[2][3] The Crédit Communal de Belgique (Dutch: Gemeentekrediet van België) was founded in 1860, specifically for the financing of local authority investments.

In 1947, the bank begins to develop a network of retail branches that allows funds to be drawn from the general public through savings accounts.

From 1960 on, the branches are run by independent agents, allowing the offer of a broader range of services and products and the development of a lasting relationship with clients.

[4] In 1997, Dexia takes a 40% stake in Crediop, Italy’s biggest privately owned bank, specialising in finance for local administrations.

The first listing of Dexia Group as a dual-listed company on the Paris stock exchanges dates from November 1999, at a price of €6.86 per share.

The stake in Crediop grows to 70%, and Dexia becomes main shareholder in Otzar Hashilton Hamekomi, an Israeli credit provider for local authorities.

On 4 October 2011, in the wake of a series of negative news, in the space of one day customers withdrew 300 million Euros from the bank.