With an initial capital of 500 thousand American gold pesos, the Banco Nacional de Panamá embarked on its journey, unveiling its doors to the public on October 12, 1904, with a modest staff. The inaugural board of directors, advisors, and clients included some of the most respected and prestigious figures of the independence movement.

Beyond its initial mortgage duties, the bank engaged in discount operations and accepted deposits from farmers, ranchers, and industrialists. Stringent requirements for client collateral were upheld. The bank provided loans that laid the foundation for the then-burgeoning national development.

In 1911, the bank underwent a name change to Banco Nacional, solidifying its role as the engine of internal productive growth, particularly in agriculture and livestock. The first provincial branches were established in 1919.

As a historical note, the institution’s headquarters operated in four different locations: in 1904, on Quinta Street, Catedral, until 1938 when it moved to Avenida Séptima Central, the current location of the branch with the same name, functioning there until 1956. Subsequently, it relocated to the front of Plaza Porras, occupying the building now housing the Electoral Tribunal. On February 24, 1978, it moved to its current building on Vía España.