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Private company

Arion Bank

Logo: Arion Bank, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Icelandic bank

Arion Banki hf., formerly Nýja Kaupþing hf. (lit. 'New Kaupthing'), is an Icelandic bank with roots tracing back to 1930. The bank operates in the Greater Reykjavík area as well as in the largest urban areas around the country.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

2009Founded1
  • Industryfinancial sector1
  • HeadquartersReykjavík1
  • Websitewww.arionbanki.is
  • Legal formlimited company1
  • LEIRIL4VBPDB0M7Z3KXSF193
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered addressBorgartúni 19, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland3
  • Registered withDirectorate of Internal Revenu, 58100801503

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Arion Banki hf., formerly Nýja Kaupþing hf. (lit. 'New Kaupthing'), is an Icelandic bank with roots tracing back to 1930. The bank operates in the Greater Reykjavík area as well as in the largest urban areas around the country. In 2016 the bank had the third largest market share of the current accounts in Iceland (30%), behind Landsbankinn (36.1%) and Íslandsbanki (31%). The Bank has 13 branches all over the country and over 100,000 customers. In recent years, the bank has faced criticism for shutting down several of its branches in smaller towns throughout Iceland.2

Corporate structure

Arion Bank sits at the top of its group. 47 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • Arion Bank Reykjavík, Iceland
    • Valitor Subsidiary · Hafnarfjörður
    • Arcus Invest ehf. Subsidiary · Reykjavík, Iceland
    • EAB 1 ehf. Subsidiary · Reykjavík, Iceland
    • SEL I hs. Subsidiary · Reykjavik, Iceland
    • Stefnir hf. Subsidiary · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Althjoda Fasteignasjodurinn (Alþjóða Fasteignasjóðurinn) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Arion Bank Mortgages Institutional Investor Fund Fund · Reykjavík, Iceland
      • Asset Allocation Equities Fund (Eignaval – Hlutabréf hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • BELA HS. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Brekkuholl hs. (Brekkuhóll hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Eignaval A hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Eignaval B hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Eignaval C hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Eignaval D hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Eignaval Erlent hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Glitsky hs. (Glitský hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Himbrimi hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Kubera0505 Hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Rodholshnjukur hs. (Róðhólshnjúkur hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • SEL II hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • SEL III hs. Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • SIL 2 Hs. (SÍL 2 Hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • SIL 3 Hs. (SÍL 3 Hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • ST1 Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Stefnir - Ardgreidslusjodur (Stefnir - Arðgreiðslusjóður) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Stefnir - Fixed Income Opportunities Fund (Stefnir – Skuldabréfaval Hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Stefnir - Government Bonds Long (Stefnir - Ríkisverðbréfasjóður - langur) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Stefnir - Government Bonds Medium (Stefnir - Ríkisverðbréfasjóður - millilangur) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Stefnir - Greanaval (Stefnir - Grænaval) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Stefnir - Icelandic Growth Fund (Stefnir – Innlend hlutabréf hs.) Fund · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • and 14 more
    • VÖRÐUR TRYGGINGAR HF Subsidiary · Reykjavik, Iceland
      • Vordur liftryggingar hf. (Vörður líftryggingar hf.) Subsidiary · Reykjavík, Iceland

Built from parent and subsidiary links from GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (CC0); subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0). Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What Arion Bank reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

Nýja Kaupþing was established as a state-owned bank on the ruins of the Icelandic-based operations of the former Kaupthing Bank and placed in control of the old bank's domestic assets and liabilities. On 20 November 2009, New Kaupthing changed its name to Arion Banki.

On behalf of its creditors Kaupthing, through its subsidiary Kaupskil, took ownership of Arion Bank on 8 January 2010. Kaupskil holds 87% of common equity and the Icelandic State Financial Investments (ISFI) 13%. Kaupskil appoints five out of six board members of Arion Bank, the government appoints the sixth. Kaupskil has a call option to buy the government's stake at a later point.

Following a change in ownership in 2010 a new board of directors as well as a new CEO, Höskuldur H. Ólafsson, and management team were appointed. A new strategic plan was also introduced.

In February 2017, the government announced its intention to sell its minority stake through an IPO.

From Wikipedia’s article on Arion Bank, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Products and brands

  • retail banking

Listed on Wikidata.1

Subsidiaries and ownership

Also owns

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 2009Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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