LGT Group
A Liechtenstein-owned international private banking and asset management group serving wealthy individuals, families and institutional investors.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
LGT Group is an international financial services group headquartered in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. It is controlled by the Princely Family of Liechtenstein through the LGT Group Foundation and operates principally in private banking, wealth management, institutional asset management and impact investing. The group serves private clients, family wealth holders, entrepreneurs, corporate clients and institutional investors through more than 40 locations in Europe, Asia, Australia, the Americas and the Middle East. The organization traces its origins to the creation of Bank in Liechtenstein Aktiengesellschaft, commonly abbreviated as BIL, in 1920. The bank was established during the monetary and political disruption that followed the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Anglo-Austrian Bank received a concession from the Liechtenstein government in August 1920, while the Princely House and other financial and industrial interests participated in the new institution. Operations began in May 1921 with ten employees in offices located in the Liechtenstein government building. By 1930, the Princely House had acquired more than 90 percent of the bank's shares. During its early decades, BIL supported the development of Liechtenstein's domestic economy through lending and other financial services. As the local market matured and proved too limited for the bank's ambitions, BIL broadened its activities into international commercial banking, mortgages, securities and foreign exchange. It also invested in increasingly sophisticated information technology, moving from punch-card processing in the 1960s to electronic data processing and screen-based workstations. LGT's international transformation accelerated from the 1980s. It opened representative offices in Europe, the United States and Asia, including London and Hong Kong, went public in 1986 and acquired London-based GT Management PLC in 1989. BIL GT Group AG was established in 1990. In 1996, the group adopted the name Liechtenstein Global Trust, while BIL became LGT Bank in Liechtenstein. After selling its GT Asset Management division and returning to private ownership in 1998, LGT increasingly concentrated on private banking and asset management. From the 2000s onward, LGT expanded its onshore presence and acquired selected banking, wealth management and investment businesses. These transactions included Schweizerische Treuhandgesellschaft, the Swiss operations of Dresdner Bank, portfolios from HSBC and Clariden Leu, a stake in Vestra Wealth, ABN AMRO's private banking operations in parts of Asia and the Middle East, and European Capital Fund Management. It also established or expanded operations in Switzerland, Austria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Thailand and India. In Australia, LGT acquired Crestone Wealth Management, completing the transaction in 2022. It later acquired wealth management activities from UBS Europe in Austria and abrdn in the United Kingdom, and announced an agreement to acquire Commonwealth Bank of Australia's private advice business in 2024. The group reorganized its operating businesses between 2020 and 2021. Private banking was placed under the LGT Private Banking brand, institutional and other asset management activities under LGT Capital Partners, and impact investing under Lightrock, formerly known as LGT Lightstone. This structure was intended to give each business a more focused market strategy while retaining common ownership and group-level resources. LGT's services include discretionary and advisory investment management, wealth planning, lending and real-estate financing, philanthropy advice, sustainable and impact-oriented investments, investment funds and institutional mandates. LGT Capital Partners serves more than 700 institutional clients in over 40 countries, according to the supplied reference material. LGT has also developed a substantial social-impact and philanthropic profile through Lightrock and the independent LGT Venture Philant…
History
LGT began as Bank in Liechtenstein Aktiengesellschaft, or BIL, founded in 1920 after the monetary and political upheaval that followed the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Anglo-Austrian Bank received the concession to create the institution from the Liechtenstein government on 30 August 1920. The Princely House of Liechtenstein participated alongside industrialists and financiers from the former empire. BIL commenced business in May 1921 with ten employees in offices inside the government building in Vaduz. In 1930, the Princely House acquired more than 90 percent of the shares, establishing the ownership continuity that remains central to LGT's identity. BIL initially helped finance Liechtenstein's economic and commercial development. It provided loans and other banking services to local businesses, but the limited scale of the domestic economy eventually encouraged an international expansion. The bank developed activities in mortgages, securities markets and foreign exchange, and gradually became an international commercial bank. Its technological development included punch-card processing in 1964, electronic data processing in 1969 and screen-based workstations in the early 1970s. In 1970, the bank's share capital was transferred to the newly established Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation. The international phase became particularly visible in the 1980s. BIL opened representative offices in Europe, the