# Bank Hapoalim + Bit

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bank-hapoalim
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Bank Hapoalim — official](https://www.bankhapoalim.com/)

## Overview

**Bank Hapoalim** is **Israel's largest and leading financial institute** + **operates Bit, Israel's largest payment app** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Israel report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/IL)</sup>. **2025 baseline**: **2M+ customers** + **Bit 2M+ users with ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share** + **Bank of Israel approved Bit as a digital wallet** (distinctive payment-app-to-digital-wallet transition).

**Distinctive Bank Hapoalim positioning** <sup>[1][1], [3][3], [4][4]</sup>:
- **Israel's largest bank** by customers (more than 2M customers)
- **Founded 1921** — distinctive Israeli banking heritage (pre-Israeli state)
- **Bit** = Bank Hapoalim's payment app — Israel's largest payment app with **2M+ users** + **~80% Israeli money-transfers market share**
- **Pre-Apple Pay**: Bank Hapoalim launched Israel's first digital wallet
- **2025-2028 strategic focuses**: Sales + service + fairness + digital + data + operational efficiency + supporting infrastructures and platforms; sales growth targeted via 3 main channels (digital + branches + call centers)
- **TCS partnership**: Bank Hapoalim first to sign up for TCS blockchain-based digital bank guarantee platform in Israel

## History

**1921 — Bank Hapoalim founded** in then-British Mandate of Palestine (pre-Israeli state) by **Histadrut (General Federation of Labor)** — distinctive Israeli banking heritage.

**1948 — Israeli independence** + Bank Hapoalim becomes major Israeli bank.

**1983 — Israeli bank stocks crisis** — Israeli government partially nationalizes Bank Hapoalim + other Israeli banks.

**1996 — Bank Hapoalim partial privatization** (Israeli government sells majority stake).

**2010 — Bank Hapoalim mobile banking app launches**.

**2016 — Bit launches** by Bank Hapoalim as Israeli P2P payment app.

**2016-2025 — Mass Bit adoption** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Bit becomes Israel's largest payment app with 2M+ users + ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share.

**2025 — Bit approved as digital wallet by Bank of Israel** <sup>[4][4]</sup> — distinctive payment-app-to-digital-wallet transition.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Bank Hapoalim B.M.** (TASE: POLI).

**Major shareholders**: **Shari Arison family (formerly major shareholder; reduced 2020s)** + **various Israeli institutional + TASE public float** (widely held post-Arison family stake reduction).

**Regulators**: **Bank of Israel (Banking Supervision Department)** + **Israel Securities Authority (ISA)**.

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Bank Hapoalim app (iOS + Android; primary IL retail-banking mobile channel) + Bit app (iOS + Android; Israel's largest payment app; 2M+ users) + Capital Market app + Business app + Bank Hapoalim Online Banking + Bank Hapoalim cards (Visa + Mastercard + Isracard) + Bank Hapoalim branch network |
| **Identifiers** | Phone + email + card number + Israeli ID |
| **IL rail** | **Israeli instant payments** (Bank of Israel national instant payment system; pre-Apple Pay Bank Hapoalim first Israeli digital wallet) |
| **License** | Bank (Bank Hapoalim full Israeli banking license; Israel's largest bank by customers; Bit Israel's largest payment app) |
| **Sub-products** | Bank Hapoalim Account + Bank Hapoalim Cards + Bank Hapoalim Credit + Bank Hapoalim Mortgages + Bank Hapoalim Investments + Bank Hapoalim Insurance + Bank Hapoalim Business + Bank Hapoalim Capital Markets + Bit (Israel's largest payment app + digital wallet since 2025 Bank of Israel approval) + Hapoalim Switzerland + Hapoalim USA + Hapoalim UK |
| **Distinctive Bit ~80% IL money-transfers market share** |
| **TCS blockchain digital bank guarantee partnership** |

## Users & growth

**2025 baseline** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Israel's largest bank** by customers (2M+ customers)
- **Bit Israel's largest payment app** — 2M+ users + ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share
- **Bit digital wallet approved** by Bank of Israel 2025
- **2025-2028 strategic focuses**: Sales + service + fairness + digital + data + operational efficiency + supporting infrastructures and platforms

## Use cases

Israeli + multi-country retail + corporate + investment + capital markets + insurance banking via Bank Hapoalim app + Bit app (Israel's largest payment app + digital wallet since 2025 Bank of Israel approval) + Capital Market app + Business app + Bank Hapoalim Online + cards + branches; Israeli national instant payment + IL rails; Bank Hapoalim Switzerland + Hapoalim USA + Hapoalim UK multi-country subsidiaries; TCS blockchain digital bank guarantee partnership.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Bank Hapoalim B.M.** (TASE: POLI).

**Major shareholders**: **Shari Arison family (formerly major shareholder; reduced 2020s) + Israeli institutional + TASE public float** (widely held post-Arison family stake reduction).

**Major Israeli banking + fintech competitors**:
- **[Bank Leumi + Pepper](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bank-leumi)** (Bank Leumi; Israel's #2 bank; Pepper digital subsidiary)
- **Mizrahi Tefahot Bank** (Israel #3 bank; mortgages leader)
- **Discount Bank** (Israeli Discount Bank; Israel's 4th largest bank)
- **First International Bank of Israel (FIBI)** + **Bank of Jerusalem** + **Mercantile Discount Bank** (Israeli banking competitors)
- **One Zero Bank** (Israel's first all-digital bank since 2022)
- **Pepper by Leumi** (Israel's first mobile-only bank; Bank Leumi subsidiary)

**Tech partner**: **TCS (Tata Consultancy Services)** (TCS blockchain digital bank guarantee platform).

**Bank Hapoalim subsidiaries**: **Hapoalim Switzerland + Hapoalim USA + Hapoalim UK + Isracard (credit card co-issuer)**.

