KB History

KB started offering authentication services via Bank Identity (BankID) to commercial service providers. 

Komerční banka became the general partner of the Czech Extraliga ice hockey league as well as the general partner of the Czech national ice hockey team.

The Banker, a prestigious financial magazine, named Komerční banka the Czech Bank of the Year in 2021. The jury mainly focused on the way individual banks had assisted their client base during the previous year, on their ability to continuously innovate, as well as their sustainable business practices. 

Komerční banka celebrated its 30^th anniversary on 1 January 2020. 

KB and its subsidiary, SGEF, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with ČEZ ESCO in connection with the development of a new product that may mitigate climate change – solar power as a service. This product will also allow industrial firms that make their rooftops available for installation of photovoltaic panels to generate savings in connection with their energy costs. 

Komerční banka was named the Safest Bank in Central and Eastern Europe in 2020 and the Safest Bank in the Czech Republic in 2020 by Global Finance magazine. Moreover, Professional Wealth Management magazine named Komerční banka the Best Private Bank for Digital Customer Service in Central and Eastern Europe for the third time in a row. 

As one of the first Czech banks, Komerční banka has brought payments via Apple Pay to its clients.

We introduced a breakthrough 4U credit card on the Czech market. With a revolutionary interest rate of 13.9% p. a., with no fees and conditions, with free repayment insurance and assistance service.

KB has become a partner of a unique project in Europe - the revival and completion of unfinished Antonín Dvořák's composition with the help of artificial intelligence.

Komerční banka launched a new method of logging into the internet banking using a secure app in a smartphone - the KB Klíč. It allows customers to replace their internet banking security certificate with a smartphone app and access their account from any device.

Komerční banka's clients who have accounts at Česká spořitelna or Air Bank can link these accounts to both MojeBanka internet banking and Mobilní banka.

KB processes payment orders in 24/7 mode. Transfers between accounts in KB are executed in seconds.

Komerční banka once again achieved the prestigious Fincentrum Bank of the Year award in 2017. It also took 2nd place in the Most Trusted Bank of the Year category and 3rd place in the Private Bank of the Year category.

KB introduced a new series of current account packages that meet the varying requirements of its clients. There are three types of accounts: MůjÚčet, MůjÚčet Plus, and MůjÚčet Gold.

Komerční banka launched fast and simple mobile payments via Android Pay from Google. Clients can activate Android Pay directly in Mobilní banka and Mobilní banka Business. This makes the mobile phone ready for contactless payment in the Czech Republic and abroad.

Komerční banka was named the Bank of the Year in the Fincentrum Bank of the Year competition. Albert Le Dirac’h also scored a victory in the category Banker of the Year. At the same time, KB second took places in the categories Most Trusthworthy Bank and Online Bank and third place in the category Private Bank of the Year.

As the Apple Watch was launched on the Czech market, Komerční banka introduced a new banking application for this smart watch.

With support from the European Investment Bank, KB became the only bank in the Czech Republic to begin providing advantageous EuroEnergie loans to help small and medium-sized enterprises finance energy saving projects.

KB became the first bank in the Czech Republic to offer its clients for free the Trusteer Rapport from IBM, a specialized tool focused on the protection from specific threats, such as fake harmful websites (phishing), malware and on preventing attempts to detect passwords (keylogger) which are aimed at users of Internet banking.

KB was named the Best Bank and Komerční pojišťovna was awarded the title Best Life Insurance Company by Hospodářské noviny. Komerční banka became the general partner of the National Gallery in Prague.

The KB Corporate Card was named the Commercial Card of 2012 in the Czech Republic by MasterCard. The new KB Corporate Card represents a complete solution for monitoring of business expenses of employees, their assessment and export to accounting systems.

Komerční banka retained the prestigious title Bank of the Year 2012 in the contest organised by Fincentrum. KB won for the fifth time in the 11-year history of the Fincentrum Bank of the Year awards. KB took second place in the categories Most Trustworthy Bank of the Year and Mortgage Loan of the Year and third place in the Bank without Barriers category, in which banks’ approach to disabled citizens was assessed. Modrá pyramida stavební spořitelna and Penzijní fond Komerční banky were ranked among the top three in their categories.

