About Bladex
Bladex is a supranational bank established at the initiative of the Central Banks of Latin America and the Caribbean at the Twentieth Annual Meeting of Latin American Central Bank Governors held in 1975, to finance and promote trade in the Region. The Bank serves the capitalization needs of other banks in the Region.
Incorporated in 1978 under the laws of the Republic of Panama, Bladex initiated operations in 1979.
In 1986, Bladex increased the level of its internationalization, opening a representative office in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1988, it opened a representative office in New York City to convert it into a banking agency and offer a wider range of products.
Bladex is the first bank in Latin America to be listed in the NYSE and in 1992, it became the first Latin American bank registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with the successful public offering of its Class “E” shares in the international markets. It was also the first Latin American bank granted an investment grade rating by Standard and Poor’s in October 1993, while Moody’s did so in 1994 followed by Fitch in 1995.
To continue expanding its client base and leverage its market strengths, Bladex opened a representative office in Brazil in January 2000 and in Mexico in January 2001, thereby consolidating its representation in Latin America.
Outstanding management, synergy between States and private regional and international banks and, above all, our thorough expertise in the Region, has made this institution the foreign trade expert with the ability to provide profitable solutions for the development of Latin American countries.
BLADEX's shareholders include Central Banks and designated state-owned entities in 23 countries in the Region, as well as international, local and regional commercial banks and retail investors.
For more information about Bladex, visit our website.