republic-os/legal/us/code/title-12/chapter-6/section-619.md

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LegalText	12 U.S.C. § 619	Capital stock; by whom held; ownership of capital stock by foreign bank	us	united_states_code	code_section	12	BANKS AND BANKING	6	FOREIGN BANKING	619	12 U.S.C. § 619	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc12@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t12/s619	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-12/usc12.xml	780484472aaef59c2bc8783bc65ba566a0c301d355427a32112a21dba87b1859	e6b98700ef4156ac33fde5d105824845d727afa91a53f3762be2cf4d1a3b01fa	5dc23e06af7e38ffb1873c3d5192aaf0d2f51b5f2387672e95dbfdc399b85fe6	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

12 U.S.C. § 619 - Capital stock; by whom held; ownership of capital stock by foreign bank

Text

Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, a majority of the shares of the capital stock of any such corporation shall at all times be held and owned by citizens of the United States, by corporations the controlling interest in which is owned by citizens of the United States, chartered under the laws of the United States or of a State of the United States, or by firms or companies, the controlling interest in which is owned by citizens of the United States. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subchapter, one or more foreign banks, institutions organized under the laws of foreign countries which own or control foreign banks, or banks organized under the laws of the United States, the States of the United States, or the District of Columbia, the controlling interests in which are owned by any such foreign banks or institutions, may, with the prior approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and upon such terms and conditions and subject to such rules and regulations as the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System may prescribe, own and hold 50 per centum or more of the shares of the capital stock of any corporation organized under this subchapter and any such corporation shall be subject to the same provisions of law as any other corporation organized under this subchapter, and the terms “controls” and “controlling interest” shall be construed consistently with the definition of “control” in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 [12 U.S.C. 1841]. For the purposes of the preceding sentence of this paragraph the term “foreign bank” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the International Banking Act of 1978 [12 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.]. Any company, other than a bank as defined in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, that after March 5, 1987, directly or indirectly acquires control of a corporation organized or operating under the provisions of this subchapter or subchapter I of this chapter shall be subject to the provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 [12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.] in the same manner and to the same extent that bank holding companies are subject thereto, except that such company shall not by reason of this paragraph be deemed a bank holding company for the purpose of section 3 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 [12 U.S.C. 1842].

(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 25A (par.), formerly § 25(a), as added Dec. 24, 1919, ch. 18, 41 Stat. 378; amended Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614, title III, § 329, 49 Stat. 717; Pub. L. 95–369, § 3(f), Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 609; Pub. L. 100–86, title I, § 102(c)(1), Aug. 10, 1987, 101 Stat. 566; renumbered § 25A, Pub. L. 102–242, title I, § 142(e)(2), Dec. 19, 1991, 105 Stat. 2281.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextThis subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this section”, meaning section 25A of act Dec. 23, 1913, which is classified to this subchapter (§ 611 et seq.). The International Banking Act of 1978, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 95–369, Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 607, which enacted chapter 32 (§ 3101 et seq.) and sections 347d and 611a of this title, amended this section and sections 72, 378, 614, 615, 618, 1813, 1815, 1817, 1818, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1828, 1829b, 1831b, and 1841 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 247, 611a, and 3101 of this title and formerly set out as notes under sections 36, 247, and 601 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3101 of this title and Tables. Subchapter I of this chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “section 25”, meaning section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act, which is classified to subchapter I (§ 601 et seq.) of this chapter. The Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, referred to in text, is act May 9, 1956, ch. 240, 70 Stat. 133, which is classified principally to chapter 17 (§ 1841 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1841 of this title and Tables.

Codification Section is comprised of par. 11 (undesignated) of section 25A of act Dec. 23, 1913, which comprises this subchapter. For complete classification of section 25A of this Act, see Codification note set out under section 611 of this title.

Amendments1987—Pub. L. 100–86 inserted provisions which related to any company, other than bank as defined in section 2 of Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, that after Mar. 5, 1987, directly or indirectly acquires control of corporation organized or operating under provisions of this subchapter or subchapter I of this chapter to be subject to provisions of Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 in same manner and to same extent that bank holding companies are subject thereto, except that such company shall not by reason of this paragraph be deemed bank holding company for purpose of section 3 of such Act. 1978—Pub. L. 95–369 inserted “Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter” before “a majority of the shares”, and inserted provision relating to the ownership of 50 per centum of the shares of capital stock by a foreign bank with prior approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. 1935—Act Aug. 23, 1935, struck out provisions relating to application of section 19 of title 15, to directors, officers or employees of corporations organized under sections 611–631 of this title, and excepting certain persons who received approval of Federal Reserve Board, from application of this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Exception for Midland Bank, London, EnglandPub. L. 100–86, title I, § 102(c)(2), Aug. 10, 1987, 101 Stat. 566, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] does not apply to an acquisition pursuant to the application by Midland Bank, plc, London, England, pending before the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on July 1, 1987, to acquire a corporation organized or operating under section 25(a) [now 25A] of the Federal Reserve Act [12 U.S.C. 611 et seq.]. If Midland Bank, plc, London, England, is not otherwise subject to section 4 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 [12 U.S.C. 1843], the financial activities of Midland Bank, plc, London, England, in the United States shall, upon the determination of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System made at any time, be subject to section 4 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956.”