Which Swedish institution, founded in 1668, is widely described as the world's oldest central bank?

Sveriges Riksbank, founded in 1668, is widely described as the world's oldest central bank.

It was established by the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag of the Estates, after the earlier Stockholm Banco failed. The new institution was intended to provide a more reliable monetary and banking organization for Sweden. Its name combines Sveriges, meaning Sweden's, with Riksbank, meaning national bank.

Riksbank is a central bank rather than an ordinary commercial bank. Its modern responsibilities include monetary policy, support for a safe payment system, and issuing Sweden's banknotes and coins. The bank's role has changed substantially since the seventeenth century, when banking and government finance were organized very differently.

A common mix-up is to call the Bank of England the world's oldest central bank. The Bank of England was founded in 1694 and became a central bank over time, but Sveriges Riksbank predates it by 26 years. The Swedish institution is therefore the standard answer to this specific superlative.