United States and Asia, with London serving as its first foreign business base and Hong Kong added in 1986. The bank went public in 1986 and purchased London-based GT Management PLC in 1989. BIL GT Group AG was formed in 1990, with Prince Philipp becoming chairman of the board. In 1996, BIL GT Group was renamed Liechtenstein Global Trust, and BIL became LGT Bank in Liechtenstein. LGT sold GT Asset Management in 1998 and returned to private ownership, after which private banking and asset management became the group's strategic center of gravity. During the 2000s, LGT built a broader international platform. It acquired Schweizerische Treuhandgesellschaft from Swiss Life in 2003, established German and Singaporean banking operations, launched LGT Bank Switzerland and LGT Bank Austria, and expanded through offices and licenses in several jurisdictions. LGT Venture Philanthropy was established in 2007 as an independent charitable foundation. In 2009, LGT sold its trust and fiduciary division to First Advisory Group and acquired the Swiss operations of Dresdner Bank. LGT's German strategy encountered a regulatory setback in 2011, when BaFin blocked the proposed sale of BHF-Bank to LGT during the owner-control process. LGT withdrew from Germany, and LGT Bank Deutschland was later sold to Delbrück Bethmann Maffei. The group nevertheless continued to expand elsewhere, receiving a Hong Kong banking license in 2011 and opening operations in Salzburg and Dubai in the following years. Between 2012 and 2017, acquisitions and portfolio transactions strengthened LGT's private banking and investment capabilities. These included Clariden Leu's insurance-linked-securities boutique, an HSBC private banking portfolio in Switzerland, a majority interest in Vestra Wealth, ABN AMRO's private banking operations in Asia and the Middle East, and European Capital Fund Management. In 2019, LGT entered Thailand, acquired a majority stake in India's Validus Wealth and acquired Aspada, an India-focused investment fund, to expand its impact-investing platform. The group resumed a German presence during the early 2020s, designating Munich as its German headquarters and planning a Hamburg office, followed by additional locations in Düsseldorf, Cologne and Frankfurt. Between 2020 and 2021, LGT reorganized its business units as more distinct operating companies. LGT Private Banking became the principal private banking brand, LGT Capital Partners represented asset management and Lightrock assumed responsibility for impact investing. Expansion continued with the acquisition of Australian wealth manager Crestone Wealth Management, announced in 2021 and completed in 2022, and the acquisition of UBS Europe's Austrian wealth management business. LGT also opened a Tokyo branch and acquired abrdn's UK wealth management business in 2023. In 2024, it announced a proposed acquisition of Commonwealth Bank of Australia's private advice business. The modern group combines private banking, institutional asset management and impact investing under the ownership of the LGT Group Foundation, which holds the group for the Princely Family of Liechtenstein.
- 2024
Australian advice expansion is announced
[1]LGT announced an agreement to acquire Commonwealth Bank of Australia's private advice business.
- 2022
Crestone acquisition is completed
[1]LGT completed its acquisition of Australian wealth manager Crestone Wealth Management and opened a Tokyo branch.
- 2021
Operating businesses are reorganized
[1]Private banking, asset management and impact investing were separated into more focused operating platforms.
- 2020
Coal investment exclusion takes effect
[1]LGT states that it has not invested in companies extracting coal or producing coal-based electricity since 2020.
- 2007
LGT Venture Philanthropy is established
[1]An independent charitable foundation was created on the initiative of Prince Maximilian von und zu Liechtenstein.
- 1998
Return to private ownership
[1]LGT sold its GT Asset Management division and returned to private ownership.
- 1996
The LGT name is adopted
[1]BIL GT Group became Liechtenstein Global Trust and BIL became LGT Bank in Liechtenstein.
- 1989
Acquisition of GT Management
[1]BIL acquired London-based GT Management PLC, supporting its international asset management development.
- 1986
BIL goes public and opens in Hong Kong
[1]The bank went public and expanded its international presence, including a Hong Kong representative office.
- 1930
Princely ownership becomes dominant
[1]The Princely House of Liechtenstein acquired more than 90 percent of the bank's shares.
Products and positioning
A privately owned, long-term-oriented wealth and asset management group focused on complex financial needs of wealthy individuals, families and institutional investors, with an emphasis on continuity, international service and sustainable or impact-oriented investment.
Private banking and wealth management
LGT Private Banking
LGT Private Banking provides investment advice, discretionary portfolio management, wealth planning, financing and related services for wealthy individuals, families, entrepreneurs and corporate clients. Its broader service model can include real-estate financing, philanthropy advice, sustainable investments and impact-oriented opportunities. The platform operates through LGT's international private banking network.
Institutional asset management
LGT Capital Partners
LGT Capital Partners is the group's asset management platform for institutional clients. It provides investment funds, mandates and other portfolio solutions across areas of institutional investing. The supplied reference material states that it serves more than 700 institutional clients in over 40 countries.
