Wells Fargo is one of the oldest banking organizations in the U.S., formed in 1852 as an express and banking company in California by the same founders as American Express—Henry Wells and William Fargo—to take advantage of the booming gold rush that began in 1848. Through multiple mergers and acquisitions over the years, which included Crocker National Bank, Norwest, and Wachovia, Wells Fargo is now a super bank with coast-to-coast operations and well over $1 trillion in assets. Its credit card operations rank eighth in the U.S., just behind Discover in terms of outstanding balances.