KEYCORP /NEW/
S-3, 1999-04-20
NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS
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<PAGE>   1
          AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON APRIL 20, 1999
                                  REGISTRATION NOS. 333-______ AND 333-______-01
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                           ---------------------------

                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                        --------------------------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                                                <C>
                              KEYCORP                                                       KEYCORP CAPITAL III
      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)              (Exact name of registrant  as specified in its charter)
                               OHIO                                                              DELAWARE
  (State of other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)      (State of other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
                            34-6542451                                                          APPLIED FOR
               (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)                                (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
                                                                                                C/O KEYCORP
                         127 PUBLIC SQUARE                                                   127 PUBLIC SQUARE
                    CLEVELAND, OHIO 44114-1306                                          CLEVELAND, OHIO 44114-1306
                          (216) 689-6300                                                      (216) 689-6300
        (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,                 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
 including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices) including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
</TABLE>

                           ---------------------------

                             DANIEL R. STOLZER, ESQ.
                  VICE PRESIDENT AND ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL
                                     KEYCORP
                                127 PUBLIC SQUARE
                           CLEVELAND, OHIO 44114-1306
                                 (216) 689-6300
       (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
                        area code, of agent for service)
                                   COPIES TO:

   CAROLYN E. CHEVERINE, ESQ.                     MITCHELL S. EITEL, ESQ.
VICE PRESIDENT & SENIOR COUNSEL                     SULLIVAN & CROMWELL
  KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION                        125 BROAD STREET
       127 PUBLIC SQUARE                          NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10004
   CLEVELAND, OHIO 44114-1306                          (212) 558-4000
         (216) 689-6300
                          ---------------------------

        APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
         
         If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. [ ]

         If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the
Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with
dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [ ]

         If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ] 

         If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule
462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities
Act registration number of the earlier effective registration statement for the
same offering. [ ]

         If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule
434, please check the following box. [ ] 

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

===================================================================================================================================
           TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF             AMOUNT TO BE     PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM            AMOUNT OF
         SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED           REGISTERED   OFFERING PRICE UNIT(1) AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE(1)  REGISTRATION FEE(2)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                         <C>                  <C>                    <C>                         <C> 
Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest
      Debentures of KeyCorp (3) (4)........    $1,000,000           $1,000                  $1,000,000                  N/A
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capital Securities of KeyCorp Capital III..         1,000           $1,000                  $1,000,000                  $278
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KeyCorp Guarantee with respect to
      Capital Securities (4)...............       N/A                 N/A                      N/A                      N/A
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total......................................    $1,000,000             100%                  $1,000,000(4)               $278
===================================================================================================================================

</TABLE>

(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the registration fee
      pursuant to Rule 457.
(2)   The Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures will be purchased
      by KeyCorp Capital III with the proceeds of the sale of the Capital
      Securities.
(3)   This Registration Statement is deemed to cover the Junior Subordinated
      Deferrable Interest Debentures of KeyCorp, the rights of holders of Junior
      Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures of KeyCorp under the
      Indenture, the rights of holders of Capital Securities of KeyCorp Capital
      III under the Trust Agreement, the rights of holders of the Capital
      Securities under the Guarantee of KeyCorp and the Expense Agreement to be
      entered into by KeyCorp, which taken together, fully, irrevocably and
      unconditionally guarantee all of the obligations of KeyCorp Capital III
      under the Capital Securities. No separate consideration will be received
      for the KeyCorp Guarantee.
(4)   Such amount represents the principal amount of Junior Subordinated
      Deferrable Interest Debentures issued at their principal amount and the
      issue price rather than the principal amount of Junior Subordinated
      Deferrable Interest Debentures issued at an original issue discount. Such
      amount also represents the initial public offering price of the Capital
      Securities.

      THE REGISTRANTS HEREBY AMEND THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE
REGISTRANTS SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS
REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE
WITH SECTION 8(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
================================================================================


<PAGE>   2



The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may
not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer
to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction
where the offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted.

                   SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED ________, 1999

                                   $1,000,000
                               KEYCORP CAPITAL III
                            ____% CAPITAL SECURITIES

                                  GUARANTEED BY

                                     KEYCORP

CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE RISK
FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE 7
OF THIS PROSPECTUS.

THESE SECURITIES ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF A BANK AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION HAS APPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY
OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

We -

- -    are KEYCORP, a bank holding company engaged primarily in commercial and
     retail banking, servicing corporate, individual and institutional customers
     across much of the country.

- -    will fully, irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee the capital
     securities as described in this prospectus.

KEYCORP CAPITAL III -

- -    is a Delaware trust created as our subsidiary for the sole purpose of
     issuing the capital securities and will hold our junior debentures as its
     only asset.

THE CAPITAL SECURITIES -

- -     pay semi-annual distributions at the annual rate of $_____per
     capital security, which may be deferred by us for up to 10
     consecutive semi-annual periods.

- -    may be redeemed by us at any time for any reason and at other times for the
     reasons described in this prospectus.

- ---------------------------



                                      Per Capital Security        Total
Price to public......................            $                  $
Proceeds to  the trust...............            $                  $


     If you purchase the capital securities and settlement occurs after _______,
1999, you will be required to pay accumulated distributions on the capital
securities from that date. Since the trust will use the proceeds from the sale
of the capital securities to purchase our junior debentures, we have agreed to
pay an underwriting commission of $___ per capital security, or a total of
$_________ for the sale of the capital securities.

     The underwriters expect to deliver the capital securities against payment
in book-entry form only in New York, New York on________, 1999.

                                 [UNDERWRITERS]

                                 April __, 1999.



<PAGE>   3



                           FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     This prospectus, and the information incorporated by reference in this
prospectus, contains statements that plan for or anticipate the future.
Forward-looking statements include statements about the future financial
performance, business plans and strategies of KeyCorp and the trust and most
other statements that are not historical in nature. Because forward-looking
statements involve future risks and uncertainties, there are factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.
Besides the specified risk factors identified beginning on page 7, some of the
uncertainties that could effect the accuracy of forward-looking statements
include:

- -        sharp or rapid changes in interest rates;

- -        significant changes in the economy that could materially change
         anticipated credit quality trends and the ability to generate loans;

- -        failure of the capital markets to function consistent with customary
         levels;

- -        significant delay in or inability to execute strategic initiatives
         designed to grow revenues or manage expenses;

- -        consummation of significant business combinations or divestitures;

- -        unforeseen business risks related to Year 2000 computer systems issues;
         and

- -        significant changes in accounting, tax or regulatory practices or
         requirements.



                                        2


<PAGE>   4



                               SUMMARY OF OFFERING

         This summary highlights information contained in this prospectus. This
summary is not complete and does not contain all the information that you should
consider before investing in the capital securities. You should read the entire
prospectus carefully, especially the risk of investing in capital securities
discussed under the "Risk Factors" section beginning on page 7.


KEYCORP ........................... We are a bank holding company engaged
                                    primarily in the business of commercial and
                                    retail banking. We are one of the nation's
                                    largest bank holding companies, with
                                    consolidated total assets of $80.0 billion
                                    at December 31, 1998. Our subsidiaries
                                    provide a wide range of banking, equipment
                                    leasing, fiduciary and other financial
                                    services to corporate, individual and
                                    institutional customers through four
                                    businesses: Key Corporate Capital, Key
                                    Consumer Finance, Key Community Bank and Key
                                    Capital Partners. These services are
                                    provided across much of the country through
                                    full-service banking offices in 13 states, a
                                    24-hour telephone banking call center
                                    services group and nearly 2,600 ATMs at
                                    December 31, 1998.

                                    Our principal office and mailing address is
                                    at 127 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio
                                    44114-1306. Our telephone number is (216)
                                    689-6300.

KEYCORP CAPITAL III ............... KeyCorp Capital III is a Delaware statutory
                                    business trust created solely for the
                                    purpose of issuing capital securities to
                                    investors and common securities to us and
                                    investing the proceeds in an equivalent
                                    amount of our junior debentures. The junior
                                    debentures will be the sole assets of the
                                    trust.

                                    The trust has its principal office and
                                    mailing address at c/o KeyCorp, 127 Public
                                    Square, Cleveland, Ohio, 44114-1306. Its
                                    telephone number is (216) 689-6300.
                                    
CAPITAL SECURITIES OFFERED......... $1,000,000 aggregate liquidation amount of
                                    ___% Capital Securities.

LIQUIDATION AMOUNT................. $1,000 per capital security.

OFFERING PRICE..................... $_____ per capital security, plus
                                    accumulated distributions, if any, from
                                    ______, 1999.

DISTRIBUTION AMOUNT ............... Each capital security will pay distributions
                                    totalling $___ per year, or ___% of the
                                    liquidation amount of the capital security.
                                    
DISTRIBUTION DATES ................ ______ and ______ of each year, beginning on
                                    ________, 1999, subject to any deferral.
                                    
JUNIOR DEBENTURES.................. We will issue and sell to the trust
                                    $__________ aggregate principal amount of
                                    our ___% Junior Subordinated Deferrable
                                    Interest Debentures due _________, 20__.


                                        3


<PAGE>   5




DEFERRAL OF DISTRIBUTIONS.......... We may defer interest payments on the junior
                                    debentures for up to 10 consecutive
                                    semi-annual periods. If we defer interest
                                    payments, the trust also will defer the
                                    payment of distributions on the capital
                                    securities. During any deferral period,
                                    distributions will continue to accumulate on
                                    the capital securities and additional
                                    distributions will accumulate on these
                                    deferred distributions at the annual rate of
                                    $___ per capital security. During any
                                    deferral period, you will be required to
                                    accrue interest income and include it in
                                    your gross income for U.S. federal income
                                    tax purposes, even if you are a cash basis
                                    taxpayer.
                                     
RANKING ........................... The capital securities will rank equally
                                    with the common securities. Except in cases
                                    of default, distributions will be made
                                    simultaneously and proportionately on the
                                    capital securities and common securities. In
                                    case of default, holders of capital
                                    securities will have priority in right of
                                    payment over holders of common securities.

                                    The junior debentures are not secured by any
                                    of our property or assets and will rank
                                    junior in priority of payment to all of our
                                    senior indebtedness.
                                     
REDEMPTION ........................ The trust must redeem the capital securities
                                    and common securities:

                                    (1)   in whole but not in part when we repay
                                          the principal on the junior debentures
                                          at their maturity;

                                    (2)   if we elect to redeem the junior
                                          debentures in whole but not in part at
                                          any time upon the occurrence of (a)
                                          changes in U.S. federal income tax
                                          laws or regulations that could have
                                          adverse tax consequences for us or the
                                          trust or (b) changes that could
                                          prevent us from treating an amount
                                          equal to the liquidation amount of the
                                          capital securities as "Tier 1" capital
                                          for purposes of the applicable Federal
                                          Reserve capital adequacy guidelines;
                                          and 

                                    (3)   if we elect to redeem the junior
                                          debentures in whole or in part at any
                                          time.
                                     
