The 10 Top Investment Banks in the World

Investment banking is a crucial part of the financial services sector that provides the public with assistance in complex financial services such as capital raise, advice on mergers, security trading, and other financial acquisitions. The job of investment banking is quite hectic and investment bankers usually follow a complex working schedule of 10-14 hours a day, however, they earn a high-priced salary package ranging from 5 LPA to 19 LPA.

With the rapid and ever-evolving change in the financial sector, investment banking companies are continuously adapting themselves according to the marketing trends to keep them up-to-date and meet the client’s demands. In this blog, you will get an overview of the top 10 investment banking companies that are known for their unique and robust contributions to the financial landscape.

Different Functions of Investment Banking Companies

Different Investment Banking Companies perform different functions including capital raising, financial advisory services, sales & trading, market research, asset management, and so on. Let’s dive deeper into these functions and learn more about each of the functions performed by different investment banking companies. So, let’s get started.

1. Capital Raising

Capital Raising refers to the process of companies that involve raising capital or funds from external sources such as public offerings, private placements, and debt issuances. This practice can help the business to grow, expand, and transform.

2. Financial Advisory Services

Investment banking companies also help business professionals or large firms by providing financial advisory services that include plan creation that helps the companies to grow well and achieve the financial objectives of the business firms, strategies creation to pay down the debts, providing valuable insights on current economic conditions and market activities.

3. Sales & Trading

The investment bankers help the clients and businesses by facilitating the buying and selling of securities. They also recommend numerous investment & financial opportunities and execute trades to help the companies grow and maximize their profits and revenue rate.

4. Market Research

Another function of investment bankers is market research. Financial market research is the process of gathering, analyzing, and understanding the data related to the target audience, competitive market, and industry. This research includes the analysis of customer needs, preferences, behaviors, share market trends, brand awareness, product performance, growth opportunities, etc. This function helps clients or business firms to make informed decisions related to investment with the help of relevant accurate insights and analytics.

5. Asset Management

Asset management is one of the main functions performed by investment banking companies. It is a professional investment management that is helpful for companies and clients to grow their wealth over time.

Financial advisors or investment bankers generally create, build, and manage investment portfolios for different clients, individuals, business firms, families, corporations, and other institutions, resulting in the best financial returns to the receivers. The asset managers usually invest or advise the clients to invest in different assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, private equity, mutual funds, and ETFs. 

Asset management is the polar opposite of investment banking as it is much more than giving financial or investment advice. The functions of asset management include buying, selling, and managing investments, diversifying assets, monitoring accounts, analyzing market trends, preparing financial reports & forecasts, and collaborating with third parties, helping the investors achieve their financial goals.

Best Investment Banking Companies 2025

Investment banking companies help individuals, corporations, and governments by providing them with valuable information regarding financial investments, asset management, and other finance-related insights that help them achieve their financial goals effectively. However, there are a few factors that make every investment banking company different from the other including the financial advice or investment insights they provide to their clients, corporations, or organizations, the diverse range of services they provide to the clients, types of connections they have built domestically or globally and so on. In this section, you will uncover some of the best investment banking companies in 2025. So, let’s get started.

1. JP Morgan Chase & Co.

JP Morgan Chase & Co. was founded on the 31st of December in the year 2000 in New York, United States of America. This is a merger of two companies that includes J.P. Morgan & Co. (Founded by J. Pierpont Morgan and Anthony Joseph Drexel in 1871) and Chase Manhattan Corporation Ltd. (Founded by Aaron Burr in 1799). The main headquarters of JP Morgan Chase & Co. is located in New York City, USA.

It is listed among the most reputed investment companies across the globe. It provides you with a diverse range of investment as well as financial services that include capital markets, M&A advisory, and risk management solutions. With a strong market research strategy, this company or investment bank has a strong presence in developing and emerging markets, which also makes them more adaptable in the ever-evolving market situations. This investment banking company has a bunch of key strengths such as its global reach and extensive operations among the financial hubs domestically and globally. They also provide you with a diverse range of investment banking services, such as underwriting, advisory, asset management, and so on.

In the year 2023, JP Morgan Chase & Co. came with a great collaboration with several fintech companies for the development of digital payment solutions showcasing its commitment to digital transformation. Till then, they are providing clients, investors, and other corporations with investment in technology and fintech to make client service and operational tasks more efficient.

