Furthermore, in 2001 Svenska Handelsbanken acquired the Danish Midtbank, and in 2004 the Icelandic Kaupthing Bank acquired the Danish bank FIH. There has also been an increased internationalisation of the Danish banking sector through the establishment abroad of branches and subsidiaries of Danish banks.
Danske Bank acquired for instance the Swedish Östgöta Enskilda Banken in 1997 and the Norwegian Fokus Bank in 1999, and in 2004 Danske Bank entered into an agreement to purchase National Irish Bank (based in Ireland) and Northern Bank (based in Northern Ireland). The increased international representation in the Danish Banking sector has until now mainly involved banks from the Nordic countries.