The UK’s financial landscape has been shaped by a century of economic volatility, shifting political agendas, and evolving market dynamics. Banks have assumed a significantly more prominent role, particularly for investors and firms. Grasping this evolution requires an analysis of how a century of institutional shifts, regulatory decisions, and economic shocks have repeatedly transformed the system.
Bank consolidation and expansion
Driven by a wave of mergers, the number of UK banks fell from 387 in 1870 to 75 in 1920.
