Our history
- 2022
Moody's assigns Bigbank long-term deposit rating of Baa3. Additionally, Bigbank launches public offering of subordinated bonds in Baltic States, which are oversubscribed by more than two times and become listed on the Nasdaq Baltic Bond List.
- 2021
Bigbank launches housing loan product in Latvia and Lithuania. Additionally services offered to private customers are expanded with car leasing in Lithuania and consumer loans in Bulgaria. In the corporate customer segment, the bank starts providing agricultural and forest land loans in Estonia and Latvia.
- 2020
Bigbank obtains the permits for establishing and operating a branch in Bulgaria.
The bank launches digital customer identification and contract signature in Latvia and Lithuania, corporate car and equipment lease in Estonia and Lithuania, savings deposits in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, digital revolving loans in Sweden, refinancing loans and collateralised car loans in Finland and housing loans in Estonia.
- 2019
New banking platform Nest is launched in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
- 2018
New banking platform Nest is launched in Finland and Sweden.
- 2017
Bigbank celebrates its 25th anniversary by hosting an annual conference for all Bigbankers in Riga.
- 2016
Bigbank introduces an innovative new product in Estonia - mobile credit card.
- 2015
Bigbank's international trademark is changed together with launch of new branding from BIGBANK with capital letters to Bigbank with only first capital letter.
- 2012
BIGBANK opens a branch and starts issuing loans in Sweden. BIGBANK begins offering deposits as a cross-border service in the Netherlands.
- 2011
BIGBANK opens a branch and starts issuing loans in Spain.
- 2010
BIGBANK begins offering deposits as a cross-border service in Austria. BIGBANK starts issuing loans in Finland.
- 2009
The business name is changed to BIGBANK AS. Bigbank begins offering term deposits as a cross-border service in Germany. BIGBANK opens a branch in Finland.
- 2008
The bank, which had been operating under the name BIG, also starts using the unified international trademark BIGBANK in Estonia and Latvia. In addition to its subsidiary, Bigbank opens a branch in Latvia. BIGBANK begins offering term deposits as a cross-border service in Finland.
- 2007
BIG opens a Lithuanian branch – the first to operate under the Bigbank trademark. The international rating agency Moody's Investor Service issues BIG with a credit rating for the first time. BIG conducts its first international issue of debt instruments and lists the bonds on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The balance sheet total and loan portfolio of the bank reach 2.5 billion and 2 billion Estonian kroons respectively by the end of the year. The number of active credit contracts reaches 100,000.
- 2006
BIG begins offering term deposits on the Estonian market. The balance sheet total of BIG exceeds 1 billion kroons for the first time. By the end of the year the loan portfolio also reaches this mark.
- 2005
BIG is issued with an activity licence as a credit institution. Since then it has operated in Estonia as a bank. The new business name of the enterprise becomes Balti Investeeringute Grupi Pank AS.
- 2004
BIG submits an application for an activity licence as a credit institution. BIG lists its bonds on the Tallinn Stock Exchange for the first time.
- 1997
The enterprise adopts the trademark BIG (an acronym from its business name AS Balti Investeeringute Grupp).
- 1996
The company founds a subsidiary in Latvia.
- 1993
The first branch is opened in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
- 1992
What is now Bigbank launches operations, opening its first branch in Tartu, Estonia.
Meet Nest, our powerful banking platform
As a modern digital financial service provider we need an exceptional business enabling platform. In year 2016 we started to build our own banking platform called Nest. Investments exceed EUR 20M. It was shortlisted as one of the 10 best banking technology development projects in the world in the ‘Best Tech Overhaul Project’ category at the Banking Technology Awards 2017 (December 2017, London). In 2017 the first branch (Finland) went fully live on Nest, followed by Sweden in 2018, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in 2019.
Nest is much more
- Modern platform built on microservices architecture
- Solution for the full lifecycle of loans and time deposits, including self-service
- Real-time multi-company, multi-currency banking core
Responsible lending
We believe that a commitment to sustainability, both in the mindset and in plans and activities, is the bedrock of the success of the whole society.
Our goal is to increase the consumers’ awareness of the nature of credit products and the risks involved in borrowing. This will help consumers make informed and responsible decisions which are based on a review of different offers and take into account their personal preferences and needs.
We observe all rules, legal and regulatory requirements, and best practice conventions which apply to the provision of credit including the principles of responsible lending. This way we can make sure that the credit we provide meets the customer’s needs.
Building a thriving and sustainable financial sector
Responsible lending, raising awareness of it, and improving general financial education is a cornerstone of our business and our daily priority. In partnership with other leading banks operating in Estonia, we contribute to these causes through the activities of the financial education and communication committee of the Estonian Banking Association.
As a member of FinanceEstonia, we are also actively involved in designing the Estonian financial services environment and developing financial technology.
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Corporate social responsibility
Bigbank is aware of its role in terms of social responsibility. We care about the society and contribute to it by supporting it through donations and sponsorship. Here’s a selection of our recent projects.