While the oldest currently operating bank is the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, which was established in 1472, the concept of banking predates this by many years. The first prototype bank, in fact, dates back to 2000 BCE, when merchants made grain loans to farmers and traders who transported products between cities. Later, during the Roman Empire in ancient Greece, temple-based bankers began making loans, receiving deposits, and changing money. Meanwhile, tracks of money lending can be found in ancient China and India.
The biggest bank in the world today is the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, which has an impressive asset value of $5.5 trillion.
Infographic Source: Top 10 oldest banks in the world