La Caixa, also known as the "La Caixa" Foundation, is a not-for-profit banking foundation based in Catalonia. Originally a savings bank (caja), it reorganized in the 2000s and 2010s: Its commercial assets are managed under its subsidiary CriteriaCaixa, which also has partial ownership of La Caixa's old banking business CaixaBank; those are used to fund La Caixa's Obra Social — social, cultural, scientific, and civic projects for the public good.

In Spain, a savings bank is a financial institution that specializes in accepting savings deposits and granting loans. Spanish banks fall into two categories: Privately owned banks (bancos) and government owned banks. The original aim was to encourage thrift among the very poor, but they evolved to compete with and rival commercial banks.