A non-bank or a non-bank bank, is a financial institution that provides banking services without meeting the legal definition of a bank, i. e. one that does not hold a banking license. Operations are, regardless of this, still exercised under financial supervision.
Non-bank institutions frequently acts as suppliers of loans and credit facilities, however they are typically not allowed to take deposits from the general public and have to find other means of funding their operations such as issuing debt instruments.
