The article proposes a scientific and practical approach to the formation of a strategy for the commercial bank activities in modern conditions. The information base of the article was the results of a study of modern scientists and statistical data of the NBU. It is determined that the reason for the existence of the bank’s strategy is its mission. As a result of the study, it was substantiated that the main elements of the strategy are the strategic vision, strategic planning and action strategy of the bank. The definition of the bank’s strategy is formulated. Approaches to the formation of the bank’s strategies have been substantiated: traditional, competitive, integrative and external. It is determined that the bank’s share in the banking services market at a certain level of profitability is the universal strategic goal of the bank’s activities. Consequently, there are only three universal strategies for the bank’s actions: an aggressive growth strategy, a moderate growth strategy, and a conservative strategy. From this point of view, it follows that there are three main ways to achieve a competitive advantage: identifying such market segments throughout the entire economy, where the bank can lead; receiving benefits through the introduction of new banking services; getting benefits through pricing. It is shown that the bank’s strategy is associated with the choice of a corporate governance model of the bank, which, in turn, depends on the characteristics of the country’s economy. It is proposed to use the Japanese-German model of corporate governance of the bank as the most suitable for the specific political and economic conditions of Ukraine. It is noted that the implementation of the bank’s strategy leads to the formation of a universal or specialized bank (corporate, retail, investment, settlement, etc.).