                                    The redemption price will be calculated
                                    pursuant to the applicable formula specified
                                    in this prospectus. The applicable formula
                                    will depend upon which redemption right we
                                    exercise.
                                     
LIQUIDATION DISTRIBUTION........... We may dissolve the trust at any time with
                                    the prior approval of the Federal Reserve,
                                    if then required. If we dissolve the trust,
                                    the trust will distribute the junior
                                    debentures to you in exchange for the
                                    capital securities. If the exchange is not
                                    practical, the trust will distribute an
                                    amount equal to $1,000 per capital security
                                    plus any accumulated and unpaid
                                    distributions. In all cases, however,
                                    distributions will be made only to the
                                    extent of the trust's assets that are
                                    available after satisfaction of all
                                    liabilities to creditors.
                                     
GUARANTEE.......................... We will guarantee payments on the capital
                                    securities, but only to the extent that the
                                    trust has funds available on hand to make
                                    those payments. Our obligations under the
                                    guarantee agreement will rank junior in
                                    right of payment to all of our senior
                                    indebtedness.
                                     
                                        4


<PAGE>   6




MATURITY........................... The junior debentures will mature on
                                    ________, 20__, at which date the trust must
                                    redeem the capital securities at a price
                                    equal to $1,000 per capital security plus
                                    all accrued and unpaid distributions.
                                     
USE OF PROCEEDS ................... The trust will use the proceeds from this
                                    offering to purchase the junior debentures
                                    issued by us. We expect to use the net
                                    proceeds from the sale of the junior
                                    debentures to the trust for general
                                    corporate purposes, which may include (1)
                                    investments in, or extensions of credit to,
                                    our subsidiaries, (2) repurchases or
                                    redemptions of our capital stock and (3)
                                    financing possible future acquisitions
                                    including, without limitation, the
                                    acquisition of banking and nonbanking
                                    companies and financial assets and
                                    liabilities.

                                    We have not specifically allocated any of
                                    the proceeds to these purposes, although our
                                    management has determined that funds should
                                    be borrowed at this time. The precise amount
                                    and timing of investments in, or extensions
                                    of credit to, our subsidiaries will depend
                                    on our subsidiaries' funding requirements
                                    and the availability of other funds. We may
                                    temporarily invest the net proceeds or apply
                                    the net proceeds to the reduction of
                                    short-term indebtedness.
                                     
BOOK-ENTRY
ISSUANCE ONLY ..................... The capital securities will be represented
                                    by a global security that will be deposited
                                    with and registered in the name of The
                                    Depository Trust Company or its nominee.
                                    This means that, except in limited
                                    circumstances, you will not receive a
                                    certificate for the capital securities.
                                     



                                        5


<PAGE>   7


                       RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

         The following table shows our consolidated ratios of earnings to fixed
charges and preferred stock dividends for each of the years in the five-year
period ended December 31, 1998.

         For the purpose of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges
and preferred stock dividends, we divided consolidated income, before income
taxes and extraordinary item, plus fixed charges by fixed charges. Fixed
charges consist of: 

- - consolidated interest expense, excluding or including interest on deposits, 
  as the case may be; and

- - that portion of rental expense which is deemed representative of the
  interest factor, net of income from subleases.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                       -----------------------
                                                 1998            1997            1996            1995            1994
                                                 ----            ----            ----            ----            ----

<S>                                          <C>            <C>             <C>              <C>             <C>
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
   Excluding deposit interest.............      1.97x           2.24x           2.41x            2.42x           3.50x
   Including deposit interest.............      1.51x           1.53x           1.50x            1.46x           1.70x

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
   AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
   Excluding deposit interest.............      1.97x           2.24x           2.38x            2.35x           3.34x
   Including deposit interest.............      1.51x           1.53x           1.49x            1.45x           1.68x

</TABLE>



                                        6


<PAGE>   8



                                  RISK FACTORS

         An investment in the capital securities involves a number or risks,
some of which relate to the terms of the capital securities or the junior
debentures and others of which relate to KeyCorp and its business. You should
carefully review the following information about these risks together with other
information contained in this prospectus and in documents incorporated by
reference in this prospectus before deciding whether this investment is suitable
for you.

YOU ARE MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION WITH REGARD TO THE JUNIOR DEBENTURES AS
WELL AS THE CAPITAL SECURITIES.

         The trust will rely on the payments it receives on the junior
debentures to fund all payments on the capital securities. In addition, the
trust may distribute the junior debentures in exchange for the capital
securities upon liquidation of the trust. Accordingly, you should carefully
review the information in this prospectus regarding both of these securities.

PAYMENTS ON THE CAPITAL SECURITIES ARE DEPENDENT ON OUR PAYMENTS ON THE JUNIOR
DEBENTURES.

         The ability of the trust timely to pay distributions on the capital
securities and to pay the liquidation amount is dependent upon us making the
related payments on the junior debentures when due.

         If we default on our obligation to pay principal of or interest on the
junior debentures, the trust will not have sufficient funds to pay distributions
or the liquidation amount. As a result, you will not be able to rely upon the
guarantee for payment of these amounts. You or the property trustee of the trust
may, however, sue us to enforce the rights of the trust under the junior
debentures. For more information, please refer to "Description of Capital
Securities - Enforcement rights" and "Relationship Among Capital Securities,
Junior Debentures, the Guarantee and the Expense Agreement - Enforcement rights
of holders of capital securities".

OUR OBLIGATIONS WILL BE DEEPLY SUBORDINATED AND WE WILL PAY OUR OTHER DEBT
OBLIGATIONS BEFORE WE PAY YOU.

         Our obligations under the guarantee and under the junior debentures are
unsecured and rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our
senior indebtedness, which includes nearly all of our existing indebtedness,
other than a total of $1.25 billion debentures previously issued to our other
subsidiary trusts. For further information regarding our existing indebtedness,
see "Description of Guarantee - Status of the guarantee" and "Description of
Junior Debentures - Subordination."

         Because we are a holding company, our right to participate in any
distribution of the assets of our banking or nonbanking subsidiaries, upon a
subsidiary's dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization or
otherwise, and thus your ability to benefit indirectly from such distribution,
is subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the
extent that we may be a creditor of that subsidiary and our claims are
recognized. There are legal limitations on the extent to which some of our
subsidiaries may extend credit, pay dividends or otherwise supply funds to, or
engage in transactions with, us or some of our other subsidiaries. Accordingly,
the junior debentures and the guarantee will be effectively subordinated to all
existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries, and holders of junior
debentures and the guarantee should look only to our assets for payments on the
junior debentures and the guarantee.

         Neither the indenture governing the junior debentures nor the amended
trust agreement and the guarantee relating to the capital securities place any
limitation on the nature or amount of additional indebtedness that we, or our
subsidiaries, may incur in the future.

YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE TIMELY DISTRIBUTIONS IF WE ELECT TO DEFER PAYMENTS.

         We may defer the payment of interest on the junior debentures at any
time up to 10 consecutive semi-annual periods, provided that (1) no deferral
period may extend beyond the stated maturity date and (2) we are not in default
under the indenture governing the junior debentures. If there is a deferral, the
trust also will defer distributions on the capital securities. During a deferral
period, your distributions will continue to accrue, and interest on the unpaid
distributions will compound semi-annually.

                                        7


<PAGE>   9



         At the end of any deferral period and the payment of all interest then
accrued and unpaid, we may elect to begin a new deferral period. There is no
limitation on the number of deferral periods. For further information on our
option to defer payments, see "Description of Capital Securities - Distributions
- - Deferral period," and "Description of Junior Debentures - Interest".

IF WE ELECT TO DEFER INTEREST PAYMENTS, YOU WILL HAVE TO INCLUDE INTEREST IN
YOUR TAXABLE INCOME BEFORE YOU RECEIVE THE MONEY.

         During a deferral period, you will be required to accrue interest
income for U.S. federal income tax purposes on your proportionate share of the
junior debentures held by the trust, even if you are a cash basis taxpayer. As a
result, you need to include this income in your gross income for U.S. federal
income tax purposes in advance of the receipt of cash. You also will not receive
the cash related to any accrued and unpaid interest income from the trust if you
dispose of the capital securities prior to the record date for the payment of
distributions. For further information, see "Federal Income Tax Considerations -
Interest income and original issue discount" and "- Sale or redemption of
capital securities".

THE MARKET PRICE OF THE CAPITAL SECURITIES MAY NOT REFLECT UNPAID INTEREST AND
YOU MAY SUFFER A LOSS IF YOU SELL THEM WHILE INTEREST REMAINS UNPAID.

         Because of our right to defer interest payments on the junior
debentures, the market price of the capital securities may be more volatile than
the market prices of similar securities that do not have this feature. If we
exercise our right to defer, the market price of the capital securities may
decline. Accordingly, the capital securities that you purchase, whether in this
offering or in the secondary market, or the junior debentures that you may
receive on liquidation of the trust, may trade at a discount to the price that
you paid.

         If you dispose of your capital securities before the record date for
the payment of a distribution, then you will not receive that distribution.
However, you will be required to include accrued but unpaid interest on the
junior debentures through the date of the sale as ordinary income for U.S.
federal income tax purposes and to add the amount of the accrued but unpaid
interest to your tax basis in the capital securities. Your increased tax basis
in the capital securities will increase the amount of any capital loss that you
may have otherwise realized on the sale. In general, an individual taxpayer may
only offset $3,000 of capital losses against regular income during any year. For
further information on tax consequences, see "U.S. Federal Income Tax
Considerations - Sale or redemption of capital securities".

WE MAY REDEEM THE JUNIOR DEBENTURES AT ANY TIME OR UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF
SPECIFIED TAX OR REGULATORY EVENTS.

         We may redeem the junior debentures at any time in whole or in part. In
addition, we may redeem the junior debentures within 90 days following the
occurrence of specified tax or regulatory events, including:

- -        any change in tax laws or regulations that poses a substantial risk
         that the capital securities might lose their special tax treatment; and

- -        any change in laws or regulations that poses a substantial risk that we
         will not be able to treat the capital securities as "Tier 1" capital
         for purposes of the Federal Reserve capital adequacy guidelines.

         If we redeem the junior debentures, the trust will be required to
redeem the capital securities. The calculation of the redemption price will
depend upon which redemption option we have exercised.

         We will need the prior approval of the Federal Reserve to make a
redemption, if then required under applicable Federal Reserve capital guidelines
or policies. For further information on redemption, see "Description of Capital
Securities - Redemption".

THE TRUST MAY DISTRIBUTE THE JUNIOR DEBENTURES IN EXCHANGE FOR THE CAPITAL
SECURITIES, WHICH COULD AFFECT THE MARKET PRICE AND COULD BE A TAXABLE EVENT.

         We may dissolve the trust at any time. After satisfying its liabilities
to its creditors, the trust may distribute the junior debentures to the holders
of the capital securities and common securities. We will not dissolve the trust
without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, if then required under
applicable Federal Reserve capital guidelines or

                                        8


<PAGE>   10



policies. For further information, see "Description of Capital Securities -
Liquidation distribution upon termination".

