The latter expanded CBG's international operations further by opening a first branch of the Commercial Bank of the Near East in Constantinople in 1922, a second one in Alexandria in 1925, and subsequently another in Cairo.

Thus, CBNE, which was incorporated in London, transferred its branches in Egypt to Commercial Bank of Greece.

This proved to be of only temporary help as in 1960 the Egyptian government nationalized all banks in Egypt, including CBG’s branches in Cairo and Alexandria.

CBG also acquired a major shareholding in Banque du Piree (Piraeus Bank), which had been established in 1916.

CBG continued to grow in Greece via acquisition when in it acquired a major equity stake (29% in 1995) in Bank of Attica, which had been established in 1925.

In 1965, CBG entered the European Common Market when it created Griechische Handelsbank in Frankfurt am Main.

The next year CBG established a representative office in Odesa, as well as Intercommercial Bank (Albania) SA which started operating in 2000.

The profitable subsidiaries in Albania, Bulgaria and Romania were integrated directly into Crédit Agricole.