Our Story
Our Story
Erste&Steiermaerkische Bank d.d. is a modern bank that ranks third in Croatia in terms of asset size and is part of the international Erste Group, one of the largest providers of financial services in Central and Eastern Europe.
But how did it all begin?
Today's Erste&Steiermaerkische Bank d.d. has its origins in once-strong regional banks. Erste&Steiermärkische Bank d.d. Zagreb was created by the merger of Bjelovarska, Trgovačka and Čakovečka banks in 2000. Then, through its merger with Riječka banka, it became the Erste&Steiermaerkische Bank d.d. that you know today. It has operated under this name since August 1, 2003.
Today's Erste&Steiermaerkische Bank d.d. has its origins in once-strong regional banks. Erste&Steiermärkische Bank d.d. Zagreb was created by the merger of Bjelovarska, Trgovačka and Čakovečka banks in 2000. Then, through its merger with Riječka banka, it became the Erste&Steiermaerkische Bank d.d. that you know today. It has operated under this name since August 1, 2003.
Erste Card Club
In January 2007, Erste der österreichischen Sparkassen AG (Erste Bank) from Vienna acquired Erste Diners Club Adriatic in its entirety. After the acquisition, the company began aligning its operations with the standards of other group members, resulting in a name change from Diners Club Adriatic to Erste Card Club. In mid-2011, all ECC shares were transferred from Vienna's Erste Bank to Erste Bank in Croatia, who is also their current owner.
Banking-Transforming Innovations
In 2008, Erste&Steiermaerkische Bank d.d. introduced several important services
MultiCash electronic banking service for business clients
first mobile ATM in Croatia, in cooperation with FINA and Biro Data Servis
first drive-in ATM in Lučićeva in Zagreb
first self-service device accepting cash deposits in Rijeka (Bulk Note Acceptor)
International Desk of Erste Bank
Erste Bank concluded the 2009 by acquiring Opportunity Bank Montenegro ("OBM") and thus gaining a 100% stake in the bank. Also, in 2009, as the first bank in Croatia, Erste Bank introduced a comprehensive Verified by VISA service as one of the products offered, including card issuance and acceptance. This service enabled users of all Erste Bank VISA cards to have an even more secure online shopping and payment experience.
Keeping Pace with Digitalization
In an effort to find new communication channels to reach existing and potential clients, Erste Bank opened its Facebook profile in 2010, becoming the first bank in the Croatian banking market to do so. That same year, the bank launched online customer support on its website, known as Erste Chat. This made Erste Bank the first bank in Croatia to offer communication with the bank via a chat channel to its clients and other interested parties.
In December 2011, we developed a new mBanking application with an accompanying innovation in the Croatian market, the "Slikaj i plati" bill payment service. This innovative method allows users to pay bills without manually filling out payment forms.
Faster and Simpler, for You
In December 2012, Erste Bank, in collaboration with Erste Card Club, offered its clients a new credit card with contactless functionality (Maestro® PayPass™ debit and MasterCard® PayPass™).
In 2013, Erste Bank became the first Croatian bank to join the SEPA Credit Transfer Scheme, a system that enables a faster, more transparent, and better-defined way of issuing and receiving cross-border payment orders denominated in euros, compared to the previous method, which involved international interbank account networks.
In 2014, Erste Bank introduced another innovation in the market - the Redomat. This is an application that allows customers to select a queue number at their preferred branch, receive notifications about their place in the queue, and schedule appointments with bank advisors.
In 2016, Erste d.o.o., a company for managing mandatory and voluntary pension funds (Erste Plavi), offered the first online application with a completely digital method of joining a voluntary pension fund in 2016.
The Contactless Future
In March 2017, in collaboration with Erste Group Card Processor, Mastercard, as well as companies Printec Croatia and Asseco SEE, Erste Bank developed a contactless cash withdrawal service on its ATM network. This was a significant technological advancement for Erste Bank, making us the first in Croatia and among the first in Europe to provide this capability.
No Unnecessary Paperwork
In 2018, Erste Card Club (ECC) introduced a digitalized application process for Diners Club credit cards in its offer. This marked the first completely digitalized method for applying for credit cards in the Croatian market, allowing new members to request a card independently without the need for submitting paper document or visiting a branch.
Money at Your Fingertips with KEKS Pay
In December 2018, Erste Bank launched KEKS Pay, a free application available to everyone, regardless of which bank they have an account with. Initially designed for sending and receiving money among friends and acquaintances, KEKS Pay has evolved to offer various services such as purchasing mobile phone top-ups, paying tolls, covering parking fees, making donations, paying at web shops and stores that support KEKS Pay and more. Users also have access to innovative features for receiving and paying digital utility bills, offered by different businesses and local government units through KEKS Pay. The app also introduced a new feature called KEKS Kasica, enabling users to save money, which has gained popularity among customers.
Accompanying You on Your Financial Journey
In 2019, we launched the "Smart Finance School," a free national financial literacy program. This socially responsible initiative, led by Erste Bank financial experts, provides easily understandable, measurable, and valuable knowledge and skills for real-life situations related to personal finances. Workshops are held in bank branches, businesses, public institutions, primary and secondary schools, and universities. Additionally, online sessions are available through the Microsoft Teams application.
In March 2020, the prestigious international credit rating agency Fitch Ratings assigned a rating to Erste Bank. It represents the highest rating held by a bank or any other company on the Croatian market.
A New Digital Platform - George
In October 2020, we introduced the digital platform, George. Besides providing an enhanced and higher-quality user experience within mobile and online banking, George serves as an innovation platform through which new capabilities are continually introduced. With each update, the platform becomes more advanced, intelligent, and sophisticated. In addition to products like current accounts, personal loans, fixed-term deposits, credit cards, and others, users can access services such as opening brokerage and custody accounts, as well as savings-related products.
A step forward on the international capital market
In June 2021, Erste Bank successfully concluded its first bond issue on the international market in the 'senior preferred' format, with a total nominal value of 400 million euros, maturing in 2028, and with a recall option after six years. With this transaction, Erste Bank achieved an important milestone by adding its first international euro bond to its existing securities on the domestic capital market. It became the first bank in Croatia to successfully complete the issuance of its own bonds on the international capital market.
Erste Bank Today
Erste Bank is now a modern bank and holds the third position in the Croatian market in terms of asset size. It is part of the international Erste Group and serves over 950,000 clients, ranking first in customer satisfaction. The bank employs more than 2,700 people in Croatia.