Impact investing · 2019
Lightrock
Lightrock is LGT's impact investing platform, formerly associated with the LGT Lightstone name. It invests in businesses and opportunities intended to generate measurable social or environmental benefits alongside financial returns. Its development was supported by the acquisition of Aspada, an India-focused investment fund, in 2019.
Philanthropic foundation · 2007
LGT Venture Philanthropy
LGT Venture Philanthropy is an independent charitable foundation founded in 2007. It provides multi-year support to organizations working in areas including health, education, agriculture, poverty reduction, environmental protection, women and girls, and children and youth. Its activities include an accelerator program launched in 2012 and an impact fellowship for professionals.
Controversies
2008
LGT Treuhand client data case
German tax authorities investigated hundreds of clients of former LGT subsidiary LGT Treuhand after receiving data allegedly stolen from the business. The information concerned suspected offshore tax evasion and was shared with authorities in several other countries. LGT said that a data theft had occurred at the subsidiary in 2002 and identified Heinrich Kieber as the suspected perpetrator. In December 2010, proceedings against LGT Group and LGT Treuhand were discontinued in exchange for a payment reported at approximately EUR 46 million; the discontinuation was not an admission of guilt.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012LGT Venture Philanthropy Accelerator Program
China
The foundation launched an accelerator program to support social enterprises in China.
- 2007LGT Venture Philanthropy
Africa · Asia · India · Latin America · Europe
LGT established an independent foundation focused on improving living conditions, supporting communities and protecting ecosystems through long-term partnerships with local organizations.
Outcome. The supplied reference material states that the foundation had invested in 36 organizations across six regions and contributed to improved conditions for more than 4.5 million disadvantaged people.
- LGT Impact Fellowship
Latin America · Africa · India · Europe
The fellowship places selected professionals for one-year full-time assignments with organizations and companies supported by LGT's impact activities.
- Cultural and sports partnerships
Liechtenstein · Europe
LGT supports the Princely Collections, the LGT Young Soloists, the Liechtenstein Ski Association, curling competitions and the Champions Hockey League.
Brand decisions
2024
Proposed acquisition of CBA private advice businessM&ABackground
LGT continued to build its Australian advice and wealth management capabilities.
Action taken
LGT announced an agreement to acquire the private advice business of Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
2021
Acquisition of Crestone Wealth ManagementM&ABackground
LGT sought to expand its wealth management presence in Australia.
Action taken
LGT announced the acquisition of Crestone Wealth Management, an Australian wealth manager; completion followed in 2022.
Aftermath
The deal strengthened LGT's Australian private wealth platform.
Reported transaction value. (2021 announcement)
2020
Coal and controversial-weapons exclusionsStrategyBackground
LGT linked its investment approach to sustainability and climate objectives.
Action taken
The group stated that it would not invest in companies extracting coal, producing coal-based electricity, or manufacturing or selling controversial weapons.
Aftermath
The exclusions became part of LGT's sustainability positioning and were followed by participation in several international responsible-investment initiatives.
2020
Reorganization into specialized operating platformsStrategyBackground
LGT's private banking, asset management and impact investing businesses had grown into distinct international activities.
Action taken
Between 2020 and 2021, LGT reorganized the activities under LGT Private Banking, LGT Capital Partners and Lightrock.
Aftermath
The structure was intended to allow more focused strategies for each market while retaining common ownership under the LGT Group Foundation.
1998
Concentration on private banking and asset managementStrategyBackground
Following the sale of GT Asset Management and the return to private ownership, LGT reassessed the businesses best aligned with its long-term positioning.
Action taken
The group focused increasingly on private banking and asset management.
Aftermath
These activities became the core of LGT's subsequent international expansion.
1996
Rebrand as Liechtenstein Global TrustStrategyBackground
The group had expanded beyond its original domestic banking role and was building an international financial services identity.
Action taken
BIL GT Group adopted the Liechtenstein Global Trust name, while the banking subsidiary became LGT Bank in Liechtenstein.
Aftermath
The LGT identity became the umbrella brand for the group's international private banking and asset management activities.
Recent events
LGT Group to acquire Crestone Wealth Management[2]
Reported:
Crestone Wealth Management was reported as set to be acquired by LGT Group; the source reports a planned acquisition, not its completion.
Lilium completes funding round of more than $240 million[3]
Lilium completed an internal funding round worth more than $240 million, led by Tencent and involving existing investors including Atomico, Freigeist and LGT. The article says the funds will support development of the Lilium Jet and preparations for serial production.
Sources3 sources
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