Komerční banka was awarded the prestigious title Bank of the Year 2011 in the contest organised by Fincentrum. Winning for the fourth time in the survey’s ten-year history, the bank was recognised for its stability, solidity and innovations.

An important step in extending the offer of financial solutions to our clients was the acquisition in May 2011 of a 50.1% stake in SGEF, a leading provider of asset-backed financing in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia.

Komerční banka was the first bank on the Czech market to launch an investment calculator on its website. This simple application proposes a portfolio of investment and savings products in a way that respects the client’s appetite for risk, financial possibilities, and investment horizon.

Komerční banka was one of the first banks on the Czech market to accede to the “Czech Banking Association’s Standard No. 22: Mobility of Clients – Procedure for Changing Banks”, effective from 1 November 2009, which makes it easier for clients to switch from one bank to another.

Komerční banka became the first bank in the Czech Republic to sign an agreement on taking "Green Energy" supplies. It thereby joined the ČEZ Group’s project expressing responsibility for the environment and supporting the development and use of renewable energy resources.

Komerční banka was named “Bank of the Year 2007” in the prestigious MasterCard competition, and Modrá pyramida stavební spořitelna (MPSS) won the title “Building Society of the Year 2007”. Both companies received these awards for the third time.

In October 2006, Komerční banka finalised acquisition of the remaining shares of Modrá pyramida stavební spořitelna from BHW and Česká pojišťovna. KB thereby raised its stake in the company from 40% to 100%. The acquisition price was EUR 144 million (approximately CZK 4.2 billion).

The transaction has provided KB with better access to Modrá pyramida’s more than 800,000 clients, of which some 610,000 had no other banking relationship with KB. The acquisition is in line with KB’s strategic focus on continuing to enhance its business activities and revenues generation. This represents a significant strategic step in expanding on its home market.

KB and MPSS are benefiting from significant cross-selling potential and synergies stemming mainly from the MPSS customer base and its well-trained and exclusive network of financial agents.

KB was the first bank on the Czech market to undertake to maintain a Guaranteed Service Level by adhering to clearly defined principles that pertain to the products and services provided by the bank. By appointing a KB Ombudsman, it was the first bank in the Czech Republic to make it possible for its clients to achieve an independent resolution of their disputes with the bank.

KB won the main prize, Bank of the Year 2004, in the third MasterCard Bank of the Year competition.

The Government Guarantee was settled.

In the prestigious MasterCard Bank of the Year poll, KB won the awards for The Most Dynamic and The Most Trustworthy Bank of the Year.

KB launched the first EMV chip card in the Czech Republic.

KB introduced its new customer segmentation and the related organisation of its distribution network which brought about improvements in the standard of the services provided to clients. At the same time it presented its new corporate identity, which expressed KB's new strategy and its affiliation with the international Société Générale Group.

An Extraordinary General Meeting approved of the acquisition of the Prague-based affiliate of Société Générale.

French based Société Générale took over its management rights in KB; new Board of Directors elected.

The Government of the Czech Republic decided to sell the State's equity interest in KB to Société Générale for Euro 1.189 billion (CZK 40 billion).

The share capital increase to CZK 9.5 billion was successfully completed in this year. The interest held by the National Property Fund of the Czech Republic in Komerční banka rose to 60%.

The Czech Government published an advertisement inviting potential investors to express their preliminary interest in acquiring the State's equity stake in KB.

The Czech Government approved the sale of shares held by the State in KB to a strategic partner.

KB entered the international capital markets with its issue of Global Depositary Receipts (GDR); the second issue was in May 1996.

Increase in the Bank's share capital to CZK 9.502 billion.

The Government of the CSFR approved the Bank's privatization project and the state financial institution of Komerční banka duly became a public limited company. The principal shareholders of the Bank are the National Property Fund of the Czech Republic and the National Property Fund of the Slovak Republic. The Bank's shares were included in the voucher privatization.

Komerční banka was founded following the division of the commercial activity of the former Státní banka československá in the territory of the Czech Republic.