Barclays Bank

Barclays Bank, one of the world's largest banks and financial institutions, is headquartered in London, UK. Founded in 1690, Barclays Bank is the oldest bank in the UK with a history of over 300 years. It is the first bank in the world to have an ATM machine, and issued the first credit card in the UK in 1966 and the first debit card in the UK in 1987.

Barclays Bank's main businesses:

Barclays Bank operates in two divisions: Barclays UK and Barclays International.

1. Personal and commercial banking services; credit and debit cards; international banking and private banking services, including investments, wealth planning, credit and specialty solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients and family offices.

2. Provide investment banking services to enterprises, governments and financial institutions, including financial advisory, financing, wealth and investment management, and financing and risk management services.

3. Engage in securities trading activities and issue credit cards.

Barclays Bank in China:

Barclays entered the Chinese market in the early 1970s, initially arranging export credit financing for large equipment purchase projects. In the 1980s, it entered the corporate lending business, and in the 1990s, it developed into project financing structures and bond capital markets. In 2005, Barclays opened a Shanghai branch to provide financial services and risk management services to onshore customers.

The Shanghai branch was approved to operate derivatives business in 2006. In July 2007, China Development Bank invested in Barclays Bank, holding 3% of its shares. In September 2007, China Development Bank and Barclays formed a commodity strategic alliance to jointly develop China's commodity business.

On March 22, 2013, Barclays Bank joined the bearish call on emerging markets