In the United States, a national bank is a commercial bank. The comptroller of the currency of the U.S. Treasury will charter a national bank. This institution will function as a member bank of the Federal Reserve and is an investing member of its district Federal Reserve Bank. National banks may facilitate the auction process of U.S. Treasury bonds. It is essential that they are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Internationally, "national bank" is synonymous with "central bank," or a bank controlled by the national government of a country. Central banks set monetary policies within national economies.