It failed the European stress test in 2011 as a result of the 2007–2008 financial crisis and was taken over by Banco Popular Español, which would later become Santander Bank.

In 1939, Pedro Barrié de la Maza (one of the principal economic backers of General Franco's coup d'état received an economic tzar position in Galicia in exchange for his support) took full control of the bank and use it as a supporter of Galician business network control.

At a national level it cooperated with Astano, Renfe and Fenosa, founded in 1943 by Barrié de la Maza.

[1] In 2011, with the global financial crisis fully in effect, Banco Pastor was one of the few banks that failed the European stress test.

On October 10, an agreement was reached for a takeover by Banco Popular, but to be continued to be run as a separate entity.