Shortly after the abolition of slavery, De Surinaamsche Bank NV was founded. At that time, Mr Simon Abendanon was working as a captain and bailiff in Suriname. Monetary chaos reigned in the period around 1863 due to the abolition of slavery. The abolition of slavery provided free people in Suriname who were allowed to work for payment and it was expected that agriculture would flourish. As a result, trade would also expand. This gave Mr. Abendanon the idea of ​​facilitating this economic growth by setting up a bank that could guide the economic traffic in Suriname. 150 years later, the Surinaamsche Bank has grown into the leading commercial bank in Suriname

The Surinamese People's Credit Bank opened its doors to the public in 1949. But the history goes back to 1932. On August 27 of that year a commission was appointed to study whether it was desirable to establish a legal regulation for a money-lending company in Suriname. The condition of the States was that no legal money-lending could be created without creating a new credit option. In order to meet this requirement, two important studies were used and the final conclusions of these documents served as the basis for the founding deed of the Surinamese People's Credit Bank. This deed was executed on October 18, 1948 before the civil-law notary Drielsma and published in the GAB of October 22, 1948 no. 93. On January 3, 1949 the Volscredietbank opened its doors to the public. The bank started its business with the discounting of small promissory notes and the pawnshop credit. Credit methods have changed somewhat over the years, while credit conditions are still being applied and tightened up, depending on the time and the prevailing circumstances.

For decades, Republic Bank has held a resolute focus on its Vision of being a bank that is chosen as the Caribbean Financial Institution of Choice for its Staff, Customers and Shareholders. It aims to do so by setting the Standard of Excellence in Customer Satisfaction; Employee Engagement; Social Responsibility and Shareholder Value – while building successful societies. Over 17 decades old, the organisation is a visionary one, with a history of continual financial growth, professional and personal development, and successful collaboration with communities to bring about positive change. Since it first opened its doors in 1937 as the Colonial Bank, the first commercial bank in Trinidad; to its 1925 amalgamation with the National Bank of South Africa Limited and the Anglo-Egyptian Bank to become Dominion, Colonial and Overseas (D.C.O.); until its eventual renaming to Barclays Bank of Trinidad and Tobago and then to what is today, Republic Bank Limited, the Bank has successfully weathered many changes to remain one of the largest and most successful indigenous financial institutions in the Caribbean. It offers a diverse portfolio of products and services designed to satisfy the growing needs of its retail banking customers, corporate clients and governments throughout the Region. The Bank continuously subscribes to its Core Values of Customer Focus; Integrity; Respect for The Individual and Results Orientation. Holding integrity at the core of all its relationships, the Bank generates trust and confidence from its customers, suppliers, shareholders and the general public. Republic Bank also consistently demonstrates honesty, fairness and openness in all operations, and its business processes and practices support service excellence while protecting the interest of its customers, employees and shareholders. Expansion Philosophy The Republic Bank Group subscribes to a philosophy of expansion through organic growth and acquisition. It consistently creates significant value to strategic investment partners, driven by a philosophy of maintaining strong local participation in all overseas investments. Though Caribbean based, the Bank is a global player that adds value to the markets it enters through a developmental approach that ensures strong local input, strong local knowledge and strong local influence in decision making. Its success is driven by human resource development, a local focus to its service approach and the emphasis placed on corporate social responsibility. Its current expansion interests are within the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Centrale Bank van Suriname (CBvS) opened its doors on the 1st of April 1957 and has ever since fulfilled an important role in the Surinamese economy. The CBvS is a unique financial institution and cannot be simply compared to the commercial banks. It functions as the monetary institution entrusted with the issuance into circulation of the Surinamese currency. The CBvS is also the custodian of the international reserves of the country and safeguards that sufficient gold and foreign currency reserves are available to meet Suriname’s external payment obligations. The CBvS sees to it that the stability of the domestic and external value of the Surinamese currency is safeguarded.