About us

Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR), a member of Erste Group, is a universal bank serving both retail and corporate clients. BCR is the most important financial services provider in Romania, managing assets worth over EUR 16 billion. BCR is the most valuable Romanian financial brand. BCR is currently the most important financial group in Romania, including foreign operations, as well as leasing, housing bank and private pension subsidiaries.

BCR offers a full range of banking services, including internet banking, phone banking and e-commerce solutions. The bank’s network numbers more than 643 retail branches and agencies (for individuals and micro-companies) across the country in towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants. Corporate clients (SMEs and big companies) are serviced in 48 dedicated commercial centers. BCR operates the largest national ATM and POS network – over 2,200 machines and over 18,000 terminals operational at merchants for card payments.

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History

  • 1990 – Banca Comerciala Romana is established by taking over the commercial operations of the National Bank of Romania
  • 1998 – BCR opens a subsidiary in Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova
  • 1999 – BCR absorbs Bancorex
  • 2001 – BCR Leasing is launched on the Romanian market
  • 2003 – BCR privatization by selling the block of shares to EBRD and IFC
  • 2005 - BCR Asigurari de viata is established
  • 2006 – Austrian bank Erste Bank finalizes the acquisition of Banca Comerciala Romana. Erste Bank bought 61.8825%* of the BCR shares from the Romanian Government, EBRD and IFC, paying EUR 3.75 billion.
  • 2007 – BCR Administrare Fond de Pensii enters the Romanian market
  • 2008 – Banca Comerciala Romana sells its insurance operations to Vienna Insurance Group
  • 2008 – BCR Banca pentru Locuinte enters the Romanian market
  • 2009 – BCR adopts a Medium Term Notes (MTN) issuing program – with a total value of EUR 3 billion.

Over time, BCR has brought several novelties on the Romanian banking market, including:

  • 1994 - BCR becomes the first acquirer in Romania and main member of EUROPAY
  • 1995 - BCR issues the first debit cards in Romania under an international logo.
    •  first transaction at an ATM in Romania
  • 2000 - BCR launches the first treasury loan for individuals
    • BCR is the first bank in Romania to trade securities on the secondary market
  • 2002 - BCR launches the first mortgage loan on the Romanian banking market
  • 2003 - BCR is the first Romanian bank to provide mortgage loans to retail and corporate customers.
  • 2004 - BCR is the first bank in Romania to install Currency Exchange Machines (CEM)
  • 2005 - BCR enables the use of CHIP cards (smart-card) in its ATM and POS network.
  • 2006 - Banca Comerciala Romana launches for the first time, through the BCR University, the internship program – STUDENT BCR – allowing students to take internships in seven BCR branches in Bucharest
    • BCR is the first banking institution in Romania to launch a national network of specialized offices – “EU Office BCR” – dedicated exclusively to European funds
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