The idea of a national bank of Egypt dates to at least the days of Muhammad Ali, who ordered the establishment of a bank with 700,000 piastres shortly before he became ill and died. Amin Shumayyil wrote an article in favor of the idea on April 26, 1879 in the newspaper Al-Tijara; although a number of Egyptian dignitaries met to discuss the project, the conflict between the KhediveIsma'il Pasha and the National Assembly and subsequent ʻUrabi revolt doomed the idea this time. Revolt leader Ahmed ʻUrabi's friend Wilfrid Scawen Blunt reports in his memoirs that Urabi had envisioned a “credit bank” for farmers.
Omar Lotfi Bey, a member of the Watani Party and Vice-President of the School of Law (now part of Cairo University) revived the idea in lectures at the Universities’ Club beginning on November 1, 1908, but his suggestions of using German and Italian assistance and credit were politically controversial.
Joseph Cattaui and Talaat Harb co-founded Banque Misr in 1920. Talaat had published books in 1907 and 1911 calling for the founding of a national bank with Egyptian financing. (The National Bank of Egypt was British-owned, and all the other banks in Egypt were owned by foreigners.) Harb modeled Banque Misr's operations on those of Deutsche Orientbank with which he was familiar due to his friendship with the owner of a Sephardi Jewish bank, Banque Suarès. Harb established Banque Misr and its companies on the basis of certain concepts: all its dealings were in Arabic, Egyptians operated the bank, and the bank restricted share ownership to Egyptian citizens. Misr's Board of Directors included a number of Sephardic Jews and a Coptic Christian.
In 1926-1927 Banque Misr established its first foreign subsidiary, Banque Misr-France, to serve Egyptian tourists to France. Its Paris office was on 101-103 rue des Petits-Champs, now 33-35 rue Danielle Casanova, with registered address across the block on 24 Place Vendôme. Four years later, Banque Misr joined with Banque Essadine, in Lebanon, to form the joint-venture Banque Misr-Syrie-Liban. This bank then absorbed Banque Ezzeddine & Adib (Izz al-Din) in Tripoli.
In 1939, Banque Misr overextended itself and was reconstructed under new leadership. Talaat Harb Pasha was replaced by Hafiz Afifi Pasha.
Talaat Harb and Medhat Yakan at the opening of a new branch of Banque Misr in 1935.
In 1960 Gamal Nasser nationalised all banks in Egypt, foreign and domestic, including the four largest domestic banks — National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, Alexbank and Banque du Caire. The next year, Syria nationalized all banks operating in the country, including Banque Misr's operations there.
1963 In Libya, Banque Misr created Nahda Arabian Bank to hold its branches there.
1975 Liberalization of foreign entry led several Egyptian banks to establish joint venture banks with foreign banks.
1976 Banque Misr established Misr International Bank (MIBank) with Banque Misr owning 44%, First Chicago 20%, Europartners 10.5%, UBAF Bank 8.5%, Banco di Roma 7.375%, and Mitsui Bank 2.625%.
Misr established Misr American International Bank (MAIB) with Bank of America.
Misr established Misr Exterior Bank in a joint venture with Banco Exterior de España.
1977 Bank MISR established Misr Romanian Bank, together with a number of Romanian banks. Misr initially owned 51%, with Banca Romana de Comert Exterior owning 19%, and other Romanian banks such as Banca Agricola and Banca Comerciala Romana owning the rest.
1988 Banque du Caire took a 17% in MIBank, and Misr took over First Chicago's 20% stake.
2005 National Société Générale Bank (NSGB), a joint venture between National Bank of Egypt and France's Société Générale, acquired a majority stake in Misr International Bank (MIBank), making NSGB Egypt's biggest private sector bank. Arab African International Bank (AAIB) acquired Misr America International Bank (MAIB). Lebanon's Blom Bank increased its stake in Romanian-Egyptian joint venture Misr Romania Bank to 97% by purchasing an 84% stake.
Banque Misr Wallet
In March 2017, Banque Misr launched its online banking services for electronic payment over a mobile phone. The Wallet can be used to deposit and withdraw money in accounts, transfer from one enabled account to another, pay utility bills, charge companies’ balance, donate, pay fines, receive wire transfers, and pay for purchases from approved merchants.
United Arab Emirates: Established in 1974 as Banque du Caire, the division's name was changed in 2008 to match the main bank. There are 5 branches in the Emirates.
Lebanon: Banque Misr is one of the oldest banks active in Lebanon, founded in 1929, and has 18 branches throughout the country with capital of £L100 billion.
Saudi Arabia: On April 6, 2021, the Saudi Cabinet licensed Banque Misr to open a branch in the Kingdom.
Sanctions
In August 2026 during Operation Economic Outcast United States Treasury issued sanctions on the bank in order for it to be forced to comply with anti-Iranian regime secondary sanctions.
