The authors summarize the opinions of many researchers on the definition of the concept of "regional bank" and its role in the socio-economic development of regions, on the relationship between the banking and real sectors of the economy at the regional level, the formation and development of regional markets for banking products and the effectiveness of regional banks. the process of changing the structure of the banking sector, which began in 2016, is analyzed in order to implement the principles of proportional regulation of the activities of banking sector entities, which were divided into three groups: socially significant credit organizations (NWCS), credit organizations with a universal license (including NWCS) and credit organizations with a basic license. the description of this process is accompanied not only by the introduction of significant changes to the main banking laws, other regulatory legal acts, regulations of the Bank of Russia, but also by the activation of state authorities, representatives of the banking and scientific communities regarding the strengthening of the role of regional banks and securing the category of "regional significant bank" for the most effective of them.