SEB banka
A Latvian bank and wholly owned SEB Group subsidiary serving retail, small-business and corporate customers.
Last updated October 30, 2026
AI crawler reads
2requests
1companies- Anthropic2
- Profile
- 2
- Controversies
- 0
- JSON · MD
- 0
- First read
- Nov 4, 2026
- Latest read
- Nov 4, 2026
From this site's server log
Overview
SEB banka is a Latvian banking institution belonging to the Swedish SEB Group. It is one of the larger banks operating in Latvia and provides financial services to private individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies and other institutional customers. Its activities include retail banking, business banking, lending, deposits, payments, cards, leasing and investment-related services. In the Latvian market, its principal banking competitors include Swedbank, Luminor and Citadele bank. The institution was created during the restructuring of Latvia's banking system after the restoration of independence. On 29 September 1993, AS Latvijas Universālā banka was formed by combining 21 branches of the Bank of Latvia that had not been privatized. The institution was transferred to the Latvian Privatization Agency in 1994 and became a private joint-stock company in 1995, initially with ownership divided between private capital and the Latvian state. On 12 December 1995 it adopted the name Latvijas Unibanka. Latvijas Unibanka became publicly traded on the official list of the Riga Stock Exchange in 1996. In the same period, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Swedfund International AB acquired shareholdings. The Russian economic crisis of 1998 encouraged closer cooperation with the Swedish financial group Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken. SEB became a shareholder on 5 January 1999 and had acquired a majority position by 2000. It subsequently pursued a larger ownership stake, reaching sole ownership in 2004. The bank was renamed SEB Unibanka in April 2005 and adopted the shorter SEB banka name in April 2008, aligning its Latvian identity with the wider SEB Group. SEB banka is part of SEB's Baltic banking presence, alongside SEB-branded institutions in Estonia and Lithuania. The Latvian bank operates under the regulatory framework applicable to significant euro-area banking institutions. Since the introduction of European Banking Supervision in late 2014, it has been designated a Significant Institution and is directly supervised by the European Central Bank. The bank has maintained a public-facing role beyond conventional banking. It has supported the University of Latvia since 2008 as a silver patron of the University of Latvia Foundation, including support for scholarships and forums. In 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the bank began reducing its operations in Russia and donated EUR 200,000 to support the Ukrainian people. Its Latvian headquarters were historically located in central Riga, later moving to the SEB Financial Center in Valdlauči outside the city in 2004. In September 2025, the headquarters moved back to Riga, to Elizabetes iela 95 in the Satekles Business Centre.
History
SEB banka emerged from the post-independence reorganization of Latvia's banking sector. It was established on 29 September 1993 as AS Latvijas Universālā banka, or Universal Bank of Latvia, through the consolidation of 21 non-privatized branches of the Bank of Latvia. The institution was transferred to the Latvian Privatization Agency in 1994. In 1995 it was registered as a private joint-stock company, with shares divided between private capital and the Latvian state, and on 12 December of that year it became Latvijas Unibanka. The bank entered Latvia's developing capital market in 1996, when its shares were listed on the official list of the Riga Stock Exchange. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Swedfund International AB also acquired stakes during this period. The regional financial environment changed sharply during the Russian economic crisis of 1998. Latvijas Unibanka responded by beginning cooperation with Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, the Swedish financial group commonly known as SEB. SEB acquired a shareholding on 5 January 1999 and became the majority owner by 2000. It then made a bid to increase its ownership to approximately 98 percent. Latvijas Unibanka ceased to be listed on the Riga Stock Exchange in February 2001. SEB became the bank's sole shareholder in 2004, completing the transition from a partially state-owned and publicly traded Latvian institution to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swedish group. The bank was renamed SEB Unibanka on 11 April 2005 and SEB banka on 7 April 2008. The rebranding replaced the older Unibanka identity, including the use of the Uni- prefix in names associated with branch and leasing activities and the earlier Möbius-strip-style logo. The bank's first headquarters were at Pils iela 23 near Doma Square in Vecrīga. In 2004, it moved to the SEB Financial Center in Valdlauči, in Ķekava Parish outside Riga. In September 2025, after 21 years at that location, the headquarters moved back into Riga, to a new facility at Elizabetes iela 95 in the Satekles Business Centre. SEB banka operates as part of SEB's broader Nordic and Baltic network. It offers banking services to consumers, small and medium-sized businesses and large companies, and competes with other major Latvian banks including Swedbank, Luminor and Citadele. The institution has been classified as a Significant Institution since European Banking Supervision entered into force in late 2014, making it subject to direct supervision by the European Central Bank. The bank has also participated in educational and civic initiatives. It has supported the University of Latvia since 2008 as a silver patron of the University of Latvia Foundation, contributing to scholarships and forums. In 2022, it started reducing its operations in Russia and made a EUR 200,000 donation to support Ukrainians. These actions formed part of its publicly described response to the changed regional security and humanitarian environment.
