Clydesdale Bank

Clydesdale is a Scottish financial services brand dating back to 1838. Until 2026, Clydesdale Bank plc was a major retail and commercial bank based in Glasgow. It traded using the Virgin Money brand name from 2019 onwards. Clydesdale Bank was acquired by Nationwide Building Society in October 2024 and most of its business was transferred to Nationwide on 2 April 2026 with the Clydesdale brand continuing to be used by Nationwide for some mortgage products.

With its international growth in commercial and industrial clients, including Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons, and their extensive credit requirements it sought investment by a larger consortium. Consequently it was purchased by Midland Bank, the largest bank in the world at this stage, in 1920. Much later the Clydesdale became part of the National Australia Bank Group (NAB), between 1987 and 2016. Clydesdale Bank was divested from National Australia Bank in early 2016, with its new holding company, CYBG plc, trading on the London and Sydney stock exchanges. In June 2018, it was announced that CYBG would acquire Virgin Money for £1.7 billion in an all-stock deal, and that the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank public brands would be phased out in favour of retaining Virgin's brand, including the renaming of CYBG plc to Virgin Money UK plc. In October 2024 the bank was acquired by Nationwide Building Society. Most of the bank's business was subsequently legally transferred to Nationwide in April 2026.

As with two other banks of Scottish origin, namely the Bank of Scotland and the Royal Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank retains the right to issue its own Scottish banknotes.