Concept
Creand is the brand of Crèdit Andorrà, Andorra's oldest private bank (1950). Type: a company with dispersed ownership — over 400 shareholders anchored in the founding families and employees (contrary to rumours, it is not a cooperative); rated Fitch BBB–/Stable. The chairman is Antoni Pintat; the CEO is Xavier Cornella. The Creand brand launched for the international units in 2020 and reached Andorra in 2023.
History and evolution
Founded in 1950 by Andorran entrepreneurs with backing from Spanish banker Rafael Termes. Leadership in the Principality was cemented by buying CaixaBank's Andorran subsidiary (2005). The 2011 European and American expansion: Luxembourg's Banque de Patrimoines Privés (now Creand Wealth & Securities), Spain's Banco Alcalá (100% owned since 2025) and Miami's Beta Capital (now Creand Securities/Creand Management, SEC/FINRA). In 2021–2022 it absorbed Vall Banc — the "good bank" that succeeded the failed BPA. Exits: Panama (banking licence, closure finalised 2025), Mexico (sold 2023), Peru and Switzerland (closed from 2019). In 2025 the bank marked 75 years and won best private bank in Andorra from PWM/The Banker for the eighth time.
2025 results: business volume of €38.8bn (+17%), profit of €63.2m; CET1 at 16.84%; ~65% of volume comes from the international units.
Regulation
- AFA — Creand Crèdit Andorrà (Andorra);
- Banco de España / CNMV — Banco Alcalá (trading as Creand Wealth Management) and Gesalcalá/Creand Asset Management;
- CSSF — Creand Wealth & Securities (Luxembourg, with depositary functions);
- SEC / FINRA — Creand Management and Creand Securities (Miami);
- SMV — Creand Securities Panamá (brokerage, no banking licence).
Source of funds and compliance
The Principality's standard applies: identification, source of funds and source of wealth, CRS/FATCA; separate tracks for residents, non-residents and corporates. Dated episode: in June–July 2026 FINRA fined Creand Securities $145,000 for AML-program deficiencies (2019–2023) at the Miami unit. No group-level sanctions in Andorra or the EU surfaced in public registers.
Who it serves
- Andorra and Spain: no published threshold; industry estimates cite entry from ~€500,000 for private banking (unofficial), with fund lines from €50,000;
- US and international clients: the officially published minimum of the Miami entities — US$100,000 per account, smaller accounts case by case;
- family offices — a dedicated line in Spain (~€1bn advised, +40% in four years);
- clients needing fund infrastructure: depositary, administration and custody in Luxembourg.
Services
Wealth management
- discretionary and advisory management, execution;
- private markets: Creand Select Private Equity (2024) and venture programs; the Onyze alliance for digital assets (2024).
Lending
- asset-backed lending and wealth structuring, tax and succession planning.
Fund infrastructure and family
- fund depositary and administration in Luxembourg;
- the Spanish family office built on GBS Finanzas; the US line for SFOs/MFOs and external managers.
Entities and booking centres
| Jurisdiction | Legal entity | Format and supervisor | Role for the client |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Creand Crèdit Andorrà SA | bank, AFA | main booking centre |
| Spain | Banco Alcalá SA (Creand Wealth Management) | bank, Banco de España/CNMV (100% since 2025) | domestic private banking (€6.8bn) |
| Luxembourg | Creand Wealth & Securities | bank, CSSF (formerly Banque de Patrimoines Privés) | EU booking centre and fund depositary (€18bn of volume) |
| US | Creand Securities / Creand Management (Miami) | FINRA broker / SEC adviser | international clients; entry from US$100,000 |
| Panama | Creand Securities Panamá | brokerage, SMV (banking licence surrendered) | brokerage services |
Strengths
- the Principality's oldest bank with 75 years of history and the leadership position;
- a full map: Andorra + Spain + Luxembourg + Miami with a published US minimum;
- strong Luxembourg fund infrastructure (depositary, custody);
- eight-time best private bank in Andorra.
Where it does not fit
- clients in Asia — no direct points;
- those seeking a published threshold for Andorra — undisclosed (only the US one is published);
- clients sensitive to the fresh FINRA fine at the Miami unit (2026);
- portfolios below the fund tickets — private banking starts higher.
Creand is Andorra's oldest house with a rare combination: a bank in the Principality, a bank in Spain, a depositary in Luxembourg and a licensed format in Miami. The weak spots are unpublished thresholds and the fresh FINRA note.
Q/A
Entry and geography
What minimum capital does Creand require?
Only the US minimum is officially published: US$100,000 per account at Creand Securities/Creand Management. For Andorra and Spain thresholds are undisclosed; industry estimates cite ~€500,000 for private banking (fund lines are more accessible).
Is Creand a cooperative?
No: Crèdit Andorrà is a company founded in 1950; shares are dispersed across hundreds of holders anchored in the founding families and employees. The 2015 Banco Madrid collapse had nothing to do with Creand — that was the Spanish unit of a different Andorran bank (BPA); Creand later bought Vall Banc, BPA's "good" successor.
What does the deposit guarantee cover?
Andorra — FAGADI €100,000 (exceptionally up to €300,000); Spain — FGD €100,000; Luxembourg — FGDL €100,000. In the US there are no bank deposits — brokerage assets are protected by SIPC. Custody securities remain the client's property.
Supervision
What is the 2026 FINRA fine?
Creand Securities (Miami) was fined $145,000 for AML-program deficiencies from 2019–2023. It is a local episode at the US brokerage unit; no group sanctions appear in Andorran or EU public registers.
What did the Vall Banc purchase bring?
Vall Banc is the "good bank" assembled after BPA's failure; the 2021–2022 deal brought Creand its clients and reinforced leadership in Andorra. It was home-market consolidation, not international expansion.