What Caixa Geral de Depósitos does

Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) is Portugal's state-owned universal bank, founded in 1876 and headquartered in Lisbon, serving retail, private, and corporate customers. The bank operates Portugal's largest physical branch network, complemented by dedicated business centers (Gabinetes Caixa Empresas), phone banking, and an international footprint across Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Ownership rests with the Portuguese state through Parpública, the government holding company.

The product platform spans current accounts (Conta Caixa S/M/Azul), debit/credit/prepaid cards, mortgage credit, personal and auto loans, time deposits, investment funds (managed via Caixa Gestão de Ativos), open pension funds, and PPR retirement plans. Insurance products — health (Multicare), life, home, and auto — are distributed through a 25-year exclusive arrangement with Fidelidade, in which CGD holds a 15% stake and is considering increasing to 30%. The digital banking stack centers on Caixadirecta (web and mobile), supporting 24/7 account access, transfers, MB WAY, product simulations, and digital document management, with PSD2-compliant Open Banking APIs exposed through SIBS API MARKET and integrations with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, MB NET, PayPal, and SwatchPAY!. An AI-powered conversational assistant named CAIXA handles customer inquiries.

CGD generates revenue primarily through net interest income from lending activities, fee and commission income from accounts and transactions, insurance distribution commissions, and recurring investment product fees. Pricing is disclosed via Portuguese APR equivalents (TAEG), with personal loans at 11.5%, mortgages indexed to Euribor 6M at 4.5%, auto loans at 9.6–11.3%, and credit cards at 17.6–18.9%. CGD led Portugal's four largest banks in 2025 with €1.9 billion in net profit, and is actively pursuing M&A optionality, including a potential acquisition of Novo Banco and a deeper equity stake in Fidelidade ahead of its anticipated 2027 IPO.

Name

Caixa Geral de Depósitos

Legal name

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, S.A.

Website

https://cgd.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Caixa Geral de Depósitos is Portugal's state-owned universal bank, founded in 1876, offering retail, corporate, and private banking plus insurance distribution through Fidelidade to domestic and international customers via branches, digital banking (Caixadirecta), and a global representative network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Commercial Banking (522110), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Personal Lending Platforms (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAK)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Mortgage lending
• Investment funds
• Insurance distribution
• Corporate banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Net Interest Income: Interest income from lending activities including mortgage credit, personal loans, and corporate lending. CGD leads Portugal's four largest banks with €1.9 billion profit in 2025.
2. Fee and Commission Income: Account maintenance fees, transaction fees, card fees, and service commissions from retail and corporate banking services.
3. Insurance Distribution: CGD acts as insurance agent (ASF registration 419501357) distributing Fidelidade insurance products including health, life, home, auto, and travel insurance through its branch network.
4. Investment Products: Distribution of investment funds (Fundos de Investimento), pension funds (Fundos de Pensões), and structured savings products (PPR, deposits).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) is Portugal's state-owned universal bank operating a comprehensive retail, private, and corporate banking platform. It offers current and multi-product accounts, credit and debit cards, mortgage, personal and auto loans, time deposits, investment funds, pension plans, and insurance products distributed under partnership with Fidelidade. Services are delivered through Portugal's largest physical branch network, dedicated business centers (Gabinetes Caixa Empresas), digital banking (Caixadirecta web and mobile), and phone banking.

Product overview

Caixa Geral de Depósitos operates as Portugal's state-owned banking group offering a comprehensive financial services platform. The core banking platform centers on Caixadirecta (online/mobile banking) and physical branch network, supplemented by a full suite of credit products (mortgage, personal, auto loans), deposit and investment solutions (time deposits, investment funds, pension plans), insurance products through Fidelidade partnership (health, life, home, auto), and specialized services for different customer segments (youth, seniors, expatriates). The group also operates international banking operations in Europe, Africa, Americas, and Asia. The digital banking ecosystem includes Open Banking capabilities via PSD2-compliant APIs, mobile payment integrations (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, MB WAY), and AI-powered customer assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Caixadirecta: Digital banking platform and mobile app for online banking services
• Saldo Positivo
• Caixa Imobiliário
• Caixa Gest