         We cannot predict the market prices for capital securities or for
junior debentures that may be distributed in exchange for capital securities.
Accordingly, the capital securities, or the junior debentures that you may
receive on liquidation of the trust, may trade at a discount to the price that
you paid to purchase the capital securities.

         Under current U.S. federal income tax law and assuming, as we expect,
that the trust will not be classified as an association taxable as a
corporation, you should not be taxed if we dissolve the trust and the trust
distributes junior debentures to you. However, if the trust were to become taxed
on the income received or accrued on the junior debentures due to a tax event,
both you and the trust might be taxed on a distribution of the junior debentures
by the trust. For further information, see "U.S. Federal Income Tax
Considerations - Distribution of junior debentures to holders of capital
securities upon liquidation of the trust".

INVESTORS WILL NOT CONTROL THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRUST AND WILL HAVE LIMITED
VOTING RIGHTS.

         We will hold all the common securities of the trust. These securities
give us the right to control nearly all aspects of the administration, operation
or management of the trust, including selection and removal of the
administrative trustees. The capital securities, on the other hand, will
generally have no voting rights. You will be able to vote only on matters
relating to the modification of the terms of the capital securities or the
junior debentures, the acceleration of payments and other matters described in
this prospectus. For further information, see "Description of Capital Securities
- - Voting rights".

THE TRADING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CAPITAL SECURITIES MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT THEIR
LIQUIDITY.

         The capital securities have not been listed on a national securities
exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market. The absence of such a listing for the
capital securities could adversely affect the liquidity of the capital
securities.

YEAR 2000 ISSUE MAY CAUSE COMPUTER PROBLEMS.

         Many existing computer programs use only two digits to identify a year
in a data field. These programs were designed and developed without considering
the upcoming end of the century. If not corrected, many computer applications
could fail or create erroneous results by or at the year 2000. The Year 2000
issue affects us because the financial services industry depends heavily on
computer applications. For information regarding our efforts in handling the
Year 2000 issue, see "KeyCorp - Our Year 2000 efforts".


                                        9


<PAGE>   11



                                     KEYCORP

OVERVIEW

         KeyCorp, incorporated in 1958 under the laws of the State of Ohio and
registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, is headquartered in
Cleveland, Ohio. We are engaged primarily in the business of commercial and
retail banking. At December 31, 1998, we were one of the nation's largest bank
holding companies with consolidated total assets of approximately $80.0 billion.
Our subsidiaries provide a wide range of banking, equipment leasing, fiduciary
and other financial services to corporate, individual and institutional
customers through four businesses: (1) Key Corporate Capital; (2) Key Consumer
Finance; (3) Key Community Bank; and (4) Key Capital Partners.

          As of December 31, 1998, these services were provided across much of
the country through subsidiaries operating 968 full-service banking offices in
13 states, a 24-hour telephone banking call center services group and nearly
2,600 ATMs. At December 31, 1998, we, together with our subsidiaries, had 25,862
full-time equivalent employees.

         We are a legal entity separate and distinct from our banking and other
subsidiaries. Accordingly, our rights and the rights of our security holders and
creditors to participate in any distribution of the assets or earnings of our
banking and other subsidiaries is necessarily subject to the prior claims of the
respective creditors of our banking and other subsidiaries, except to the extent
that our claims in our capacity as a creditor of our banking and other
subsidiaries may be recognized.

         Our principal executive office is located at 127 Public Square,
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-1306. Our telephone number is (216) 689-6300.

OUR SUBSIDIARIES

         Our largest banking subsidiaries are:

- -        KeyBank National Association, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio-- the
         12th largest bank in the United States at December 31, 1998, based on
         asset size. KeyBank had $73.9 billion in total assets and 968
         full-service banking offices in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana,
         Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Vermont
         and Washington at December 31, 1998; and

- -        Key Bank USA, National Association, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio,
         with total assets of approximately $5.2 billion at December 31, 1998.
         Key Bank USA is involved in consumer loan activities.

         In addition to the customary banking services of accepting deposits and
making loans, our subsidiaries provide specialized services, including personal
and corporate trust services, personal financial services, customer access to
mutual funds, cash management services, investment banking and capital markets
products, and international banking services. Through our subsidiary banks,
trust companies and registered investment adviser subsidiaries, we provide
investment management services to institutional and individual clients,
including large corporate and public retirement plans, foundations and
endowments, high net worth individuals and Taft-Hartley plans - multiemployer
trust funds providing pension, vacation, or other benefits to employees. In
addition, our investment management subsidiaries serve as investment advisers to
our proprietary mutual funds.

OUR MAJOR LINES OF BUSINESS

         Key Corporate Capital. We offer a complete range of financing,
transaction processing and financial advisory services to corporations
throughout the country through Key Corporate Capital. This line of business
also operates one of the largest bank-affiliated equipment leasing
companies with operations conducted both domestically and throughout Europe and
Asia. Key Corporate Capital's business units are organized around specialized
industry client segments, inclusive of commercial real estate, lease financing,
structured finance, healthcare and media/telecommunications.

         In serving these targeted segments, Key Corporate Capital provides a
number of specialized services including international banking, corporate
finance advisory services, investment banking and capital markets products
through the Key Capital Partners business line and through 401(k) and trust

                                       10


<PAGE>   12



custody products. Based on total transaction volume, Key Corporate Capital is
also one of the leading cash management providers in the country.

         Key Consumer Finance. Key Consumer Finance is responsible for our
indirect, non-branch-based consumer loan and deposit products. This line of
business specializes in automobile loans and leases, home equity loans,
education loans, marine and recreational vehicle loans, credit cards and
branchless deposit-generating activities. As of December 31, 1998, based on the
volume of loans generated, Key Consumer Finance was one of the: (1) five largest
education lenders in the nation, (2) top ten in retail automobile financing and
(3) leading providers of financing for consumer purchases of marine and
recreational vehicles.

         Key Community Bank. Key Community Bank is responsible for delivering a
complete line of branch-based financial products and services to small
businesses, consumers, and commercial banking and public sector businesses. The
delivery of these products and services is accomplished through 968 KeyCenters,
a 24-hour telephone banking call center services group, nearly 2,600 ATMs that
access 14 different networks and comprise one of the largest ATM networks in the
United States, and a core team of relationship management professionals.

         Key Capital Partners. Key Capital Partners provides clients with asset
management, investment banking, capital markets, insurance and brokerage
expertise. It also plays a major role in generating fee income through its broad
range of investment choices and customized products. We strengthened this line
of business through our acquisition of McDonald & Company Investments, Inc. in
October 1998. We subsequently reorganized Key Capital Partners into two major
business groups. One group, operating under the name "McDonald Investments",
includes retail and institutional brokerage, equity and fixed income trading and
underwriting, investment banking, capital markets products, loan syndication and
trading, public finance and clearing operations. The second major business group
includes asset management, mutual funds, institutional asset services, venture
capital, mezzanine finance, alliance funds, wealth management and insurance.
Leveraging our corporate and community banking distribution channels and client
relationships is and will continue to be an essential factor in ensuring Key
Capital Partners' future growth and success.

         We provide other financial services both inside and outside of our
primary banking markets through our nonbank subsidiaries. These services include
accident and health insurance on loans made by banking, venture capital,
community development financing, securities underwriting and brokerage,
automobile financing and other financial services. We are also an equity
participant in a joint venture with Key Merchant Services, L.L.C., which
provides merchant services to businesses.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

         Electronic Payment Services, Inc. On February 28, 1999, Electronic
Payment Services, Inc., an electronic funds transfer processor in which we held
a 20% ownership interest, merged with a wholly owned subsidiary of Concord EFS,
Inc., a Delaware corporation. We received approximately 5.9 million shares of
Concord EFS stock and recorded a gain of $134 million, or $85 million after
taxes, on the transaction.

OUR YEAR 2000 EFFORTS

         The Year 2000 issue refers to the fact that many computer systems were
originally programmed using two digits rather than four digits to identify the
applicable year. Therefore, when the year 2000 occurs, these systems could
interpret the year as 1900 rather than 2000. Unless hardware, system software
and applications are corrected to be Year 2000 compliant, computers and the
devices they control could generate miscalculations and create operational
problems. Various systems could be affected ranging from complex computer
systems to telephone systems, ATMs and elevators.

         To address this issue, we developed an extensive plan in 1995,
including the formation of a team consisting of internal resources and
third-party experts. The plan has been in implementation since that time and
consists of five major phases:

- -        awareness - ensuring a common understanding of the issue throughout the
         KeyCorp organization;

- -        assessment - identifying and prioritizing the systems and third parties
         with whom we have exposure to Year 2000 issues;


                                       11


<PAGE>   13



- -        renovation - enhancing, replacing or retiring hardware, software and
         system applications;

- -        validation - testing modifications made; and

- -        implementation - certifying Year 2000 compliance and user understanding
         and acceptance.

         We have completed the awareness and assessment phases. The remaining
phases are substantially complete and final testing and refinement will be
addressed in 1999. As of December 31, 1998, we had completed all of the above
phases for approximately 80% of the core systems identified. We expect to
complete compliance efforts for the remaining core systems by June 30, 1999.

         As a financial institution, we may experience increases in problem
loans and credit losses in the event that borrowers fail to properly respond to
this issue. In addition, we may incur higher funding costs if consumers react to
publicity about the issue by withdrawing deposits. We also could be impacted if
third parties we deal with in conducting our business, such as foreign banks,
governmental agencies, clearing houses, telephone companies, and other service
providers, fail to properly address this issue.

         Accordingly, we have formed a separate internal team charged with the
task of: (1) identifying critical business interfaces, (2) assessing potential
problems relating to credit, liquidity and counterparty risk, and (3) where
appropriate, developing contingency plans. This team has been surveying
significant credit customers to ascertain their Year 2000 readiness and to
evaluate the level of potential credit risk to us. Based on the information
obtained, specific follow-up policies will be established and the adequacy of
our allowance for loan losses will be assessed. On an ongoing basis, we are also
contacting significant third parties with which we conduct business to determine
the status of their Year 2000 compliance efforts.

         Despite these actions, we cannot guarantee that significant customers
or critical third parties will adequately address their Year 2000 issues.
Consequently, we are developing contingency plans to help mitigate the risks
associated with: (1) potential delays in completing the renovation, validation
and implementation phases of our Year 2000 plans and (2) the failure of external
parties to adequately address their Year 2000 issues. These plans were well
underway by the 1998 year end and address primarily contingency solutions for
our core systems and the identification of alternative business partners.

         Because the Year 2000 issue has never previously occurred, we are
unable to foresee or quantify the overall financial and operational impact or to
determine whether it will be material to our financial condition or operations.

         The cost of the project, currently estimated to be $45 million to $50
million, and timing of its implementation are based on our management's best
estimates. We derived these estimates using numerous assumptions about future
events, including the continued availability of certain resources and other
factors. However, we cannot guarantee that these estimates will be achieved, and
actual results could differ materially from those anticipated. As of December
31, 1998, we had spent approximately $39 million of our total estimated project
cost. We currently expect that the estimated remaining cost of $6 million to 
$11 million will be recognized in 1999 and the first half of 2000. The total 
cost of the project is being funded through operating cash flows.

