指提供
批发和零售银行服务，同时亦参与同业
市场操作的金融机构。商业银行吸收客户的
存款，并提供支票
结算服务。在英国，商业银行亦称为
清算银行(clearing banks)。在美国，商业银行亦称
金融中心银行(money-centre banks)。当商业银行需要短期资金时，可向
中央银行借款。商业银行与
投资银行或
商人银行(merchant banks)不同，后者专门为
公司筹措资金，而不是贷款和
货币流通活动。
参见Central Bank（中央银行），
Investment Bank（投资银行）。
Financial institutions that operate in
wholesale and retail banking and allied markets.
Commercial banks attract customer deposits and
offer cheque-clearing facilities. They are known as clearing banks in the UK and
money-centre banks in the US. They are allowed to borrow from their respective central banks when they need short-term funds. Commercial banks contrast with investment or merchant banks which specialize in raising funds for companies rather than concentrating on lending and the mechanics of money transmission.
See also: Central Bank, Investment Bank