2. Barclays Bank

Barclays Bank was founded on the 17th of November in the year 1690 in London, United Kingdom. The main headquarters of Barclays Bank (Founded by John Freame and Thomas Gould) is located in London, United Kingdom.

It is listed among the most reputed investment companies across the globe. It provides you with a diverse range of investment as well as financial services including personalized banking & savings solutions, cash management, liquidity management, terms loan, trade & working capital solutions, and FX management. Barclays Bank has a few key strengths including their exceptional presence in the capital markets related to debt and equity underwriting.

This investment bank provides you with different banking services according to each of their customer’s needs. They primarily focus on providing the customer with a relevant solution and work accordingly to resolve their issues. They also have strong analytical and technical skills that help clients understand every investment strategy.

In recent years, Barclays has focused more on sustainable finance solutions. They have launched a few initiatives related to green investment and ESG compliance.

3. Goldman Sachs

Established in the year 1869 in New York City, United States of America, Goldman Sachs (Founded by Marcus Goldman & Samuel Sachs). This investment banking company is a reputed company in India as well as in Foreign Countries. Provide you with the best investment banking services, investment management, and security services including mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt capital markets, and financial advisory in M&A. They are often seen as the benchmark in investment banking as they work with a customer-centric approach. The main headquarters of Goldman Sachs is in New York, United States of America.

Goldman Sachs has various key qualities including providing leading advisory on (M&A) mergers and acquisitions globally, following an innovative approach to meet the clients’ needs and preferences. Furthermore, they have in-depth and robust connections with private as well as public institutions.

Last year in 2023, they launched an innovative platform for SMEs. This idea helps them in offering innovative financial solutions and expanding their reach in the market.

4. JM Financial Institutions Securities (JMFIS)

Mahendra Kampani and Nimesh Kampani, (founders of JM Financial Institutions Securities (JMFIS)), established it in the year 1973.  The main headquarters of JM Financial Institutions Securities (JMFIS) is situated in Mumbai, India.

It is a famous Indian investment bank company that provides you with a diverse range of services such as equity trading, wealth management, distribution of investment products such as mutual funds, insurance, IPOs and fixed income products, portfolio management services, and many more.

Their key qualities include high knowledge of the local Indian financial landscape and other advisory frameworks, robust advisory services on M&A, and strategic investments. They serve a diverse range of clients including startups and huge scale corporations.

In recent years, there have been some digital as well as modern changes taken by JM Financial Institutions Securities (JMFIS) to expand their online presence on various platforms to facilitate capital raising and investment advisory services among the public.

5. Axis Capital Limited

Axis Capital Limited was founded on 6th December 2005 by Michael Butt in Pembroke, Bermuda. The main headquarters of Axis Capital Limited is in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is considered a prominent investment banking company. It offers you various range of services such as strategic financial advisory for organizations that includes capital raising, risk management, etc. Also, they facilitate you with several financial solutions including ECM, PE, M&A, and Structured Finance. Counted under one of the largest private banks in India, they have an experienced equity sales team.

Having a robust and experienced team of professionals with exceptional banking & financial industry knowledge, they offer you simple yet diverse services that cater to different industries including infrastructure, healthcare, and technology. They have built a strong reputation among the Indian investment banking and financial spaces.

Last year in 2023, they joined their hands with different tech firms to uplift their digital presence on online platforms. It is a strategic partnership that showcases its financial advisory services and rigid commitment to innovation and modern techniques.

6. IDBI Capital

IDBI Capital was established in the year 1993 as a broking & distribution company. Kamal Kant Upadhaya is the MD & CEO of IDBI Capital Market & Securities Limited. The main headquarters of IDBI Capital is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. This investment banking company provides customers with various services such as merchant appraisal, project advisory services, IPO monitoring, securitization, merger & acquisition (M&A) advisory, share or business valuation, carbon credit advisory services, cash management, trade finance, treasury operations, and so on. They are also known for their focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups.

This bank has fewer key qualities that include their emphasis on the financial needs for the small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). IPOs, private placements, financial advisory, and more are examples of several investment banking or monetary services offered by IDBI bank. Their strong research capabilities and analytical skills support investment decisions.

In recent years, they have actively seen enhancing their financial advisory services for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They also focused more on SME-focused services advisory for startups seeking venture capital funding.