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

         As a bank holding company, we are subject to regulation, supervision
and examination of the Federal Reserve under the Bank Holding Company Act. For a
discussion of the material elements of the regulatory framework applicable to
bank holding companies and their subsidiaries and specific information relevant
to us, reference is made to our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1998, incorporated by reference in this prospectus. This
regulatory framework is intended primarily for the protection of depositors and
the federal deposit insurance funds and not for the protection of security
holders. A change in applicable statutes, regulations or regulatory policy may
have a material effect on our business.

         Our earnings also are affected by general economic conditions,
management policies and the legislative and governmental actions of various
regulatory authorities, including the Federal Reserve, the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency, which is the principal regulator of our bank
subsidiaries,

                                       12


<PAGE>   14



and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which insures, up to applicable
limits, the deposits of all of our full-service banking subsidiaries. In
addition, there are numerous governmental requirements and regulations which
affect our business activities.

         Depository institutions such as our bank subsidiaries are also affected
by various federal laws, including those relating to consumer protection and
similar matters. We also have other financial services subsidiaries that are
subject to regulation, supervision and examination by the Federal Reserve, as
well as other applicable state and federal regulatory agencies and
self-regulatory organizations. For example, our brokerage and asset management
subsidiaries are subject to supervision and regulation by the SEC, the NASD or
the NYSE and state securities regulators, and our insurance subsidiaries are
subject to regulation by the insurance regulatory authorities of the various
states. Our other nonbank subsidiaries may be subject to other laws and
regulations of the federal government or the various states in which they are
authorized to do business, or both.


                                       13


<PAGE>   15



                               KEYCORP CAPITAL III

         KeyCorp Capital III is a statutory business trust created under
Delaware law. The trust was created under (1) a trust agreement, dated as of
April 13, 1999, executed by us, as depositor, and Bankers Trust (Delaware), as
Delaware trustee, and (2) the filing of a certificate of trust with the Delaware
Secretary of State on April 13, 1999. This trust agreement will be amended and
restated in its entirety, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the
registration statement.

         The trust will issue the capital securities and the common securities
under the amended trust agreement. The capital securities will represent
preferred undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the trust, and the
common securities will represent common undivided beneficial interests in the
assets of the trust.

         At the closing of the offering, we will purchase all of the common
securities from the trust. The common securities will represent at least 3% of
the trust's total capital at the closing. The capital securities will represent
the remaining 97% or less of the trust's total capital at the closing. We will
continue to hold all the common securities, directly or through our
subsidiaries, after the closing.

         The trust exists solely for the following purposes:

- -        to issue and sell the capital securities and common securities;

- -        to use the proceeds from the sale of the capital securities and common
         securities to acquire the junior debentures; and

- -        to engage only in those other activities that are necessary or
         incidental to those activities. 

         The trust will have no assets other than the junior debentures and the
right to receive reimbursement of certain expenses under an expense agreement.
Consequently, the trust will have no revenue other than payments under the
junior debentures and the expense agreement.

         The trust has a term of approximately 31 years but may terminate
earlier as provided in the amended trust agreement. The Trust's business and
affairs will be conducted by its trustees. The trustees will include Bankers
Trust Company, as property trustee, and Bankers Trust (Delaware), as Delaware
trustee. In addition, as the holder of the common securities, we will select two
individuals who will act as administrative trustees of the trust. The
administrative trustees will initially be our employees or officers.

         We will fully, irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee the capital
securities to the extent that the trust has funds sufficient to make payments.
We also will reimburse the trust for all of its expenses and liabilities other
than the trust's obligations under the capital securities and the common
securities. We will also pay the expenses of this offering, including the
underwriters' commissions.

         The trust does not have separate financial statements. The statements
would not be material to holders of the capital securities because the trust has
no independent operations. In addition, we anticipate that the trust will not be
subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

         The principal executive office of the trust is 127 Public Square, 
Cleveland, Ohio 44144-1306, Attention: Office of the Secretary, and its 
telephone number is (216) 689-6300.


                                       14

<PAGE>   16



                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

         The following table presents summary consolidated financial data for
each of the years in the five-year period ended December 31, 1998. The data has
been derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, our audited
consolidated financial statements, accompanying notes and other information
pertaining to us included in the documents incorporated by reference in this
prospectus.

         This summary is qualified in its entirety by the detailed information
included in those documents. The comparability of the data presented is affected
by certain acquisitions and divestitures that we have completed in the years
presented. During the first quarter of 1999, we reclassified the distributions
on capital securities from noninterest expense to interest expense. Where
applicable, all information presented in the following table has been restated
to reflect this reclassification.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                          -----------------------
                                                        1998        1997           1996        1995        1994
                                                        ----        ----           ----        ----        ----
                                                           (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                              <C>        <C>           <C>          <C>         <C>       
FOR THE PERIOD
   Interest income.............................    $   5,525   $   5,262      $   4,951   $   5,121   $   4,490
   Interest expense............................        2,841       2,517          2,237       2,485       1,797
   Net interest income.........................        2,684       2,745          2,714       2,636       2,693
   Provision for loan losses...................          297         320            197         100         125
   Noninterest income..........................        1,575       1,306          1,087         933         883
   Noninterest expense.........................        2,483       2,386          2,461       2,312       2,168
   Income before income taxes
     and extraordinary item....................        1,479       1,345          1,143       1,157       1,283
   Income before extraordinary item............        1,479         919            783         789         853
   Net income..................................          996         919            783         825         853
   Net income applicable to Common Shares......          996         919            775         809         837
PER COMMON SHARE
   Income before extraordinary item............    $    2.25   $    2.09      $    1.69   $    1.65   $    1.72
   Net income..................................         2.25        2.09           1.69        1.73        1.72
   Net income-assuming dilution................         2.23        2.07           1.67        1.71        1.70
   Cash dividends..............................          .94         .84            .76         .72         .64
   Book value at period end....................        13.63       11.83          10.92       10.68        9.44
   Weighted average Common Shares (000)........      441,895     439,042        459,810     469,574     486,134
   Weighted average Common Shares
     and potential Common Shares (000).........      447,437     444,544        464,282     472,882     490,932
AT PERIOD END
   Loans.......................................    $  62,012   $  53,380      $  49,235   $  48,332   $  46,579
   Earning assets..............................       70,240      64,246         59,260      58,762      60,047
   Total assets................................       80,020      73,699         67,621      66,339      66,801
   Deposits....................................       42,583      45,073         45,317      47,282      48,564
   Long-term debt..............................       12,967       7,446          4,213       4,003       3,570
   Capital securities..........................          997         750            500           -           -
   Common shareholders' equity.................        6,167       5,181          4,881       4,993       4,530
   Total shareholders' equity..................        6,167       5,181          4,881       5,153       4,690
PERFORMANCE RATIOS
   Return on average total assets..............         1.32%       1.33%          1.21%       1.24%       1.36%
   Return on average common equity.............        17.97       18.89          15.73       17.35       18.87
   Return on average total equity..............        17.97       18.89          15.64       17.10       18.56
   Efficiency(1)...............................        58.49       58.21          60.88       63.03       59.39
   Overhead(2).................................        35.17       40.34          45.51       49.66       46.14
   Net interest margin (taxable equivalent)....         4.08        4.54           4.78        4.47        4.83

</TABLE>

                                       15


<PAGE>   17


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                      -----------------------
                                                        1998        1997           1996        1995       1994
                                                        ----        ----           ----        ----       ----
                                                            (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                                 <C>        <C>            <C>          <C>        <C>   
CAPITAL RATIOS AT PERIOD END
   Equity to assets............................         7.71%       7.03%          7.22%       7.77%      7.03%
   Tangible equity to tangible assets..........         5.93        5.52           5.88        6.25       6.19
   Tier 1 risk-adjusted capital................         7.21        6.65           7.98        7.53       8.48
   Total risk-adjusted capital.................        11.69       10.83          13.01       10.85      11.62
   Leverage....................................         6.95        6.40           6.93        6.20       6.63
ASSET QUALITY DATA
   Nonperforming loans.........................     $    365    $    381       $    349    $    333   $    256
   Nonperforming assets........................          404         431            400         379        340
   Allowance for loan losses...................          900         900            870         876        830
   Net loan charge-offs........................          297         293            195          99        109
   Nonperforming loans to period end loans.....          .59%        .71%           .71%        .69%       .55%
   Nonperforming assets to period end loans plus
     OREO and other nonperforming assets.......          .65         .81            .81         .78        .73
   Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans   246.58      236.22         249.28      263.15     324.27
   Allowance for loan losses to period end loans        1.45        1.69           1.77        1.81       1.78
   Net loan charge-offs to average loans.......          .52         .57            .40         .21        .25

</TABLE>

(1)  The efficiency ratio is noninterest expense, excluding certain nonrecurring
     charges, divided by taxable-equivalent net interest income plus noninterest
     income, excluding net securities transactions and gains from bank and
     branch divestitures.

(2) Overhead is noninterest expense, excluding certain nonrecurring charges,
    less noninterest income, excluding net securities transactions and gains 
    from bank and branch divestitures, divided by taxable-equivalent net 
    interest income.

                                  -------------

         The basis for the capital ratios presented in the above table is as
follows:

- -        Tier 1 capital consists of: (1) common shareholders' equity, excluding
         net unrealized gains or losses on securities, except for net unrealized
         losses on marketable equity securities, (2) perpetual preferred stock
         and (3) capital securities; less goodwill and other non-qualifying
         intangible assets.

- -        Total risk-adjusted capital consists of: (1) Tier 1 capital, (2)
         subordinated debt, (3) qualifying preferred stock and (4) the
         qualifying portion of the allowance for loan losses. At least half of a
         bank holding company's total capital is required to be comprised of
         Tier 1 capital.

- -        The leverage ratio is Tier 1 capital as a percentage of average
         quarterly total assets, less goodwill and other non-qualifying
         intangible assets. Guidelines of the Federal Reserve provide for a
         minimum leverage ratio of 3% for bank holding companies that meet
         certain specified criteria, including assignment of the highest
         regulatory rating.


                                       16


<PAGE>   18



                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

         The trust will invest all of the proceeds from the sale of the capital
securities and the common securities in the junior debentures. We will use the
net proceeds from the sale of our junior debentures to the trust for general
corporate purposes. These purposes may include:

- -        investments in subsidiaries;

- -        extensions of credit to subsidiaries;

- -        repurchases or redemptions of our capital stock; and

- -        possible future acquisitions including, without limitation, the
         acquisition of banking and nonbanking companies and financial assets
         and liabilities.

         We have not specifically allocated the proceeds to these purposes,
although our management has determined that funds should be borrowed at this
time. The precise amount and timing of investments in, or extensions of credit
to, our subsidiaries will depend on our subsidiaries' funding requirements and
the availability of other funds. We may temporarily invest the net proceeds or
apply the net proceeds to the reduction of short-term indebtedness.

