Our Story

Our Story

  • 1940

    Bradesco was established in 1943 in Marília, in the interior of São Paulo, under the name of Banco Brasileiro de Descontos. Its initial strategy was to attract the small businessman, the public servant and people of modest possessions, unlike the banks of the time, which only focused on big landowners. Bradesco was one of the first to steer its account holders to use checks, encouraging them to fill them in at the bank’s Branches. In 1946, the head office was transferred to the capital of São Paulo, to Rua Álvares Penteado in the center of the city.

  • 1950

    After only eight years of operations, in 1951, Bradesco became the largest private Bank in Brazil. In this decade, the Bank arrived in the rural north of Paraná and also decided to build its new headquarters in Osasco. The construction of the head office started in 1953 and took six years to complete. In 1956, it created Fundação Bradesco, with the objective of bringing free education to children, young people and adults in need.

  • 1960

    This decade marked the arrival of information technology to the Bank. In 1962, Bradesco was the first company to purchase the first computer in Latin America, which allowed clients access to their daily statements, providing a service unprecedented for the time. Following this pioneering strategy, Bradesco rolled out the Bradesco Credit Card, in 1968.

  • 1970

    A time of economic miracle in Brazil, with the country experiencing annual growth rates above 10%. This scenario favored the expansion of Bradesco, which strengthened operations in the credit sector, especially in the financing of vehicles. In this decade, Bradesco incorporated 17 other banks and, on inaugurating two new units in 1978, one in the Oiapoque (AP) and another in Chui (RS), extreme points of the country, it reached the 1000th branch milestone. Direct debit was introduced and the Bank started operating in agricultural and cattle breeding projects.

  • 1980

    Bradesco formed the Bradesco Seguros group, operating private pension and capitalization divisions, in addition to the insurance company. The use of the magnetic card became popular among clients during these years. The first Branches with ATMs are set out, as well as the Telecompras Bradesco (Purchase Call Center) business. In 1986, the Telesaldo (Balance Enquiry Number), today Fone Fácil (Easy Phone) Bradesco, came into operation.

  • 1990

    At the beginning of the decade, all Bradesco Branches began online operations and ATMs were deployed throughout Brazil. Automatic machines were installed for the issuing of checks, for withdrawals and to collect deposits. The Internet Banking system won over clients and became one of the most important channels for customer service, with millions of registered users. Bradesco Mobile Banking was introduced, which allowed balance and statement enquiries, and the payment of some bills, by cell phone. Bradesco closed the century as the leading private Bank in Brazil.

  • 2000

    Bradesco continued to strengthen its leadership. Besides the retail market, it is ahead in divisions such as the Corporate sector, providing services to large companies, and the Private sector, focusing on clients with great wealth and investment capacity and providing services to family businesses and small and medium-sized companies. It continued to expand in two ways: through organic growth and expansion of the businesses, inaugurating new Branches and points of service, and also through acquisitions of other institutions. There are almost twenty mergers just between 2000 and 2007, among which are several banks.

  • 2010

    Bradesco is the protagonist of major events:

    We made the largest acquisition in our history: HSBC Bank Brasil S. A. – Banco Múltiplo. With this, we broadened the base of account holders and expanded activities in strategic centers like the Southwest, Mid-West and the South
    We were sponsors of the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics, Rio de Janeiro; another demonstration of confidence in our ability to promote large events in Brazil.

    We reached 60 years of operating Fundação Bradesco: with 40 schools located primarily in underprivileged regions, the Foundation has become an example amongst education initiatives for children and young people in the country, paving the way for greater social inclusion.