In 1958, the First National Bank and Trust Company in Asheville and Union National Bank in Charlotte merged to form the First Union National Bank of North Carolina.
In 1998, First Union acquired CoreStates in what was then the largest bank merger in United States history. In 2001, First Union bought Wachovia National Bank, and this combined firm kept the Wachovia name. All former First Union branches were converted to Wachovia by 2003.