                              ACCOUNTING TREATMENT

         For financial reporting purposes, the trust will be treated as our
subsidiary. Accordingly, the accounts of the trust will be included in our
consolidated financial statements.

         The capital securities will be included as a component of total
liabilities and presented as a separate line item in our consolidated balance
sheets. The separate line item will be entitled "Corporation-obligated
mandatorily redeemable preferred capital securities of subsidiary trusts holding
solely debentures of the Corporation". Appropriate disclosures about the capital
securities, the guarantee and the junior debentures will be included in the
notes to our consolidated financial statements. For financial reporting
purposes, we will record distributions payable on the capital securities as
interest expense in our consolidated statements of income.


                                       17


<PAGE>   19



                                 CAPITALIZATION

         The following table sets forth our consolidated capitalization (1) as
of December 31, 1998 and (2) as adjusted to give effect to the consummation of
the offering of the capital securities.

         You should read the following data in conjunction with our consolidated
financial statements and information incorporated by reference in this
prospectus.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                   DECEMBER 31, 1998
                                                                                           -------------------------------
                                                                                            OUTSTANDING           ADJUSTED
                                                                                           ----------------- -------------
                                                                                                 (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)
<S>                                                                                    <C>                   <C>
LONG-TERM DEBT
KeyCorp
     Senior medium-term notes due through 2005(1)..............................            $    419              $   419
     Subordinated medium-term notes due through 2005(2)........................                 133                  133
     7.50% Subordinated notes due 2006.........................................                 250                  250
     6.75% Subordinated notes due 2006.........................................                 200                  200
     8.125% Subordinated notes due 2002........................................                 199                  199
     8.00% Subordinated notes due 2004.........................................                 125                  125
     8.40% Subordinated notes due 1999.........................................                  75                   75
     8.404% Notes due through 2001.............................................                  34                   34
     All other long-term debt..................................................                   5                    5
                                                                                           --------              -------
         Total KeyCorp.........................................................               1,440                1,440

Subsidiaries
     Senior medium-term bank notes due through 2003(3).........................               7,426                7,426
     Senior euro medium-term bank notes due through 2007(4)....................               1,441                1,441
     6.50% Subordinated remarketable securities due 2027.......................                 313                  313
     6.95% Subordinated notes due 2028.........................................                 300                  300
     7.25% Subordinated notes due 2005.........................................                 200                  200
     7.85% Subordinated notes due 2002.........................................                 200                  200
     6.75% Subordinated notes due 2003.........................................                 200                  200
     7.50% Subordinated notes due 2008.........................................                 165                  165
     7.125% Subordinated notes due 2006........................................                 250                  250
     7.55% Subordinated notes due 2006.........................................                  75                   75
     7.375% Subordinated notes due 2008........................................                  70                   70
     Lease financing debt due through 2003(5)..................................                 574                  574
     Federal Home Loan Bank Advances due through 2028(6).......................                 289                  289
     All other long-term debt..................................................                  24                   24
                                                                                           --------              -------
         Total subsidiaries....................................................              11,527               11,527
                                                                                           --------              -------
         Total long-term debt..................................................              12,967               12,967
CORPORATION-OBLIGATED MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED CAPITAL SECURITIES OF
     SUBSIDIARY TRUSTS HOLDING SOLELY DEBENTURES OF THE CORPORATION
     7.826% Capital securities due 2026(7).....................................                 350                  350
     8.25% Capital securities due 2026(7)......................................                 150                  150
     6.625% Capital securities due 2029(7).....................................                 250                  250
     Floating rate capital securities due 2028(7)..............................                 247                  247
     6.875% Capital securities due 2029(7).....................................                   -                  247
     ____% Capital securities due 20__(8)......................................                   -                    1
                                                                                           --------              -------
         Total capital securities..............................................                 997                1,245
                                                                                           --------              -------
         Total long-term debt,including capital securities.....................              13,964               14,212
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
     Preferred stock, $1 par value; authorized 25,000,000 shares, none issued..                   -                    -
     Common stock, $1 par value; authorized
         1,400,000,000 shares; issued 491,888,780 shares.......................                 492                  492
     Capital surplus...........................................................               1,412                1,412
     Retained earnings.........................................................               5,192                5,192
     Loans to ESOP trustee.....................................................                 (34)                 (34)
     Treasury stock, at cost (39,437,183 shares)...............................                (923)                (923)
     Accumulated other comprehensive income....................................                  28                   28
                                                                                           --------              -------
         Total shareholders' equity............................................               6,167                6,167
                                                                                           --------              -------
         Total capitalization..................................................             $20,131              $20,379
                                                                                           ========              =======
</TABLE>


(1)      The weighted average rate on the senior medium-term notes due through
         2005 was 6.55%. These notes had a combination of both fixed and
         floating interest rates.

                                       18


<PAGE>   20



(2)      The weighted average rate on the subordinated medium-term notes due
         through 2005 was 7.09%. These notes had a combination of both fixed and
         floating interest rates.

(3)      The weighted average rate on the senior medium-term bank notes due
         through 2003 was 5.30%. These notes had a combination of both fixed and
         floating interest rates.

(4)      The weighted average rate on the senior euro medium-term bank notes due
         through 2007 was 5.52%. These notes are obligations of KeyBank National
         Association and had fixed and floating interest rates based on the
         three-month London Interbank Offered Rate.

(5)      The weighted average rate on the lease financing debt was 6.56% and
         represented primarily nonrecourse debt collateralized by lease
         equipment under operating, direct financing and sales type leases.

(6)      Long-term advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank had a weighted
         average rate of 5.39%. These advances had a combination of both fixed
         and floating interest rates.

(7)      On December 4, 1996, a subsidiary trust of KeyCorp issued $350,000,000
         of capital securities that mature on December 1, 2026. On December 30,
         1996, a second subsidiary trust of KeyCorp issued $150,000,000 of
         capital securities that mature on December 15, 2026. On May 30, 1997, a
         third subsidiary trust of KeyCorp issued $250,000,000 of Coupon
         Adjusted Pass-Through Securities, Series A, that mature on June 1,
         2029. On June 25, 1998, a fourth subsidiary trust of KeyCorp issued
         $247,000,000 of capital securities that mature on July 1, 2028. On
         March 17, 1999, a fifth subsidiary trust of KeyCorp issued $247,000,000
         of capital securities that mature on March 17, 2029. These capital
         securities have terms substantially identical to the capital securities
         offered by this prospectus and accumulate distributions at an annual
         rate of 7.826%, 8.25%, 6.625%, three-month LIBOR plus a margin of .74%
         and 6.875%, respectively, of the liquidation amount of $1,000 per
         capital security.

(8)      The sole assets of the trust will be $___________ aggregate principal
         amount of the junior debentures issued by us to the trust. The junior
         debentures will mature on_________, 20__. We own all of the common
         securities of the trust. We anticipate that the trust will not be
         subject to the reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act
         of 1934.


                                       19


<PAGE>   21



                        DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL SECURITIES

         This section summarizes the material provisions of the capital
securities and the amended trust agreement governing the trust. The amended
trust agreement and its associated documents, including the capital securities
themselves, contain the full legal text of the matters described in this
section. We have filed with the SEC a form of the amended trust agreement as an
exhibit to our registration statement. See "Where You Can Find More Information"
on page 52 for information on how to obtain a copy.

         The amended trust agreement, the capital securities and the common
securities are governed by Delaware law.

ISSUANCE AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

         The trust will issue the capital securities and the common securities,
with a liquidation amount of $1,000 per security. The capital securities and the
common securities will rank equally with one another, and the trust will make
all payments on the capital securities proportionately with the common
securities, except under certain cases of default under the amended trust
agreement.

         The trust will use the proceeds from the sale of the capital securities
and the common securities to purchase the junior debentures from us. We will
issue the junior debentures under an indenture between us and Bankers Trust
Company as further described in "Description of Junior Debentures-Issuance and
general characteristics". Bankers Trust Company will also act as property
trustee and will hold legal title to the junior debentures in trust for the
benefit of the holders of the capital securities and common securities. We will
guarantee, on a subordinated basis, the payment of distributions and other
amounts payable on the capital securities, but only to the extent that the trust
has funds available on hand to make those payments. For further information on
our guarantee, see "Description of the Guarantee and the Expense Agreement".

         The amended trust agreement will be qualified as an indenture under the
Trust Indenture Act. The property trustee will act as indenture trustee for the
capital securities, in order to comply with the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act.

         The capital securities will be represented by a global security that
will be deposited with and registered in the name of The Depository Trust
Company or its nominee. Whenever we refer to a "holder" of capital securities in
this prospectus, we mean the registered holder, which, for any capital
securities in book-entry form, will be DTC or its nominee. We discuss matters
relevant to global securities under the caption "Book-Entry Issuance".

DISTRIBUTIONS

         Distributions will accumulate on the capital securities from their
original issue date, at the annual rate of __% of their liquidation amount, or
$____ per year per capital security. Unless deferred as described below,
distributions will be payable semi-annually in arrears on _____ and ______ of
each year to the holders of the capital securities at the close of business on
the 15th day - whether or not a business day - next preceding the relevant
distribution date. The first distribution date will be __________, 1999. The
amount of distributions payable for any period will be computed on the basis of
a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

         The trust will have no funds to distribute in respect of the capital
securities other than the payments it receives from us in respect of the junior
debentures. Consequently, if we defer or for any other reason fail to make
interest payments on the junior debentures, the trust will not have funds
available to pay distributions on the capital securities. We have no current
intention to exercise our right to defer interest payments on the junior
debentures.

         Deferral periods. As long as no event of default under the indenture,
as described under "Description of Junior Debentures - Indenture events of
default", has occurred and is continuing, we have the right under the indenture
to defer the payment of interest on the junior debentures at any time and in
each case for a period not exceeding 10 consecutive semi-annual periods. No
deferral period may extend beyond the stated maturity of the junior debentures.
Before a deferral period ends, we may extend it further, subject to the limit
described above. When a deferral period ends and we have paid all interest then
accrued and unpaid on the junior debentures, we may begin a new deferral period,
so long as no event of default under the indenture has occurred and is
continuing. There is no particular limit on the number of deferral periods that
we may begin.

                                       20


<PAGE>   22



         If we elect to defer interest payments on the junior debentures, the
trust will defer the payment of distributions on the capital securities during
the related deferral period. However, during a deferral period, distributions
will continue to accumulate on the capital securities and additional
distributions will accumulate on each deferred distribution payment at the
annual rate of __%, compounded semi-annually from the corresponding distribution
date. The term "distribution", wherever we use it in this prospectus, includes
any of these additional distributions. During a deferral period, holders of
capital securities will continue to be required to accrue interest income for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. For further information on tax consequences,
see "U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations -- Interest income and original
issue discount".

         Any distributions that would otherwise become due and payable during a
deferral period will not become due and payable until the day after the period
ends. If any capital securities become subject to redemption during a deferral
period, that period will end automatically on the day before the redemption
date.

