Banco Pichincha announced on April 10 that it is celebrating its 120th anniversary, highlighting a long history of providing financial services and building trust with more than 6.5 million clients across Ecuador.
The milestone underscores the bank’s ongoing commitment to financial stability, digital innovation, and close relationships with its customers. Over the decades, Banco Pichincha has grown from a local institution in Quito into a national and international presence, adapting to changes in technology and society while maintaining its core values.
Founded in April 1906 by Manuel Jijón Larrea, who personally signed the founding documents in Quito’s historic center, Banco Pichincha began as an initiative to strengthen economic activity in Ecuador’s Sierra region. The bank now serves about 36% of the country’s population through more than 219 branches and nearly twelve thousand contact points nationwide. As of March 2026, it reported assets exceeding $22.3 billion, deposits near $18.5 billion, and a loan portfolio reaching $14.1 billion.
The bank’s expansion over time included not only greater reach within Ecuador but also international operations in Peru, Colombia, Panama, the United States, and Spain—where it holds a commercial banking license and maintains ten offices serving thousands of expatriates. Under leadership figures such as Fidel Egas Grijalva since the early 1990s, Banco Pichincha has focused on modernization efforts aimed at connecting with Ecuadorians both domestically and abroad.
Digital transformation has become central to its operations: currently eight out of ten transactions are conducted via digital channels. The Deuna app is positioned as an integrated digital ecosystem for payments among people and businesses alike. Meanwhile Mi Vecino extends banking services through nearly twelve thousand correspondents into areas where traditional branches may not be feasible.
Social responsibility initiatives have also played a significant role in Banco Pichincha’s legacy; through Fundación Crisfe over 3,700 students received scholarships in partnership with educational institutions during 2025 alone. Other programs have brought potable water systems to rural communities previously lacking basic infrastructure.
Looking ahead from this anniversary year, Banco Pichincha says it will continue balancing technological innovation with longstanding principles of prudence and trust—aiming to convert confidence into opportunities for all sectors of society.
