Office address: 100 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28255
Website: bankofamerica.com
Year established: 1998
Company type: banking
Employees: 213,000+ (2024)
Expertise: commercial banking, wealth management, investment banking, asset management, credit cards, mortgage lending, equities trading, insurance, private equity, risk management
Parent company: N/A
Key people: Brian Moynihan (CEO); Alastair Borthwick (CFO); Jim DeMare, Lindsay Hans, Katy Knox, Matthew Koder, and Wendy Stewart (presidents)
Financing status: corporation
Bank of America (BofA) is a Charlotte-based financial services company. The bank serves 69 million clients, offers digital banking to 59 million users, and manages $1.88 trillion in assets. It is known for its broad range of services, including commercial banking, wealth management, and investment banking through Merrill and the Private Bank.
Bank of America was formally created in 1998 following the merger of NationsBank and BankAmerica. But its history extends much further into the past. In 1904, Amadeo Giannini founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco to help immigrants and working families who were often turned away by other banks.
By 1928, the Bank of Italy merged with Bank of America, Los Angeles, and soon took on the Bank of America name. Giannini’s vision led to the first statewide branch banking system in the US. The company introduced new ideas, such as the BankAmericard in 1958, which later became Visa.
BofA expanded beyond California in the 1980s and 1990s, acquiring banks in other states and growing its reach. In 1998, NationsBank of Charlotte acquired BankAmerica, creating today’s Bank of America Corporation. The new company kept the Bank of America name and made Charlotte, North Carolina its headquarters.
The company continued to grow by acquiring FleetBoston in 2004, MBNA in 2006, and Merrill Lynch in 2008. These deals helped Bank of America become a leader in credit cards, wealth management, and investment banking.
In 2024, BofA’s wealth management balances reached $4.2 trillion, an 18% increase from the prior year. This growth showed the company’s strong performance and leading global position.
BofA provides products for individuals, businesses, and institutions, with an emphasis on investment and building wealth:
Bank of America also stands out for its digital tools, security features, and nationwide branch network. Clients benefit from integrated services, personalized support, and a commitment to responsible growth.
According to Bank of America, the company's culture values support, growth, and connection for all employees. The firm reports a work environment focused on collaboration, opportunity, and ongoing development, with programs for both current and former staff.
Employees are offered a variety of benefits designed to support their health, finances, and personal lives:
For environmental sustainability, Bank of America’s aims for net zero greenhouse gas emissions across financing, operations, and supply chain before 2050. The Environmental Business Initiative plans to mobilize $1 trillion by 2030 for low-carbon and sustainable projects. It supports the Paris Climate Agreement and targets areas like energy efficiency, clean transportation, and water conservation.
Brian Moynihan is chair of the board and CEO of Bank of America, and also chairs the Sustainable Markets Initiative. Before this, Moynihan held several leadership roles at BofA, including president of global banking. He volunteers as chancellor of Brown University’s Corporation and is active in groups focused on economic and market trends.
Bank of America’s leaders have strong experience and important roles across the company:
These leaders guide the bank’s growth and help meet client needs every day. Their skills cover finance, customer service, and global markets.
In 2025, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has also expanded its alternative investment platform, now focusing on ultra-high-net-worth clients with $50 million or more. The number of clients using this platform has more than doubled in five years, showing strong demand for private equity and other alternative funds. This move allows the company to provide more choices and advanced strategies to investors seeking alternative assets.
BofA’s derivatives team also saw a chance for investors to benefit from tech’s ongoing rally, even as some hedge funds sell. The bank suggested using a six-month call spread on the QQQ ETF, which could offer strong returns if tech stocks keep rising. This approach aims to manage risk and seek growth as markets change. It also highlights its role in guiding investors toward future opportunities.
The hiring push comes after Merrill and Bank of America reported a 6.3% decline in financial adviser head count last year.
The world’s largest firms are betting that new tools from wealthtech providers, ranging from AI to robotic process automation and blockchain systems, can help slash costs while increasing assets.
The New York-based robo-adviser, which landed its largest capital funding round to date in September, for a valuation of $1.3 billion, could now have a significant bull's-eye on its back for potential buyers.
The possibility of a war that could increase inflationary pressures or rate hikes from central banks that are more aggressive than expected are among the factors weighing on equities.
'Any further significant weakness at the index level should be seen as a buying opportunity, in our view,' Goldman strategists say.
As coronavirus conditions improve across the country, employees across major financial firms are being asked to come back.
The moves in product teams increase the responsibilities of Andy Sieg, the president of Merrill Lynch, and Katy Knox, president of BofA's private bank.
The 26% boost in the bank's 2021 tech spending covers not just software development, but investments in data and analytics, artificial intelligence and physical aspects such as data centers.
Merrill Lynch, an industry bellwether, reports a host of new highs in 2021, ranging from revenue to assets and net new ultra-high-net-worth clients.
The bank's wealth management group also started 2022 in hiring mode, reporting this month that it had recruited two longtime Merrill advisers in New York.
Millions of consumers are already creating free financial plans right from their mobile phones, meaning the ability to create customized plans may become commodified.
Other banks that have revised their staffing strategies and eased off mandates to return to the office amid the jump in infections include JPMorgan, Citibank, Bank of America and Jefferies.
The outlook for green stocks is challenging because of worries about rising interest rates tied to inflation, unpredictable politics and regulatory maneuvers like California’s decision to sharply lower subsidies and add new fees for home solar users.
A judge denied Gwen Campbell's request to temporarily bar fellow bankers at JPMorgan from soliciting business from clients she brought with her from BofA, clients who reportedly include former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.
A relaunch in 2020 has allowed the company to pivot to serving financial advisers, which is a more sustainable business model, according to CEO Eric Arnold.