Products and services

• Caixadirecta Online and mobile banking platform providing 24/7 access to accounts, transfers, payments, MB WAY, product simulations, and digital document access for retail customers.
• Conta Caixa Multi-product bundled current account solutions (Conta Caixa S, M, Azul) that combine banking services under a single monthly fee for individual customers.
• Cartões de Crédito (Credit Cards) Credit cards including Miles&More Classic (TAEG 18.9%, with travel insurance and air miles) and Caixa Classic (TAEG 17.6%, with medical assistance, legal protection, and fraud coverage).
• Cartões de Débito (Debit Cards) Debit cards for everyday purchases and ATM withdrawals linked to current accounts.
• Cartões Pré-Pagos (Prepaid Cards) Prepaid cards including Caixa Break, allowing users to control expenses with flexible loading options.
• Crédito Habitação (Mortgage Loans) Home mortgage loans for purchasing, constructing, or renovating properties with variable, fixed, and mixed rate options (TAEG 4.5%), including special conditions for young buyers.
• Crédito Pessoal Expresso Multifinalidade (Personal Loans) Personal credit for general consumption with rapid approval, available up to €15,000 fully online (TAEG 11.5%) for personal expenses.
• Crédito Auto Expresso (Auto Loans) Vehicle financing for new and used cars, including electric and hybrid vehicles (TAEG 9.6% new / 11.3% used).
• Depósitos a Prazo (Time Deposits) Time deposits including special offerings such as Depósito Caixa 150 Anos, Caixa Lazer June 2028, and various maturity options for retail savers.
• Fundos de Investimento (Investment Funds) Investment funds including equity, bond, mixed, and Portugal/Spain focused funds managed by Caixa Gestão de Ativos.
• Fundos de Pensões Abertos (Open Pension Funds) Open pension funds providing retirement savings solutions with various investment profiles.
• Planos Poupança Reforma (PPR) Retirement savings plans with potential tax benefits, including PPR Caixa 150 Anos with state contributions.
• Seguros de Saúde Multicare (Health Insurance) Health insurance products (Multicare 1, 2, 3) including dental, oncology, and senior (60+) coverage, distributed under partnership with Fidelidade through CGD's branch network (ASF registration 419501357).
• Seguros de Vida (Life Insurance) Life insurance including Vida Risco Gerações and Proteção Vital 65+ for family protection, distributed via partnership with Fidelidade.
• Multirriscos Habitação (Home Insurance) Home insurance protecting property, family, and liability coverage for third-party damages, distributed via partnership with Fidelidade.
• Seguro Automóvel Liber 3G (Auto Insurance) Vehicle insurance protecting against unforeseen events and accidents, distributed via partnership with Fidelidade.
• Caixa Imobiliário (Real Estate Services) Real estate services including property listings, specialized support for property search and acquisition, and financing options.

Quantifiable outcome

• Leading profit among Portugal's four largest banks at €1.9 billion in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Novo Banco: Portuguese commercial bank carved out from Banco Espírito Santo in 2014, currently 75% owned by Lone Star. Direct competitor to CGD across retail and corporate banking; CGD is actively evaluating an acquisition.
• Millennium BCP: Portugal's largest private-sector bank and CGD's principal domestic competitor across retail, mortgage, and corporate banking. Comparable universal banking franchise serving the same Portuguese customer base with similar product breadth.
• Caixa Económica Montepio Geral: Portuguese mutual savings bank with century-old heritage, competing with CGD in retail deposits, mortgage lending, and mutual-banking services. Similar mission-oriented positioning in the Portuguese market.
• Banco BPI: Portuguese universal bank owned by CaixaBank, competing directly with CGD in retail banking, mortgages, and corporate lending in Portugal. Comparable product mix and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Bankinter: Spanish retail-focused commercial bank with strong digital banking capabilities. Comparable Iberian universal banking competitor with similar deposit, mortgage, and consumer credit offerings to CGD.
• CaixaBank: Spain's largest domestic retail bank and parent of Banco BPI. Operates the same Iberian retail/commercial banking model as CGD with overlapping mortgage, deposit, and consumer credit products; shared 'Caixa' heritage and state-origin roots.
• Banco Santander Totta: Portuguese subsidiary of global banking giant Santander. Competes with CGD across retail, mortgage, and SME banking in Portugal as part of a broader international franchise.

Emerging players

• Banco CTT: Portuguese digital-focused retail bank spun out of national postal service CTT. Targets same mass-market retail deposit and consumer finance segments as CGD with a leaner, branch-light operating model.

Others

• Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP): Italian state-owned financial institution supporting national strategic objectives including infrastructure financing and SME credit. Comparable state-mandated, long-term capital deployment model though structured more as a development bank than a universal retail bank.

Regional players

• La Banque Postale: French state-owned retail bank with a similar publicly-mandated universal banking model serving retail customers, businesses, and local public entities. Closest European analogue to CGD's state-owned universal banking structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/anossacaixa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mediacgd
• Facebookfacebook.com/anossacaixa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cgd
• Instagraminstagram.com/caixageraldedepositos

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caixa Geral de Depósitos