What is the world's oldest central bank?

The world's oldest central bank is Sveriges Riksbank, Sweden's central bank. It was established in 1668 as the Bank of the Estates of the Realm.

The institution grew out of the collapse of Stockholms Banco, founded by Johan Palmstruch in 1656. Stockholms Banco issued early Swedish banknotes, but excessive note issuance and financial difficulties led to its failure. Sweden's parliament then created a new bank under public control in 1668.

Sveriges Riksbank did not receive its present name until 1867. Its early mandate included maintaining the value of Sweden's currency; today it is responsible for monetary policy, price stability and supporting a safe, efficient payment system.

A frequent confusion is the Bank of England, founded in 1694. It is one of the world's most influential central banks, but it was established 26 years after the Swedish institution. Stockholms Banco is older, but it is generally not counted as the world's oldest central bank because it was a private predecessor rather than the central bank created in 1668.