Careers in Finance And Accounting > Commercial Banking > Overview

What is Commercial Banking?

A commercial bank is a type of financial intermediary and a type of bank. After the Great Depression, the U.S. Congress required banks only engage in banking activities, whereas investment banks were limited to capital market activities. Since the two no longer have to be under separate ownership, some use the term "commercial bank" to refer to a bank or a division of a bank primarily dealing with deposits and loans from corporations or large businesses.