A merchant bank is a financial institution that conducts underwriting, loan services, financial advising, and fundraising services for large corporations and high-net-worth individuals (HNWI).

Merchant banks specialize in providing services for private corporations. Unlike retail or commercial banks, merchant banks do not typically provide financial services to the general public. Unlike investment banks, they focus on private companies not public companies. Examples of large merchant banks include JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup.