World Bank
The World Bank is a multilateral development institution owned by 189 member countries that provides loans, concessional credits, grants, political risk insurance, and policy advice to developing economies to reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1944
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What World Bank does
The World Bank is a multilateral development institution founded in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference and headquartered in Washington, D.C., owned by 189 member country governments. Its formal mandate is to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity on a livable planet, operationalized through two twin goals adopted in 2012. The institution is structured as a "platform-plus-entities" architecture comprising five core entities: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, market-rate lending to middle-income countries), the International Development Association (IDA, concessional credits and grants to the poorest countries), the International Finance Corporation (IFC, private sector investment), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA, political risk insurance), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID, investment arbitration).
The World Bank's operating surface spans financial products (sovereign loans, concessional credits, grants, political risk insurance, private equity), knowledge products (World Development Report, Global Economic Prospects, Data360 platform, publicly accessible APIs), and thematic programmatic initiatives including Mission 300 (energy access in Africa with the African Development Bank), Health Works (healthcare for 1.5B people by 2030), AgriConnect (300M smallholder farmers), and Water Forward (water security for 1B+ people). Its technology stack centers on a country-level development data backbone accumulated over 80 years, supplemented by data analytics capabilities that inform project design, policy advice, and research outputs.
The revenue model is non-commercial: IBRD earns interest income on loans priced at market-based variable rates plus a spread; IDA earns negligible interest on concessional credits and is funded by member replenishments; fees for services cover advisory and program management; and investment returns accrue on the asset portfolio. The institution borrows on international capital markets at near-sovereign rates, leveraging each $1 of shareholder capital into roughly $10 of development finance over a 10-year horizon. Distribution is direct — sovereign lending through formal board-approved processes with government counterparties and multilateral partners — rather than through commercial sales channels. Since 1946, the World Bank has invested more than $1.2 trillion in developing countries across 100+ member states and 1,600+ active projects.
World Bank firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- World Bank
- Legal name
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank Group)
- Website
- https://worldbank.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1944
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The World Bank is a multilateral development institution owned by 189 member countries that provides loans, concessional credits, grants, political risk insurance, and policy advice to developing economies to reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
World Bank industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Multilateral Development Finance
- NAICS
- Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (52111), Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (521110)
- SIC
- Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAC)
Keywords
Where World Bank is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
World Bank business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Interest Income on Loans: The World Bank earns interest income on its loans to member countries. IBRD loans are priced at market rates, while IDA loans are offered at concessional rates (grants and low-interest loans) to the poorest countries.
- Fees for Services: The World Bank generates revenue through various fees for services including technical assistance, advisory services, and program management fees.
- Investment Returns: As a multilateral development bank with callable capital from member countries, the World Bank generates investment returns on its asset portfolio.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | IBRD Loans - Market-rate financing for middle-income countries |
| Other | Multi-year contract | IDA Credits and Grants - Concessional financing for the poorest countries |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
World Bank product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The World Bank is a multilateral development institution providing financial products (loans, credits, grants, political risk insurance) and policy/technical advisory services to developing member countries. It operates through five core entities — IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID — collectively channeling development finance, private-sector investment, and knowledge products to reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity.
Product overview
The World Bank is a financial institution organized as a platform-plus-entities architecture consisting of five core entities: IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID. These entities collectively provide loans, credits, grants, political risk insurance, and dispute resolution services to developing countries. In addition to core financial products, the institution operates programmatic initiatives including Mission 300 for energy access, Health Works for healthcare systems, AgriConnect for agricultural development, and Water Forward for water resource management. Supporting services include the World Bank Group Academy for capacity development and the World Bank Group Scorecard for impact measurement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mission 300: Joint initiative with African Development Bank to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030
- Health Works
- AgriConnect
- Water Forward
- World Bank Group Academy
- World Bank Group Scorecard
Products and services
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
- International Development Association (IDA)
- International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
Companies that use World Bank
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
World Bank technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
World Bank partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- African Development BankcoreThe World Bank and African Development Bank collaborate on the joint Mission 300 initiative aimed at accelerating energy access across Africa. This partnership represents a flagship effort to mobilize resources and expertise for sustainable energy infrastructure in the region.
- United Nations AgenciescoreThe World Bank works with various UN agencies including UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, and UNFCCC on shared development objectives including the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, health, and poverty reduction.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
World Bank competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- European Investment Bank (EIB): EU's multilateral lending institution and one of the world's largest borrowers/ lenders. Comparable as a supranational AAA-rated credit institution providing long-term financing for development objectives across member-state and partner-country geographies.
- African Development Bank (AfDB): Africa-focused multilateral development bank and current World Bank co-partner on Mission 300. Directly comparable in sovereign lending, concessional windows (ADF), and country-level development operations across overlapping African client countries.
- New Development Bank (NDB / BRICS Bank): BRICS-led multilateral development bank headquartered in Shanghai. Directly comparable as a sovereign-funded MDB with bond-issuance funding model and infrastructure/infrastructure lending focus in emerging markets.
- International Monetary Fund (IMF): Sister Bretton Woods institution providing balance-of-payments support, surveillance, and capacity development to member countries. Closest peer to World Bank given shared multilateral mandate, sovereign lending focus, and global membership structure.
- Islamic Development Bank (IsDB): Multilateral development bank serving 57 member Islamic countries across multiple regions. Comparable in concessional and ordinary capital windows, project financing for member countries, and combined sovereign/private-sector operations.
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): China-led MDB established in 2016 to finance infrastructure in Asia and beyond. Directly comparable as a multilateral development bank with bond-funded lending model, AAA rating, and overlapping client base with World Bank.
- Asian Development Bank (ADB): Regional multilateral development bank serving Asia-Pacific with ordinary capital resources (OCR) and concessional Asian Development Fund. Directly comparable in mandate, lending instruments, and sovereign client base to IBRD/IDA.
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): Multilateral development bank focused on transition economies in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Southern/Eastern Mediterranean. Comparable mandate combining sovereign lending, private-sector investment (like IFC), and policy reform conditionality.
- Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): Regional MDB serving Latin America and the Caribbean with sovereign and non-sovereign lending windows. Comparable to World Bank Group as a multi-window institution with IBRD-equivalent ordinary capital and concessional Fund for Special Operations.
Broad incumbents
- KfW Development Bank: German bilateral development bank administering federal development finance on behalf of BMZ. Comparable in concessional lending, climate finance, and advisory services but narrower geographic mandate as a national rather than multilateral institution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
World Bank social profiles
Digital presenceWorld Bank financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
World Bank leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
World Bank subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
World Bank funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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World Bank M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about World Bank
What does World Bank do?
The World Bank is a multilateral development institution providing financial products (loans, credits, grants, political risk insurance) and policy/technical advisory services to developing member countries. It operates through five core entities — IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID — collectively channeling development finance, private-sector investment, and knowledge products to reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity.
Is World Bank a public or private company?
World Bank is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was World Bank founded?
World Bank was founded in 1944. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is World Bank based?
World Bank is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does World Bank make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Interest Income on Loans are the primary driver. The others are fees for Services and investment Returns.
Who are World Bank's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are European Investment Bank (EIB), African Development Bank (AfDB), New Development Bank (NDB / BRICS Bank), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). KfW Development Bank is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does World Bank have an API?
Yes. World Bank provides public APIs for accessing development data including the World Bank Data API and World Bank API. The APIs provide access to development indicators, financial data, and other institutional data in JSON and other formats. Developer documentation is at api.worldbank.org.
What industry is World Bank in?
World Bank's product category is Multilateral Development Finance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADACAC, National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs). Its NAICS code is 52111 and its SIC code is 6111.