19 Examples of Financial Services

John Spacey, April 29, 2021

Financial services are services that facilitate commercial transactions, savings and investment. The following are common examples.

Bank Accounts

Bank accounts allow customers to store money and to earn interest. These are often linked to payment and transfer services.

Retirement Accounts

Investment accounts available in many countries that have favorable tax treatment designed to encourage individuals to save for retirement.

Loans

Loans such as credit cards, mortgages, bridge loans, construction loans, lines of credit and business loans.

Payment Services

Payment services such as a smart card that can be linked to a bank account.

Foreign Exchange

The exchange of one currency for another.

Brokerages

Services that allow customers to buy and sell into financial markets such as stock markets.

Financial Markets

Venues that connect buyers and sellers of financial assets.

Clearinghouses

Firms that act as a middleman in markets to settle trades between buyers and sellers.

Insurance

Services that allow customers to transfer risk for a fee. For example, home owners insurance that transfers certain risks to a property to the insurer in return for regular payments.

Reinsurance

Services that allow insurance firms themselves to transfer risk.

Real Estate

Real estate is an asset such that the real estate industry is viewed as part of the financial sector.

Funds

Mutual funds and exchange traded funds that package a range of assets into a managed security that can be bought and sold.

Holding Companies & Investment Trusts

Firms that buy and manage assets that essentially package these assets for investors.

Wealth Management

A broad category of financial service that provides investment advice and products. The term wealth management is mostly applied to services for wealthy individuals and is also known by other terms such as private banking.

Accounting & Auditing

Accounting and auditing services that provide financial transparency and compliance with laws such as the requirement to file taxes.

Investment Banking

A broad term for financial services for governments, large organizations and wealthy individuals. For example, an investment bank that helps a firm to issue more stock to raise money from the market.

Derivatives

Derivatives are contracts between two entities that are based on the price of an asset, security or index. For example, a solar panel manufacturer that buys derivatives from an investment bank that help the firm to hedge against changing interest rates that will influence the value of its sales.

Custody Services

Services that manage the settlement and administration of securities such as stocks and bonds on behalf of their owners. In some cases, a custody bank also secures and manages physical assets such as gold.