
Bank of America is the flagship banking brand of Bank of America Corporation, a publicly traded American financial services company founded in 1998 through the NationsBank-BankAmerica merger and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The corporation trades on NYSE under ticker BAC. The brand serves nearly 70 million clients through approximately 3,500 financial centers, 15,000 ATMs, and digital banking used by roughly 60 million verified users. Bank of America is the second-largest US bank by assets at $3.41 trillion.
Parent Company
Founded
1998
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America | Bank of America Corporation | Wholly owned |
The modern Bank of America brand was adopted in 1998 when NationsBank acquired BankAmerica Corporation for $62 billion, then the largest bank acquisition in US history, and kept the more recognizable Bank of America name for the combined company headquartered in Charlotte.
The name itself dates to 1930, when A.P. Giannini's Bank of Italy, founded in San Francisco in 1904 to serve immigrants excluded from established banks, was renamed Bank of America. Giannini's institution pioneered branch banking and consumer lending for working-class customers.
Under the brand, the company absorbed FleetBoston Financial in 2004, MBNA in 2006, Countrywide Financial and Merrill Lynch in 2008-2009 during the financial crisis, and steadily consolidated its retail footprint. The brand's modern positioning rests on its Erica virtual financial assistant, launched in 2018, which has surpassed two billion customer interactions, and on combining its physical financial center network with top-ranked digital banking.
What does Bank of America own?
Bank of America operates four primary business segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management (including Merrill Lynch and Bank of America Private Bank), Global Banking, and Global Markets. The company's brand portfolio includes Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America Private Bank, U.S. Trust, the Erica AI assistant, and the BofA Rewards loyalty program. The company serves nearly 70 million clients through approximately 3,500 retail financial centers and digital platforms.
Is Bank of America publicly traded?
Yes, Bank of America is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BAC. As of February 24, 2026, there were 7,176,682,170 shares of common stock outstanding. The company has been publicly traded since the 1998 merger that created the modern Bank of America, with predecessor companies having public trading histories dating back to the early 20th century.
Who founded Bank of America?
The modern Bank of America was formed through the 1998 merger of NationsBank and BankAmerica. BankAmerica was originally founded by A.P. Giannini in 1904 as the Bank of Italy in San Francisco, serving Italian-American immigrants. NationsBank was founded in 1891 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The combined company adopted the Bank of America name due to its stronger brand recognition and national presence.
Where is Bank of America headquartered?
Bank of America is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The company has operated from Charlotte since the 1998 merger and maintains major offices and operations in New York, London, Hong Kong, and other financial centers worldwide. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories, and more than 35 countries.
How many brands does Bank of America own?
Bank of America operates primarily under the Bank of America master brand with specialized sub-brands. The main brands include Bank of America (consumer and commercial banking), Merrill Lynch (wealth management and investment advisory), Bank of America Private Bank (premium services for high-net-worth clients), U.S. Trust (trust and estate services), Erica (AI-powered virtual assistant), and BofA Rewards (customer loyalty program launched in May 2026).
Who owns Bank of America?
Bank of America is publicly owned with no controlling shareholder. Institutional investors collectively hold the majority of outstanding shares, with major holders including Berkshire Hathaway, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors. No individual, family, or private equity firm holds a controlling interest. The company had a market capitalization of approximately $352 billion as of June 30, 2025.
What is Bank of America's revenue?
Bank of America reported revenue of $113.1 billion for fiscal year 2025, up 7% year over year, and net income of $30.5 billion, up 13% year over year. Diluted earnings per share were $3.81, up 19% from FY2024. For Q1 2026, revenue was $30.3 billion (up 7% year over year) with net income of $8.6 billion and EPS of $1.11 (up 25% year over year). Net interest income was $60.1 billion for FY2025 and $15.7 billion for Q1 2026.
What is the Erica AI assistant at Bank of America?
Erica is Bank of America's AI-powered virtual financial assistant integrated into the company's mobile banking app. It helps customers with account management, spending insights, bill payments, and financial guidance. The digital banking platform has approximately 60 million verified digital users, with 80% of consumer households digitally active as of mid-2026. In Q1 2026, 71% of consumer sales were digitally enabled, and the platform processed 4.3 billion digital logins.
Bank of America Corporation has committed to net zero financed emissions before 2050 and deployed environmental business initiatives totaling over $1 trillion in sustainable finance commitments. Critics note continued fossil fuel financing, and the company has faced periodic regulatory penalties on consumer practices, including a 2023 CFPB order covering junk fees and unauthorized accounts, and a 2025 settlement on similar fee issues.
Bank of America's mobile app and Erica consistently rank at or near the top of J.D. Power digital banking satisfaction studies. Global Finance and Euromoney have repeatedly named it among America's best banks and best digital banks.
Consumer penalties: In July 2023, the CFPB fined Bank of America $90 million and ordered $100 million in customer refunds over repeated insufficient-funds fees, withheld rewards, and unauthorized account openings; the OCC added a $60 million penalty. In 2025 the bank paid additional penalties related to overdraft practices.
Crisis-era legacy: The 2008 Countrywide acquisition left a long tail of mortgage litigation largely resolved through multibillion-dollar settlements in the 2010s.
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jpmorgan Chase | USA | 1877 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Td Bank | USA | 1852 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Wells Fargo | USA | 1852 | Mass market | United states | Unisex | |
| Capital One | USA | 1994 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Charles Schwab | USA | 1971 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Citi | USA | 1812 | Mass market | United states | All Genders |
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Finance FintechOwned by The Charles Schwab Corporation
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Finance FintechOwned by Citigroup Inc.
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Market Positioning: Bank of America competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Finance FintechOwned by TD Bank, N.A.
TD Bank is the U.S. retail banking brand of Toronto-Dominion Bank, operating about 1,100 East Coast branches as "America's Most Convenient Bank" under a federal asset cap since 2024.
TD Bank is privately owned, unlike Bank of America which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechOwned by Capital One Financial Corporation
Capital One is the flagship consumer banking and credit card brand of Capital One Financial, the largest U.S. card issuer behind Venture, Savor, Quicksilver, and Capital One Cafes.
Capital One operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Finance FintechOwned by The Charles Schwab Corporation
American brokerage and wealth management brand serving 38.5 million active accounts and $11.90 trillion in client assets, flagship of The Charles Schwab Corporation.
Charles Schwab operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Finance FintechOwned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
Global asset management firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and subsidiary of MassMutual, managing investments across fixed income, real estate, and private markets.
Barings is privately owned, unlike Bank of America which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechOwned by Bloomberg L.P.
Industry-standard financial data and analytics platform used by approximately 325,000 subscribers at banks, hedge funds, and institutional investors worldwide.
Bloomberg Terminal is privately owned, unlike Bank of America which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechOwned by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America
American asset management brand with about $1.4 trillion in assets under management, operating as the investment management arm of TIAA since 2014.
Nuveen is privately owned, unlike Bank of America which is under a publicly traded parent company.
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