MBNA Corporation is a bank holding company and the parent of MBNA America Bank, N. A., a national bank. MBNA America has two principal subsidiaries: MBNA Europe Bank Limited (MBNA Europe) and MBNA Canada Bank (MBNA Canada), fully chartered banks that issue credit cards in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, and Canada.

Like all banks, MBNA takes deposits and makes loans, but that is where the similarity to a traditional bank ends. At MBNA, there are no branches, no commercial loans, and only a small number of checking accounts. MBNA specializes in lending people money through credit cards.

MBNA, the largest independent credit card lender in the world, also provides retail deposit, consumer loan, and insurance products.

MBNA is the recognized industry leader in affinity marketing-selling to people with a strong common interest-and is endorsed by more than 5,400 membership organizations and financial institutions. MBNA focuses on groups with strong ties to their members, fans, and customers-professional societies, alumni associations, sports teams, and travel and entertainment organizations, for example.

MBNA’s success in affinity marketing helped create a marketing franchise that attracted 10.7 million new accounts in 2003. MBNA also acquired 384 new endorsements from organizations in 2003.