         We must give the property trustee and the holders of capital securities
notice of our election to begin or extend a deferral period. In general, each
notice must be given at least one business day before the record date for the
distribution date on which distributions would have been payable but for the
election. We must notify the holders in the manner described below in "--
Notices".

         Deferral period restrictions. The indenture provides that, during any
deferral period, neither we nor any of our subsidiaries may take any of the
following actions:

- -        declare or pay any dividend or other distribution on, or redeem,
         purchase or otherwise acquire any of our capital stock;

- -        pay any principal, interest or other amount in respect of, or redeem,
         purchase or otherwise acquire, any of our debt securities that rank
         equally with or junior to the junior debentures; or

- -        make a guarantee payment with respect to our guarantees of our
         subsidiaries' securities that rank equally in all respects or junior to
         the junior debentures. 

         The indenture restriction described above provides for significant 
exceptions. Any of the following that would otherwise be covered by this 
restriction will nevertheless be permitted:

- -        any transaction in which the only consideration given or to be given by
         us or any of our subsidiaries is junior securities, as defined below;

- -        any transaction in connection with or arising from:

         -        any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar
                  arrangement with, or for the benefit of, one or more of our
                  employees, officers, directors or consultants;

         -        any dividend reinvestment or stockholders' rights plans; and

         -        any issuance of junior securities as consideration in an
                  acquisition transaction entered into before the applicable
                  deferrable period;

- -        any exchange or conversion of any class or series of our capital stock
         or indebtedness into or for any other class or series of our capital
         stock;

- -        any purchase of fractional interests in our capital stock pursuant to
         the conversion or exchange provisions of a security being converted
         into or exchanged for capital stock; and

- -        any declaration or payment of a dividend, issuance of rights, stock or
         other property or redemption or other acquisition of rights in
         connection with any stockholder rights plan.

"Junior securities" means (1) our capital stock or debt securities that rank, in
right of payment in all respects, equally with or junior to the junior
debentures and (2) warrants, options and other rights to acquire capital stock
or debt securities of the kind described in clause (1).


                                       21


<PAGE>   23



REDEMPTION

         The capital securities will remain outstanding until the trust redeems
them or distributes the junior debentures in exchange for the capital
securities. Any redemption of capital securities must occur as described below.

         Redemption of capital securities. If we repay or redeem the junior
debentures at any time, the trust will be obligated to redeem a like amount of
capital securities and common securities. The redemption of the capital
securities will occur on the redemption date, which means the date on which
payment of the principal of those junior debentures becomes due under the
indenture. The redemption price for the capital securities will be the total
liquidation amount of the capital securities being redeemed plus (1) accumulated
but unpaid distributions up to but excluding the redemption date and (2) the
related amount of the premium, if any, paid by us on the concurrent redemption
of the junior debentures.

         Repayment and redemption of junior debentures. We may redeem the junior
debentures before their stated maturity as follows:

(1)      in whole at any time or in part from time to time, provided that no
         partial redemption may occur during a deferral period; or

(2)      in whole at any time within 90 days after the occurrence of a Tax Event
         or a Capital Treatment Event, each as defined below.

         If we elect to redeem the junior debentures, we will do so at the
relevant redemption price. The redemption price will equal accrued and unpaid
interest on the junior debentures being redeemed plus the greater of:

- -        100% of the principal amount of the junior debentures being redeemed;
         or

- -        as determined by a Quotation Agent, the sum of the present value of
         scheduled payments of principal and interest from the redemption date
         to ______, 20__ on the junior debentures being redeemed, discounted to
         the redemption date on a semi-annual basis at a discount rate equal to
         the Treasury Rate plus ___%, in the case of a redemption under clause
         (1) above, or plus ___%, in the case of a redemption under clause (2)
         above.

         Definition of Quotation Agent. "Quotation Agent" means _____________ .
However, if ______________ ceases to be a primary U.S. Government securities
dealer in New York City, we will replace them with another primary U.S.
Government securities dealer.

         Definition of Treasury Rate. "Treasury Rate" means (1) the yield, under
the heading which represents the average for the week immediately prior to the
date of calculation, appearing in the most recently published statistical
release designated H.15(519) or any successor publication which is published
weekly by the Federal Reserve and which establishes yields on actively traded
U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption
"Treasury Constant Maturities", for the maturity corresponding to the time
period from the redemption date to _________, 20__, or if no maturity is within
three months before or after this time period, yields for the two published
maturities most closely corresponding to this time period will be determined and
the Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from those yields on a
straight-line basis, rounding to the nearest month, or (2) if the release or any
successor release is not published during the week preceding the calculation
date or does not contain such yields, the annual rate equal to the semi-annual
equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using
a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue, expressed as a percentage of its
principal amount, equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for the redemption
date. The Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third business day preceding
the redemption date.

         Definition of Comparable Treasury Issue. "Comparable Treasury Issue"
means with respect to any redemption date the U.S. Treasury security selected by
the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the time period from the
redemption date to _________, 20__ that would be utilized, at the time of
selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new
issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to this time period.
If no U.S. Treasury security has a maturity which is within a period from three
months before to three months after __________, 20__, the two most closely
corresponding U.S. Treasury securities shall be used as the Comparable Treasury
Issue, and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or

                                       22


<PAGE>   24



extrapolated on a straight-line basis, rounding to the nearest month using such
securities.

         Definition of Comparable Treasury Price. "Comparable Treasury Price"
means (a) the average of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such
redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury
Dealer Quotations, or (b) if the debenture trustee obtains fewer than five such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

         Definition of Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations. "Reference Treasury
Dealer Quotations" means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any
redemption date, the average, as determined by the debenture trustee, of the bid
and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue, expressed in each case as a
percentage of its principal amount, quoted in writing to the debenture trustee
by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third
business day preceding such redemption date.

         Definition of Reference Treasury Dealer. "Reference Treasury Dealer"
means (1) the Quotation Agent and (2) any other primary U.S. Government
securities dealer selected by the debenture trustee after consultation with us.

         Definition of business day. As used in this prospectus, "business day"
means a day other than (1) a Saturday or Sunday, (2) a day on which banking
institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required by law or
executive order to remain closed, or (3) a day on which the property trustee's
Corporate Trust Office or the Corporate Trust Office of the debenture trustee is
closed for business.

         Definition of Capital Treatment Event. "Capital Treatment Event" means
the reasonable determination by us that as a result of:

- -        any amendment to or change, including any announced prospective change,
         in the laws, or any rules or regulations under the laws, of the United
         States or of any political subdivision of or in the United States, if
         the amendment or change is effective on or after the date of this
         prospectus or

- -        any official or administrative pronouncement or action or any judicial
         decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, if the
         pronouncement, action or decision is announced on or after the date of
         this prospectus,

there is more than an insubstantial risk that we will not be entitled to treat
the liquidation amount of the capital securities as "Tier 1" capital for
purposes of the applicable Federal Reserve capital adequacy guidelines as then
in effect.

         Definition of Tax Event. "Tax Event" means the receipt by us and the
trust of an opinion of independent counsel, experienced in the following
matters, to the following effect:

As a result of any tax change, there is more than an insubstantial risk that any
of the following will occur:

(1)      the trust is, or will be within 90 days after the date of the opinion
         of counsel, subject to U.S. federal income tax on income received or
         accrued on the junior debentures;

(2)      interest payable by us on the junior debentures is not, or within 90
         days after the opinion of counsel will not be, deductible by us, in
         whole or in part, for U.S. federal income tax purposes; or

(3)      the trust is, or will be within 90 days after the date of the opinion
         of counsel, subject to more than a de minimis amount of other taxes,
         duties or other governmental charges.

As used above, "tax change" means any of the following:

- -        any amendment to or change, including any announced prospective change,
         in the laws or any regulations under the laws of the United States or
         of any political subdivision or taxing authority of or in the United
         States, if the amendment or change is enacted, promulgated or announced
         on or after the date of this prospectus; or

- -        any official administrative pronouncement, including any private letter
         ruling, technical advice memorandum, field service advice, regulatory
         procedure, notice or announcement, including any notice or announcement
         of intent to adopt any procedures or regulations, or any judicial

                                       23

<PAGE>   25



         decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, whether or
         not the pronouncement or decision is issued to or in connection with a
         proceeding involving us or the trust or is subject to review or appeal,
         if the pronouncement or decision is enacted, promulgated or announced
         on or after the date of this prospectus.

         Payment of additional amounts. The indenture provides that, if a Tax
Event described in items (1) and (3) of the definition of Tax Event above has
occurred and is continuing and we do not redeem the junior debentures, we may be
required to pay additional sums on the junior debentures. These additional sums
would be those amounts necessary to ensure that distributions due and payable on
the capital securities and common securities will not be reduced as a result of
any additional taxes, duties and other governmental charges to which the trust
has become subject as a result of a Tax Event.

         Redemption procedures. The property trustee will give notice of any
redemption of capital securities to the holders of capital securities not less
than 30 nor more than 60 days before the redemption date, unless the redemption
results from acceleration of the maturity of the junior debentures and the
property trustee cannot reasonably give this notice during this period. In that
case, the property trustee will give the notice as soon as practicable. In all
cases, the property trustee will give the notice of redemption in the manner
described below under "-- Notices".

         Payment of the redemption price for any capital securities will be made
against surrender of the certificates representing those capital securities, or,
in the case of any capital securities held in book-entry form, in accordance
with the applicable procedures of DTC. However, any distributions that are
payable on or before the redemption date will be payable to the persons who are
the holders of those capital securities on the record date for the distribution.

         If the property trustee gives a notice of redemption, the property
trustee will deposit funds sufficient to pay the redemption price for all
capital securities to be redeemed on that date to the extent the funds are
available to the property trustee. The property trustee, in the case of
book-entry capital securities, or the paying agent, in the case of nonbook-entry
capital securities, will irrevocably deposit these amounts with DTC by noon, New
York City time, on the redemption date. If the property trustee gives notice of
redemption and deposits funds as required under the amended trust agreement then
upon the date of deposit all rights of the holders of the capital securities
called for redemption will cease, except the right of those holders to receive
the redemption price, without interest, and those capital securities will cease
to be outstanding. If payment of the redemption price for any capital securities
called for redemption is improperly withheld or refused and not paid either by
the trust or by us under the guarantee, or if notice of redemption is not given
as required, distributions on those capital securities will continue to
accumulate from the original redemption date to the date the redemption price is
actually paid.

         If the trust redeems less than all the capital securities and common
securities, the aggregate liquidation amount of capital securities and common
securities to be redeemed will be allocated proportionately between the
outstanding capital securities and the outstanding common securities, based upon
their respective aggregate liquidation amounts. Not more than 60 days prior to
the redemption date, the property trustee will select the capital securities to
be redeemed from among the outstanding capital securities not previously called
for redemption. The property trustee may use any method of selection that it
deems to be fair and appropriate, including any method that involves the
redemption of a portion of the aggregate liquidation amount of any particular
holder's capital securities.

