Credit Suisse called the loan a "decisive action to pre-emptively strengthen its liquidity."

 "This additional liquidity would support Credit Suisse's core businesses and clients as Credit Suisse takes the necessary steps to create a simpler and more focused bank built around client needs," the bank said in a statement.

 In addition to the loan, Credit Suisse also said it repurchased billions of dollars of its own debt to manage its liabilities and interest payment expenses, my colleagues Mark Thompson and Anna Cooban reported. The offer covers $2.5 billion of US dollar bonds and €500 million ($529 million) of euro bonds.

 The venerable but troubled bank, founded in 1856, is one of the biggest financial institutions in the world and categorized as a "global systemically important bank," along with just 30 others, including JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and the Bank of China.