7. O3 Capital Global Advisory Services

O3 Capital Global Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd was established on 1st December 2006 by Shyam Shenthar, Deepesh Garg, Shiraz Bugwadia, and T.R. Srinivas. The main headquarters of O3 Capital Global Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. This is a prominent investment banking company that provides financial and strategic advice to clients. Other than Mumbai, they have some more branches in different locations in India such as Bangalore and Delhi. They have some more branches in Singapore. This company facilitates you with several financial advisory services such as capital raising, financial restructuring, corporate finance, alternate asset management, private equity syndication, mergers & acquisitions (M&A), and much more.

Their key strengths include their personalized and customized monetary or finance-related advisory services to meet every client's needs. They have their fine expertise in (M&A) and have a strong track record in facilitating mid-market monetary transactions. This company has an adaptable nature through which they easily adapt themselves to the ever-evolving market situations.

The recent changes of O3 Capital Global Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd that can be seen that they have expanded internationally by collaborating with foreign companies, and global advisory firms, and boosting its ability to serve clients with cross-border transactions.

8. Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Bank of America Merrill Lynch was established on 6th January 1914, in New York City, United States of America by Charles E. Merrill and Edmund C. Lynch. The main headquarters of Bank of America Merrill Lynch is in New York City, United States of America. Earlier it was Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, a publicly-traded American investment bank that existed independently from 1914 until January 2009. After that, it was acquired by Bank of America and then merged into BofA Securities.

This company provides the public with several financial and monetary advisory services that include checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, CDs, credit cards, cash management solutions, financial planning, investment bits of advice, Treasury, lending, leasing, investment banking, risk management, and international subsidiary banking services. Along with that, they provide a wide range of investments including stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, and other brokerage services.

In recent years, Bank of America Merrill Lynch upgraded itself in terms of technology. They have invested in several high-tech trading platforms in order to enhance their trading platforms. This technology will help the company to attract more customers and improve client engagement.

9. HSBC

The HSBC Bank is one of the most prominent banks in India. It was established on 3rd March 1965 in Hong Kong, China. It was founded by Thomas Sutherland and its main headquarters is located in London, United Kingdom. This bank provided several banking and financial services including business accounts, global payment solutions, finance and trade services, a wide range of borrowing solutions, and so on with the help of their global banking and market divisions. This bank also has other branches in other continents such as Asia, Europe, and America.

Having key strengths in global networking, this bank provides various operations in key financial markets worldwide. They have a strong focus on uplifting their markets worldwide, including Asia, Europe, and other countries. They provide clients with a wide range of financial services, including investment banking services, debt and equity finance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and other financial advisory services.

In recent years, HSBC has emphasized more on sustainable finance initiatives, launching products and services to promote sustainable projects and other ESG principles.

10. Edelweiss Financial Services

Edelweiss Financial Services Limited or Edelweiss Group is an investment banking and financial services company. It was established by Rashesh Shah and Venkatchalam Ramaswamy on 21st November 1995. The main headquarters of Edelweiss Financial Services is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. This company provides clients with a wide range of investment banking and financial services such as asset management.

Edelweiss Financial Services Limited or Edelweiss Group has expanded itself in terms of technology. They have invested in modern technology and gadgets to fulfill the ever-evolving demand for tech-related financial advisory services.

Future Trends of Investment Banking

With the evolving technology and trends, investment banking sectors will surely come with some future trends. These are as follows:

• Digital Transformation: The investment banking industry is an ever-evolving sector that will continue to reshape itself and will not follow traditional banking methods. They will invest in tech-related services and platforms to cope with modern client needs and facilitate with fintech & other tech-related services. The introduction of AI and other tech-based services will help the banking sector positively in no time.
• Sustainable and ESG Focus: The investment banking and financial services companies will emphasize more on sustainable and ESG considerations. Provide the clients with more transparency and accountability. The investment banking and finance firms companies will push themselves to understand the market trends and latest technologies.
• Cross-Border Transactions: With time, globalization will continue to grow. This will give rise to cross-border transactions. Investment Banks will involve themselves more foreign transactions and other financial services. It will also help the regulatory landscape to evolve and strengthen itself in managing unpredictable risks.

Conclusion

Technology has brought changes to every aspect of work. Similarly, the investment banking and financial sectors have also evolved to meet the requirements of every client. The above-mentioned blog is all about how these top 10 investment banking companies embraced tech-based changes to boost customer experience and engagement and are on the list of prominent banking companies due to their leadership ability in the banking industry.