February 2024, Barclays operated as two divisions, Barclays UK (BUK) and Barclays International (BI), supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services (BX).[5]
- UK Consumer Bank – Barclays UK, a ring-fenced UK retail bank (Barclays Bank UK PLC), is one of the UK's leading financial brands and includes personal and business banking operations, alongside Barclaycard UK.
Sponsorships
Barclays was a long time title sponsor of the Premier League (as the FA Barclays Premiership and later Barclays Premier League) which started on the 2003–04 season and ended with 2015–16 season.[185] Barclaycard previously sponsored the league (as the FA Barclaycard Premiership) from 2001 to 2004.[186]
In 2007, Barclays agreed a 20-year naming rights agreement for $400 million for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City, home of the Brooklyn Nets basketball team. Two years later, due to the slump in the economy the deal was renegotiated to $200 million.[187][188]
Barclays sponsored the 2008 Dubai Tennis Championships.[189]
Coat of Arms
The College of Arms granted arms to Barclays Bank Limited with the following blazoning:[194][195]
See also
Further reading
External links
References
- Barclays Eagle Barclays, retrieved 30 November 2025^
- Barclays PLC overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK Companies House, 20 July 1896, retrieved 22 January 2024^
- Annual Results 2025