         Other purchases of capital securities. Subject to applicable law, we
may, and our subsidiaries may, purchase outstanding capital securities by
tender, in the open market or by private agreement. These purchases may occur at
any time and from time to time.

EXCHANGE OF CAPITAL SECURITIES FOR JUNIOR DEBENTURES

         As the holders of the common securities, we may dissolve the trust at
any time in our sole discretion subject to the prior approval of the Federal
Reserve, if then required. Upon such an election, the property trustee will
liquidate the trust and satisfy liabilities to creditors, if any. The property
trustee will then distribute to the holders of the outstanding capital
securities and common securities, a like amount of junior debentures in exchange
for those securities. In this context, "like amount" means junior debentures
having an aggregate principal

                                       24


<PAGE>   26



amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of all outstanding capital
securities and common securities.

         If an exchange distribution occurs, we will use our best efforts to
include the junior debentures on those stock exchanges or other automated
quotation systems on which the capital securities are then listed or traded.

         Exchange Procedures. The property trustee will notify holders of
capital securities of any exchange not less than 30 nor more than 60 days before
the exchange date, in the manner described below under "-- Notices". On the
exchange date, the following will occur:

- -        the capital securities will cease to be outstanding;

- -        DTC or its nominee will receive certificates representing the junior
         debentures to be distributed in exchange for all capital securities
         held in book-entry form, with those junior debentures also being in
         book-entry form;

- -        any certificates representing capital securities in non-book-entry form
         will be deemed to represent a like amount of junior debentures, bearing
         accrued and unpaid interest in an amount equal to the accumulated and
         unpaid distributions on those capital securities, until those
         certificates are presented to the paying agent for exchange or
         transfer; and

- -        all rights of the holders of capital securities will cease, except for
         the right of holders of capital securities in non-book-entry form to
         receive certificates representing junior debentures in non-book-entry
         form upon surrender of the certificates representing their capital
         securities.

LIQUIDATION DISTRIBUTION UPON TERMINATION

         Under the amended trust agreement, the trust will automatically
dissolve upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

- -        the expiration of its term of approximately 31 years;

- -        certain events of bankruptcy, dissolution or liquidation of KeyCorp;

- -        distribution of the junior debentures in exchange for the capital
         securities and common securities, upon our election to dissolve the
         trust, as described above under "-- Exchange of capital securities for
         junior debentures";

- -        redemption of all the capital securities; or

- -        the entry of an order for the dissolution of the trust by a court of
         competent jurisdiction.

         If the trust dissolves while the capital securities are outstanding,
the property trustee will liquidate the trust as expeditiously as the property
trustee determines to be possible. After the property trustee satisfies
liabilities of the trust's creditors, it will distribute to the holders of the
outstanding capital securities and the common securities, a like amount of the
junior debentures.

         If the property trustee determines that an exchange distribution is not
practical, each holder of outstanding capital securities will be entitled to
receive out of the available assets of the trust, after satisfaction of
liabilities to creditors of the trust, an amount equal to the liquidation
distribution. The "liquidation distribution" for any capital securities will
equal the aggregate liquidation amount of those capital securities plus all
accrued and unpaid distributions on them to the date of payment. If the
liquidation distribution for all outstanding capital securities can be paid only
in part because the trust has insufficient assets available to pay it in full,
the amounts payable by the trust on the capital securities will be paid
proportionately, based on their respective liquidation distributions.

         On any liquidation of the trust, the holders of the common securities
will be entitled to receive distributions proportionately with the holders of
the capital securities, unless an event of default under the amended trust
agreement, a "trust event of default", has occurred and is continuing. In that
case, the capital securities will have priority in right of payment over the
common securities, as described below under "--Priority over common securities".


                                       25


<PAGE>   27



PRIORITY OVER COMMON SECURITIES

         Payment of distributions and the redemption price will be made on the
capital securities and the common securities proportionately, based on the
respective aggregate liquidation amounts of the two classes, except as follows.
If a trust event of default has occurred and is continuing, the trust will not
pay any distribution or redemption price, or make any liquidation distribution,
in respect of the common securities on any day unless the following have
occurred:

- -        in the case of any distribution to be paid, all accumulated and unpaid
         distributions on all outstanding capital securities for all
         distribution periods ending on or before the payment day have been paid
         or duly provided for in cash;

- -        in the case of any redemption price to be paid, the redemption price on
         all outstanding capital securities called on or before the payment day
         for redemption has been paid or duly provided for in cash; and

- -        in the case of a liquidation distribution to be made, the liquidation
         distribution on all outstanding capital securities has been made or
         duly provided for.

         Accordingly, if a trust event of default has occurred and is
continuing, whenever any distributions or redemption price is due and payable in
respect of the capital securities, the property trustee will apply all available
funds to the payment of those amounts in full in cash before making any payment
in respect of the common securities.

         The trust will not make any payment or other distribution in respect of
the common securities, including on account of any purchase or other
acquisition, while the capital securities are outstanding, other than
distributions, the redemption price and the liquidation distribution on the
terms set forth in the amended trust agreement.

         If a trust event of default occurs as a result of an indenture event of
default, the holders of the common securities will be treated as having waived
all rights to act with respect to the trust event of default until all trust
events of default have been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated. Until that
time, the property trustee will act solely on behalf of the holders of the
capital securities and not on behalf of the holders of the common securities,
and only the holders of the capital securities will have the right to direct the
property trustee to act on their behalf.

TRUST EVENTS OF DEFAULT

         Any one of the following events will be a "trust event of default"
under the amended trust agreement:

- -        the occurrence of an "indenture event of default" under the indenture,
         see - "Description of Junior Debentures--Indenture events of default";

- -        default by the trust in the payment of any distribution when it becomes
         due and payable and continuation of the default for 30 days;

- -        default by the trust in the payment of any redemption price when it
         becomes due and payable;

- -        material default or breach under any covenant or warranty of the
         property trustee or Delaware trustee under the amended trust agreement,
         and continuation of the default or breach for 60 days after a notice of
         default has been given; a notice of default may be given only by the
         holders of at least 25% of the outstanding capital securities, as
         provided under the amended trust agreement; and

- -        the occurrence of certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with
         respect to the property trustee if a successor property trustee has not
         been appointed within 90 days.

         Within five business days after learning about a trust event of
default, the property trustee will notify the administrative trustees and the
holders of the outstanding capital securities and common securities, unless the
trust event of default has been cured or waived.

         We, as depositor, and the administrative trustees are obligated to file
annually with the property trustee a certificate as to whether or not we are in
compliance with all the conditions and covenants applicable to us under the
amended trust

                                       26


<PAGE>   28



agreement.

ENFORCEMENT RIGHTS

         If an indenture event of default occurs, the holders of capital
securities must rely on the property trustee, as the holder of the junior
debentures, to enforce their rights under the junior debentures and the
indenture against us, subject to the following.

         Right to direct property trustee's actions. The holders of a majority
of outstanding capital securities will have the right to direct the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to, or
exercising any trust or power conferred on, the property trustee under the
amended trust agreement. This includes the right to direct the property trustee
to exercise the remedies available to it as the holder of the junior debentures.
Accordingly, the property trustee will not take any of the following actions
without obtaining the prior approval of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding capital securities, or, in the case of any action that under the
indenture may be taken only with the prior consent of each affected holder of
junior debentures, without the prior consent of each holder of outstanding
capital securities:

- -        direct the time, method or place of conducting any proceeding for any
         remedy available to, or executing any trust or power conferred on, the
         indenture trustee with respect to the junior debentures;

- -        waive any past default that may be waived under the indenture;

- -        exercise any right to rescind or annul a declaration that the principal
         of all the junior debentures be due and payable;

- -        consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the indenture
         or the junior debentures, if the consent of any holder of junior
         debentures is required under the indenture; or

- -        revoke any action previously authorized or approved by the holders of
         the capital securities except by or with the subsequent authorization
         or approval of the holders of the capital securities.

         Before taking any of the actions described above, the property trustee
must also obtain, at our expense, an opinion of counsel, experienced in the
following matters, to the effect that the action will not cause the trust to be
classified as an association taxable as a corporation, or as other than a
grantor trust, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The property trustee will
notify the holders of capital securities of any notice of default with respect
to the junior debentures, in the manner described below under "-- Notices".

         Any required approval of holders of capital securities may be given by
written consent or at a meeting convened for that purpose. The property trustee
must cause a notice to be given to the holders of capital securities of any
matter upon which holders of capital securities are to act by written consent,
or of any meeting at which holders of capital securities are entitled to vote,
in the manner described below under "-- Notices".

         Right of direct action. If an indenture event of default has occurred
and is continuing and is attributable to our failure to pay any interest or
principal on the junior debentures when due and payable, a holder of capital
securities may begin a legal proceeding directly against us for enforcement of
payment to that holder of the interest or principal due and payable on a like
amount of junior debentures. We may not amend the indenture to remove the right
of any holder of outstanding capital securities to bring a direct action without
the prior written consent of that holder.

         We will have the right under the indenture to set off any payment made
to a holder of capital securities in connection with a direct action. Except for
the right to bring a direct action, holders of capital securities will not have
the right to exercise directly against us any remedy available to a holder of
junior debentures.

         Right to accelerate junior debentures. If the holders of junior
debentures do not exercise their rights under the indenture to:

- -        accelerate the maturity of the junior debentures when an indenture
         event of default has occurred and is continuing,

- -        annul a declaration of acceleration of the junior debentures, and

- -        waive certain defaults under the indenture,

                                       27


<PAGE>   29



then the holders of certain minimum percentages of the outstanding capital
securities will be entitled to exercise these specified rights. See "Description
of Junior Debentures--Indenture events of default".

MERGERS, CONSOLIDATIONS, AMALGAMATIONS AND REPLACEMENTS OF THE TRUST

         At our request and with the consent of the holders of a majority of the
capital securities, the trust may merge with or into, or consolidate or
amalgamate with, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties
and assets substantially as an entirety to, another entity. Each of these
mentioned transactions, referred to as "trust successor transactions", may be
consummated only if the other entity is organized as a trust under the laws of
any state in the United States and only if all the following requirements are
met:

- -        the successor entity, if not the trust, either (1) expressly assumes
         all the obligations of the trust with respect to the capital securities
         or (2) substitutes for the capital securities other securities having
         substantially the same terms as the capital securities, or "successor
         securities", provided that these successor securities rank at least as
         high as the capital securities rank with regard to the priority in
         right of payment of all distributions and other amounts payable upon
         liquidation, redemption and otherwise;

- -        the successor entity, if not the trust, has a purpose identical to that
         of the trust;

- -        a trustee of the successor entity, if not the trust, possessing the
         same powers and duties as the property trustee is appointed to hold the
         junior debentures;

- -        the trust successor transaction does not cause the capital securities,
         or any successor securities, to be downgraded by any nationally
         recognized statistical rating organization that assigns ratings to the
         capital securities;

- -        the trust successor transaction does not adversely affect the rights,
         preferences and privileges of the holders of the capital securities, or
         any successor securities, in any material respect;

- -        prior to the trust successor transaction, we and the trust have
         received an opinion from our independent counsel, experienced in the
         following matters, to the effect that (1) the trust successor
         transaction will not adversely affect the rights, preferences and
         privileges of the holders of the capital securities, or any successor
         securities, in any material respect and (2) upon completion of the
         trust successor transaction, the trust or the successor entity, as
         applicable, will not be required to register as an investment company
         under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and

- -        we, or any permitted successor, together with our permitted assignees,
         hold all the common securities of the trust or all comparable
         securities of the successor entity, as applicable, and guarantee the
         obligations of the successor entity, if not the trust, in respect of
         the capital securities, or any successor securities, at least to the
         extent provided by the guarantee.