- 2025
Headquarters moved back to Riga
[1]The headquarters moved from Valdlauči to Elizabetes iela 95 in Riga.
- 2022
Russia operations reduced and Ukraine donation made
[1]SEB banka began scaling down its Russian operations and donated EUR 200,000 to support the Ukrainian people.
- 2014
Designation as a Significant Institution
[1]Following the introduction of European Banking Supervision, the bank became subject to direct European Central Bank supervision.
- 2008
Adoption of SEB banka name
[1]The institution adopted its current SEB banka name on 7 April.
- 2005
SEB Unibanka rebrand
[1]The bank changed its name to SEB Unibanka on 11 April.
- 2004
SEB acquires sole ownership
[1]SEB became the bank's only shareholder.
- 2000
SEB becomes majority owner
[1]SEB had become the majority shareholder and launched a bid to increase its ownership.
- 1999
SEB becomes a shareholder
[1]Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken acquired a shareholding on 5 January.
- 1996
Riga Stock Exchange listing
[1]Shares of Latvijas Unibanka began trading on the official list of the Riga Stock Exchange.
- 1995
Renamed Latvijas Unibanka
[1]The institution became a private joint-stock company and adopted the Latvijas Unibanka name on 12 December.
Products and positioning
A Swedish-owned universal bank providing Nordic and Baltic banking capabilities to Latvian households and businesses.
Consumer banking
Retail banking
Services for private customers, including everyday banking, accounts, payment services, cards, savings and borrowing. The retail business forms part of SEB banka's universal-bank model in Latvia.
Business banking
Corporate and SME banking
Banking services for small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations. The offering includes business accounts, payments, financing and relationship banking, with a dedicated large-corporate banking function.
Asset finance
Leasing
Leasing and related financing services for customers requiring funded use or acquisition of assets. Before the 2008 rebrand, leasing activities were associated with the Unilīzings name.
Investment services
Investment and financial services
Investment-related and other financial services offered within the bank's broader Latvian universal-banking platform. Specific product details are not established in the supplied source material.
Marketing campaigns
- University of Latvia Foundation partnership
Latvia
SEB banka has supported the University of Latvia since 2008 as a silver patron of its foundation, including support for scholarships and forums.
Outcome. The partnership is described as ongoing in the supplied reference material.
Brand decisions
2025
Relocate headquarters to RigaStrategyBackground
The bank had operated from the SEB Financial Center in Valdlauči since 2004.
Action taken
SEB banka moved its headquarters to Elizabetes iela 95 in Riga's Satekles Business Centre.
Aftermath
The move returned the headquarters to Riga after 21 years outside the city.
2022
Scale down Russian operations and support UkraineStrategyBackground
Russia's invasion of Ukraine created a major change in the regional political, security and humanitarian environment.
Action taken
SEB banka began reducing its operations in Russia and donated EUR 200,000 to support the Ukrainian people.
Aftermath
The supplied source does not provide further operational or financial details about the reduction.
Donation. EUR 200,000 (2022)
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/seb-banka · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled