Organization which conducts banking transactions (mainly in the areas of financing, investment and payment operations) together with all accompanying services. Depending on business policy, company size and legal limitations, a bank may operate as a full-service bank or a specialized, regional, national or international institution. In most countries banks are subject to strict monitoring and controls (Switzerland: Swiss Federal Banking Commission). The main criterion in Switzerland for an institution to qualify as a bank (and thus be governed by the Swiss Banking Law) is that its commercial function be the acceptance of deposits from the public and/or refinancing through outside banks in order to finance a number of individuals or companies with whom the institution does not form a business entity. Similarly, Article 2a of the Implementing Ordinance for the Swiss Federal Law on Banks and Savings Banks also assigns bank status to issuing companies which underwrite securities or equity rights either for a fixed fee or a commission and then place them on the primary market.