Founded in 1923, The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc. grew to become one of the largest and most powerful investment banks in the United States. The firm was a major player in securities trading, investment banking, prime brokerage, and asset management. Known for its aggressive risk-taking culture, particularly in the fixed-income market, the company became heavily exposed to subprime mortgage-backed securities. In March 2008, it faced a severe liquidity crisis, leading to a Federal Reserve-backed emergency sale to JPMorgan Chase at a fraction of its former value to prevent a systemic collapse of the financial system.

Founded in

United States