Our History

Santander entered consumer finance business in the seventies, when creating Bansafina (1972), and Hispamer (1978). Santander started international expansion in the consumer credit segment through the acquisition of CC Bank, Bank of America's consumer finance division in Germany.

CC Bank was founded in 1975 in Mönchengladbach (Germany) and expanded into the Czech Republic (in 1997).

SCF continued its international expansion through further acquisitions: AKB Bank in Germany (2002); Finconsumo in Italy (2004); Elcon (2004) and Bankia Bank (2005) in Sweden and Norway; Polskie Towarzystowo Finansowe in Poland (2004); Abfin in the Netherlands (2004); Interbanco in Portugal (2006); Drive Financial in the US (2006); Extrobank in Russia (2007) and RBS's European consumer finance business unit – Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands – (2008). Santander Consumer UK started in 2005.