A central zaibatsu is generally defined as a zaibatsu whose headquarters are located in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka or Kobe, while local zaibatsu are the other zaibatsu; however, there are some zaibatsu whose size and range of activities are as great as those of the central zaibatsu - such as Tatsuuma Zaibatsu - and thus central zaibatsu can also be defined as a zaibatsu that has developed nationwide corporate activities; contrastingly, a zaibatsu that has developed activities limited to a specific area can be defined as a local zaibatsu.
東京、横浜、大阪、神戸の四都市に本社をおく財閥を中央財閥、その他を地方財閥と定義されるが、西宮に本社を持つ辰馬財閥のようにその規模や活動範囲からみても中央財閥としての風格を持つものもあるため、全国的規模の企業活動を行っていた財閥を中央財閥、各地域に限定された企業活動を行っていた財閥を地方財閥と分類することができる。