A state-owned bank is a financial institution that is wholly or majority-owned, funded, and operated by a regional or national government rather than by private shareholders. The primary mission of a state-owned bank is to advance public policy goals, stimulate regional economic development, support small businesses, and finance public infrastructure projects rather than focusing exclusively on maximizing private corporate profits. Prominent international examples include public development banks and specialized agricultural lending institutions, whereas in the United States, the Bank of North Dakota stands as the sole operational example of a state-owned depository bank.