Along with its organic growth during the decades of 1990 and 2000, Piraeus Bank made a series of strategic moves aiming to establish a strong presence in the domestic market. Thus, in 1998, the Bank absorbed the activities of Chase Manhattan in Greece, took over controlling interest in Macedonia-Thrace Bank and acquired the specialised bank Credit Lyonnais Hellas. At the beginning of 1999, the Bank acquired Xiosbank and absorbed the activities of National Westminster Bank Plc in Greece.