Banco Internacional de São Tomé e Príncipe

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Banco Internacional de São Tomé e Príncipe (BISTP) is the largest and oldest commercial bank in São Tomé and Príncipe. It has a head office and 14 branches. The name means International Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe.

In 1993, the government turned the National Bank of São Tomé e Príncipe into the Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe and joined with two Portuguese banks—Banco Nacional Ultramarino and Banco Totta e Açores—to create BISTP. At that time, the government owned 42% and the two banks together owned 52%.

The National Bank of São Tomé e Príncipe began in 1975 from the São Tomé and Príncipe branch of Banco Nacional Ultramarino, whose history goes back to 1868. Caixa Geral de Depósitos acquired Banco Nacional Ultramarino in 1988 and merged with it in 2001. In 2000, Banco Totta e Açores was bought by Banco Santander, which then sold its stake in BISTP to Caixa Geral de Depósitos, giving Caixa Geral de Depósitos 52% of BISTP. BISTP became a fully private company in 2003.

In 2007 BISTP had three branches; by 2014 the number grew to 14 across two islands. In 2009 the bank started online services under the name BISTP KWA Non.