Dutch Government to Slash ABN Amro Stake to 10.5 Percent

This fifth trading plan involves selling depositary receipts via open-market transactions, continuing a strategy that began following the bank's nationalization during the 2008 financial crisis. Once the government's stake dips below the 10% threshold, the existing relationship agreement—which currently grants the state specific information rights—will be terminated.

The bank operates using depositary receipts issued by a private foundation. This structure, established during the privatization process, functions as a takeover defense mechanism by allowing the foundation to restrict voting rights during hostile bids. While CEO Marguerite Bérard has expressed a preference for the bank's full return to private ownership, NLFI officials declined to comment on the timeline for future sales or whether subsequent divestments might shift toward private buyers rather than public market offerings.