Private bank

Private banks are banks that are not incorporated. A private bank is owned by either an individual or a general partner(s) with limited partners. In any such case, the creditors can look to both the "entirety of the bank's assets" as well as the entirety of the sole-proprietor's/general-partners' assets.

These banks have a long tradition in Switzerland, dating back to at least the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685). However most have now become incorporated companies, so the term is rarely true anymore. There are a few private banks remaining in the U.S. One is Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., a general partnership with about 30 members. This is also true of private banks in Europe such as the Swiss Bank Hottinger & Cie.

"Private banks" and "private banking" can also refer to non-government owned banks in general, in contrast to government-owned (or nationalized) banks, which were prevalent in communist, socialist and some social democratic states in the 20th century. Private banks as a form of organization should also not be confused with "Private Banks" that offer financial services to high net worth individuals and others.