National Banks and The Dual Banking System Today, the dual banking system, which has been a hallmark of banking in the United States for nearly 200 years, is under attack.

The Basics Formation process through chartering - FDIC-insured institutions reported a total net income of $35.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2006. This was the lowest quarterly earnings total in 2006, but it was still more than the industry has earned in any quarter prior to 2006.

Financing Growth There are several alternatives for financing the growth and a decision of which alternative to pursue is not necessarily just a question of cost.