Erste Bank was founded in 1819 as “Erste österreichische Spar-Casse” and is today part of Erste Group, one of the leading financial institutions in Central and Eastern Europe. As the lead institution of the Austrian savings bank group, we are one of the largest banking groups in the country with regional savings banks and, as Erste Group, are present in the banking markets of 7 countries. More than 16 million customers experience what it means to be looked after locally. We finance housing for families, support entrepreneurs in their expansion or founders in their first step into self-employment.