**Regulators**: **Bank of Israel (Banking Supervision Department) + ISA + per-country**.

## Fun facts

- **Israel's largest and leading financial institute** by customers (2M+).
- **Bit Israel's largest payment app** — 2M+ users + **~80% Israeli money-transfers market share** — distinctive Israeli P2P dominance.
- **1921 founding** in then-British Mandate of Palestine by Histadrut (General Federation of Labor) — distinctive Israeli banking heritage (pre-Israeli state).
- **1983 Israeli bank stocks crisis** — Israeli government partially nationalizes; **1996 Bank Hapoalim partial privatization**.
- **Pre-Apple Pay**: Bank Hapoalim launched Israel's first digital wallet (distinctive Israeli digital wallet pioneer).
- **2025 Bit approved as digital wallet by Bank of Israel** — distinctive payment-app-to-digital-wallet transition.
- **TCS blockchain digital bank guarantee partnership** — Bank Hapoalim first to sign up in Israel.
- **Shari Arison family** formerly major shareholder (reduced 2020s).
- **Multi-country subsidiaries**: Hapoalim Switzerland + Hapoalim USA + Hapoalim UK.

## Comparison

| Feature | Bank Hapoalim + Bit | [Bank Leumi + Pepper](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bank-leumi) (Israel's #2 bank rival; Pepper digital subsidiary) | Mizrahi Tefahot Bank (Israel #3 mortgages leader rival) | [Venmo](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/venmo) (US P2P rival comparable Bit positioning) | [PayPal](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/paypal) (US-global wallet rival) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Bank Hapoalim B.M. (TASE: POLI; Shari Arison family formerly major shareholder reduced 2020s + Israeli institutional + TASE public float)** | Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. (TASE: LUMI) | Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd. (TASE: MZTF) | Venmo (PayPal subsidiary) | PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ: PYPL) |
| Type | **Israel's largest bank by customers + Bit Israel's largest payment app + ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share + Bit approved as digital wallet by Bank of Israel 2025 + Israel's first digital wallet pre-Apple Pay** | Israel's #2 bank + Pepper digital subsidiary (Israel's first mobile-only bank since Jun 2017) | Israel #3 bank + mortgages leader | US P2P PayPal subsidiary | US-global wallet |
| Country | IL + US + GB + CH | IL + multi-country | IL primary | US primary | US + multi-global |
| Users | **2M+ Bank Hapoalim customers; Bit 2M+ users; ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share; Israeli largest bank by customers** | Israel #2 bank + Pepper digital subsidiary | Israel #3 mortgages leader | Major US | 400M+ globally |
| Distinctive | **1921 founding by Histadrut (General Federation of Labor) — Israeli banking heritage (pre-Israeli state); 1983 partial nationalization (Israeli bank stocks crisis) + 1996 partial privatization; Pre-Apple Pay Israel's first digital wallet; Bit Israel's largest payment app with 2M+ users + ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share; 2025 Bit approved as digital wallet by Bank of Israel; TCS blockchain digital bank guarantee partnership; Shari Arison family formerly major shareholder reduced 2020s** | Pepper by Leumi launched Jun 2017 as Israel's first mobile-only banking service | IL mortgages leader | US P2P PayPal subsidiary | US-global wallet |

## Status

**Active, Israel's largest and leading financial institute + Bit Israel's largest payment app** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Bank Hapoalim B.M.** (TASE: POLI) since 1921 (Histadrut/General Federation of Labor founding in then-British Mandate of Palestine).
- **Israel's largest bank by customers** (2M+).
- **Bit Israel's largest payment app** — 2M+ users + ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share.
- **2025 Bit approved as digital wallet by Bank of Israel** distinctive payment-app-to-digital-wallet transition.
- **TCS blockchain digital bank guarantee partnership** (Bank Hapoalim first to sign up in Israel).
- **Hapoalim Switzerland + Hapoalim USA + Hapoalim UK** multi-country subsidiaries.
- **Bank of Israel + ISA + per-country regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Hapoalim "Bank Hapoalim — Wikipedia"
[2]: https://www.bankhapoalim.com/en "Bank Hapoalim — official"
[3]: https://www.jpost.com/jpost-tech/ahead-of-apple-pay-bank-hapoalim-launches-israels-first-digital-wallet-659272 "Ahead of Apple Pay Bank Hapoalim launches Israel's first digital wallet — Jerusalem Post"
[4]: https://i-aml.com/news/the-bank-of-israel-approves-the-payment-app-bit-turning-into-a-digital-wallet/ "The Bank of Israel approves the Payment App BIT, turning into a digital wallet — i-AML Israel"
[il-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/IL

- [1] [Bank Hapoalim — Wikipedia][1]
- [2] [Bank Hapoalim — official][2]
- [3] [Ahead of Apple Pay Bank Hapoalim launches Israel's first digital wallet — Jerusalem Post][3]
- [4] [The Bank of Israel approves the Payment App BIT, turning into a digital wallet — i-AML Israel][4]
- <sup>[Israel report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/IL)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/IL-israel.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [bank-hapoalim.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/bank-hapoalim). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.