JPMorgan Chase was formed in 2000 through the merger of J.P. Morgan and Chase Manhattan.
The merger combined two major American financial institutions with different historical strengths. J.P. Morgan had deep roots in investment banking and corporate finance, while Chase Manhattan had a long history in commercial banking and consumer financial services. The combined company was initially known as J.P. Morgan Chase.
The modern institution also reflects later consolidation. In 2004, J.P. Morgan Chase merged with Bank One, adding Jamie Dimon to the company’s leadership and greatly expanding its retail-banking presence. During the 2008 financial crisis, it acquired Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual’s banking operations.
The 2000 merger should not be confused with those later acquisitions. JPMorgan Chase’s corporate family includes institutions with histories reaching back to the nineteenth century, but the specific combination of J.P. Morgan and Chase Manhattan occurred in 2000.