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Commonwealth Bank

Commonwealth Bank of Australia is a publicly listed Australian banking and financial services company.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Commonwealth Bank of Australia is a publicly listed Australian banking and financial services company. It is not owned by a single person or parent company; its shares are broadly held by retail and institutional shareholders. The bank states that it has over 800,000 direct shareholders and many more via superannuation funds.

Ownership

Commonwealth Bank is owned by its shareholders rather than by a single individual or corporate parent. The bank describes its ownership as broad and diverse, with a mix of retail investors, superannuation funds and institutions.

History

Commonwealth Bank was formerly government owned, but it was fully privatised between 1991 and 1996. That transition made it one of Australia's major publicly traded financial institutions.

Shareholding structure

Recent market data shows large institutional holdings alongside a majority public or retail share base. The biggest named shareholders in the provided sources include BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard. The company states that 51% of its shares are held in retail holdings and 78% are held domestically.

Commbank.com.au

The domain commbank.com.au is the official website used by Commonwealth Bank of Australia for its consumer and corporate banking services.

Key facts

  • Commonwealth Bank is a public company listed on the ASX.
  • The bank was fully privatised by the Australian government between 1991 and 1996.
  • CBA has a broad shareholder base, including over 800,000 direct shareholders and millions more through superannuation funds.
  • Major institutional holders include BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard.
  • There is no evidence of a single owner or parent company.
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Canadian context

Canadian readers may know Commonwealth Bank as an Australian financial institution whose shares are widely held by global investors, including major North American asset managers.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns commbank.com.au?
It is owned and operated by Commonwealth Bank of Australia, a publicly listed company with broadly distributed shareholders.
Is Commonwealth Bank privately owned?
No. It is a public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Does one person own Commonwealth Bank?
No. The bank has no single controlling shareholder in the provided sources.
Was Commonwealth Bank ever government owned?
Yes. It was fully privatised between 1991 and 1996.
Who are some major shareholders?
The provided sources list BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard among the largest institutional holders.

References

  1. Commonwealth Bank — https://www.commbank.com.au/articles/newsroom/2021/09/CEO-speech-house-of-reps-Sept.html
    Supports: States the bank has over 800,000 direct shareholders, millions more through superannuation funds, and that 51% of shares are in retail holdings and 78% are held domestically.
  2. Wikipedia — https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Bank
    Supports: Identifies Commonwealth Bank as a major Australian listed company and confirms it is a public company.
  3. CompaniesHistory.com — https://www.companieshistory.com/commonwealth-bank/
    Supports: States that Commonwealth Bank was fully privatised by the Australian government between 1991 and 1996.
  4. Investing.com — https://www.investing.com/equities/commonwealth-bank-of-australia-ownership
    Supports: Provides a recent ownership breakdown and lists major institutional shareholders such as BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard.
  5. Simply Wall St — https://simplywall.st/stocks/au/banks/asx-cba/commonwealth-bank-of-australia-shares/ownership
    Supports: Shows CBA ownership percentages and lists top shareholders including BlackRock, State Street Global Advisors, Vanguard and Australian Super.