# Caixa Geral de Depósitos

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/cgd-portugal
> research date 2026-06-01 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [CGD — official](https://www.cgd.pt/)

## Overview

**Caixa Geral de Depósitos** is **Portuguese state-owned commercial bank** + **Portuguese government via Ministry of Finance fully owned** + **Portugal's largest commercial bank by assets + branches** + **founded Apr 10 1876 in Lisbon Portugal** + **~3.5M+ CGD customers** <sup>[1][1], [Portugal report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/PT)</sup>.

## History

**Apr 10 1876 — Caixa Geral de Depósitos CGD founded in Lisbon Portugal as Portuguese state savings bank** distinctive Portuguese banking heritage.

**1969 — CGD universal commercial banking conversion**.

**2014 — Caixadirecta mobile banking app launch**.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Caixa Geral de Depósitos CGD** (Portuguese state-owned commercial bank; Portuguese government fully owned).

**Major shareholders**: **Portuguese government via Ministry of Finance fully owned**.

**Regulators**: **Banco de Portugal + ECB + national regulators across 11+ countries**.

## Technical integration

Caixadirecta mobile app (iOS + Android; ~3.5M+ CGD customers) + cgd.pt online + CGD branch network across Portugal + Angola + Mozambique + Cape Verde + Spain + France + Luxembourg + UK + South Africa + Brazil + Macau international branches + CGD Visa + Mastercard cards; SEPA + SEPA Instant + EPC-QR + MB Way (Portuguese national mobile payment scheme + P2P) + Wero (post-EPI launch).

## Implementations & partners

**Major Portuguese banking + payments competitors**: [Millennium bcp (Banco Comercial Português)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/millennium-bcp) (Banco Comercial Português BCP Millennium BCP; ENXTLS: BCP; Portugal's largest private commercial bank by assets; ~5M+ Millennium BCP customers) + [Novo Banco](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/novobanco-pt) (Novo Banco; Portuguese commercial bank; Lone Star Funds US private equity ~75%+ controlling) + [Santander Portugal](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/santander-portugal) (Santander Portugal; Banco Santander Spain Portuguese subsidiary) + [Banco BPI](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banco-bpi) (Banco BPI; CaixaBank Spanish parent ~94%+ controlling; Portuguese commercial bank) + [Banco Montepio](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/montepio-pt) (Banco Montepio; Portuguese savings bank) + [MB Way](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/mb-way) (MB Way Portuguese national mobile payment scheme + P2P; SIBS Portuguese national payments switch parent).

**Regulators**: Banco de Portugal + ECB + national regulators across 11+ countries.

## Status

**Active, Portuguese state-owned commercial bank + Portuguese government via Ministry of Finance fully owned + Portugal's largest commercial bank by assets + branches + founded Apr 10 1876 in Lisbon Portugal + ~3.5M+ CGD customers** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.cgd.pt/ "CGD — official"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caixa_Geral_de_Dep%C3%B3sitos "CGD — Wikipedia"
[pt-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/PT

- [1] [CGD — official][1]
- [2] [CGD — Wikipedia][2]
- <sup>[Portugal report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/PT)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/PT-portugal.md`

## Source

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