         Despite the foregoing, the trust may not engage in a trust successor
transaction that would cause the trust or the successor entity, as applicable,
to be classified as an association taxable as a corporation or as other than a
grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, unless it first obtains the
consent of all holders of outstanding capital securities.

AMENDMENT OF THE TRUST AGREEMENT

         We and the property trustee, without the consent of the holders of the
capital securities, may amend the amended trust agreement from time to time to:

- -        cure any ambiguity, or correct or supplement any provision that may be
         inconsistent with any other provision, in the amended trust agreement;

- -        make any provision with respect to matters or questions arising under
         the amended trust agreement that is consistent with the other
         provisions of the amended trust agreement; and

- -        modify, eliminate or add to any provisions of the amended trust
         agreement to any

                                       28


<PAGE>   30



         extent that may be necessary to ensure that the trust will not be
         taxable as a corporation or be classified as other than a grantor
         trust, or to ensure that the junior debentures are treated as our
         indebtedness, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or to ensure that
         the trust will not be required to register as an "investment company"
         under the Investment Company Act;

but only if the amendment does not adversely affect the interests of any holder
of capital securities in any material respect and does not become effective
until notice of the amendment is given to the holders of capital securities.

         We and the property trustee may also amend the amended trust agreement
if all of the following requirements are met:

- -        we obtain the consent of the holders of not less than a majority of the
         outstanding capital securities; and

- -        the property trustee and Delaware trustee receive an opinion of counsel
         to the effect that the amendment or the exercise of any power granted
         to them in accordance with the amendment will not result in the trust
         being taxable as a corporation or being classified as other than a
         grantor trust, or the junior debentures being treated as other than our
         indebtedness, for U.S. federal income tax purposes or being required to
         register as an "investment company" under the Investment Company Act.

         Despite the foregoing, each holder of capital securities must consent
to an amendment of the amended trust agreement that does any of the following:

- -        changes the amount or timing of any distribution or other payment, or
         otherwise adversely affects the amount of any distribution or other
         payment required to be made as of a specified date, in respect of that
         holder's capital securities; or

- -        restricts the right of that holder to institute suit for the
         enforcement of any payment on those capital securities on or after the
         date on which it becomes due and payable.

         For the purpose of any vote or consent of holders of capital
securities, any capital securities owned by us, the property trustee, the
Delaware trustee or any affiliate of the foregoing will be treated as if they
were not outstanding.

VOTING RIGHTS

         The holders of the capital securities will have no voting rights except
as provided under "-Enforcement rights", "-- Amendment of the trust agreement",
"Description of Guarantee -Amendments, assignment and succession", and as
otherwise required by law and the amended trust agreement.

NOTICES

         Notices to be given to holders of capital securities held in book-entry
form will be given only to DTC in accordance with its applicable procedures.
Notices to be given to holders of capital securities held in non-book-entry form
may be given by mail to the respective addresses of the holders as they appear
in the security register and will be deemed duly given when mailed to those
addresses. Neither the failure to give any notice to a particular holder, nor
any defect in a notice given to a particular holder, will affect the sufficiency
of any notice given to another holder.

PAYMENT AND PAYING AGENCY

         Payments in respect of any capital securities held in book-entry form
will be made only to DTC or its nominee in accordance with DTC's applicable
procedures. Payments in respect of any capital securities not held in book-entry
form will be made at the offices of any paying agent. However, at our option,
distributions payable on non-book-entry capital securities may be paid by check
mailed to the persons entitled to receive them, at their addresses appearing on
the security register on the relevant record date.

         The property trustee will initially serve as the paying agent. From
time to time, the property trustee may select one or more firms to act as the
paying agent or as co-paying agents. Each paying agent must be a bank or trust
company acceptable to the administrative trustees. A paying agent will be
permitted to resign as paying agent upon 30 days' written notice to the property
trustee and us. In the event there is no paying agent, the property trustee

                                       29


<PAGE>   31



will appoint a firm to act as paying agent.

         If any distribution, redemption price or other amount is payable in
respect of the capital securities on a day that is not a business bay, the
payment may be made on the next succeeding business day unless that business day
is in a different calendar year, in which case the payment may be made on the
next preceding business day.

         The owners of beneficial interests in capital securities held in
book-entry form will not have any rights under the amended trust agreement or
the indenture to receive payments in respect of those capital securities. Those
beneficial owners will have only such rights as may exist under the applicable
procedures of DTC and its direct and indirect participants. For a description of
certain matters relating to securities held in book-entry form, see "Book-Entry
Issuance".

         Any moneys deposited with the property trustee or any paying agent, or
then held in trust by us or the trust, for the payment of any amount due and
payable on any capital securities, and remaining unclaimed for two years after
the amount has become due and payable, will, at our request, be repaid to us.
Thereafter, the holders of those capital securities will look, as a general
unsecured creditor, only to us for payment thereof.

REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT

         The property trustee will act as registrar and transfer agent for the
capital securities. The property trustee will exchange and register transfers of
capital securities without charge by or on behalf of the trust, but will require
payment of any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with the exchange or transfer. If any capital securities have been
called for redemption, the property trustee may refuse to register any transfer
of those capital securities.

THE TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST

         Removal, appointment and successors. The holders of at least a majority
of the outstanding capital securities may remove either the property trustee or
the Delaware trustee for cause or, if an indenture event of default has occurred
and is continuing, with or without cause. If one of these trustees is removed by
the holders of the outstanding capital securities, the successor may be
appointed by the holders of at least 25% of the outstanding capital securities.
If one of these trustees resigns, it will appoint its successor. If the trustee
fails to appoint a successor, the holders of at least 25% of the outstanding
capital securities may appoint a successor. If a successor has not been
appointed by the holders, any holder of capital securities or common securities,
or the other trustee, may petition a court in the State of Delaware to appoint a
successor. As long as no indenture event of default has occurred and is
continuing, we, as the holder of the common securities, have the right to remove
the property trustee and the Delaware trustee at any time.

         Any Delaware trustee must meet the applicable requirements of Delaware
law. Any property trustee must be a national or state-chartered bank and, at the
time of appointment, must have securities rated in one of the three highest
rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization and
have capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. No resignation or removal of a
trustee, and no appointment of a successor trustee, will be effective until the
acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee in accordance with the
provisions of the amended trust agreement.

         In no event will the holders of the capital securities have the right
to vote to appoint, remove or replace the administrative trustees. We have this
exclusive right as the holder of the common securities.

         Co-trustees and separate property trustee. As long as no event of
default has occurred and is continuing, in order to meet the legal requirement
of the Trust Indenture Act or of any other jurisdiction where any part of the
trust property may be located, we, as the holder of the common securities, and
the administrative trustees may at any time appoint a co-trustee or a separate
property trustee. We will vest the co-trustee, which will act jointly with the
property trustee, or the separate trustee with any property, title, right or
power sufficient to enable him to comply with the legal requirements of the
Trust Indenture Act or of any other jurisdiction.

         If an indenture event of default is occurred and is continuing, the
property trustee will have the sole authority to appoint a co-trustee or a
separate trustee.

         Merger, consolidation, etc. If the property trustee or the Delaware
trustee merges, consolidates

                                       30


<PAGE>   32



with or converts into, another entity, or another entity succeeds to all or
substantially all the corporate trust business of that trustee, that other
entity will be the successor of that trustee under the amended trust agreement,
but only if that other entity is qualified and eligible to be a trustee.

         Duties of property trustee. The property trustee undertakes to perform
only those duties that are specifically set forth in the amended trust
agreement. If, however, a trust event of default is continuing, the property
trustee must exercise the same degree of care and skill as a prudent person
would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this
provision, the property trustee will have no obligation to exercise any of the
powers vested in it by the amended trust agreement at the request of any holder
of capital securities unless it is offered reasonable indemnity against the
costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur as a result.

         If no trust event of default is continuing and the property trustee
must decide between alternative causes of action or construe ambiguous
provisions in the amended trust agreement, or is unsure of the application of
any provision of the amended trust agreement, and the matter is not one on which
the holders of capital securities and common securities are entitled under the
amended trust agreement to vote, then the property trustee may take any action
that it deems to be advisable and in the best interests of the holders of the
capital securities and common securities and will have no liability except for
its own bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct.

         Conducting the affairs and operations of the trust. The amended trust
agreement authorizes and directs the administrative trustees and the property
trustee to conduct the affairs of and to operate the trust so that the trust
will not be required to register as an "investment company" under the Investment
Company Act or be classified as an association taxable as a corporation or as
other than a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes and so that the
junior debentures will be treated as our indebtedness for U.S. federal income
tax purposes. The amended trust agreement authorizes the property trustee and
the holders of common securities to take any action, not inconsistent with
applicable law, the certificate of trust of the trust or the amended trust
agreement, that they, or any successor entity, determine in their discretion to
be necessary or desirable for these purposes, as long as the action does not
adversely affect the interests of the holders of the capital securities in any
material respect.

NO PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS

         Holders of the capital securities will have no preemptive or similar
rights.



                                       31
<PAGE>   33
                        DESCRIPTION OF JUNIOR DEBENTURES

         This section summarizes the material provisions of the junior
debentures and a document called the "indenture", which governs the junior
debentures. The indenture is a contract between us and Bankers Trust Company,
who acts as indenture trustee. The indenture and its associated documents,
including the junior debentures, contain the full legal text of the matters
described in this section. A copy of the indenture has been filed with the SEC
as part of our registration statement. See "Where You Can Find More Information"
on page 52 for information on how to obtain a copy.

         The indenture and the junior debentures are governed by New York law.

ISSUANCE AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

         We will issue the junior debentures under the indenture concurrently
with the issuance of the capital securities. The trust will use the proceeds
from the sale of the capital securities, together with the consideration we will
pay for the common securities, to purchase the junior debentures. The junior
debentures will initially have an aggregate principal amount of $_________,
which will equal the sum of the initial aggregate liquidation amount of the
capital securities and the common securities. Unless the trust distributes the
junior debentures in exchange for the capital securities as described below, the
junior debentures will be held in the name of the property trustee in trust for
the benefit of the holders of the capital securities and common securities.

         The junior debentures will be our general and unsecured obligations and
will be subordinated in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness as
described in "-- Subordination". Because we are a holding company, the junior
debentures will also effectively be subordinated to all existing and future
liabilities of our bank or non-bank subsidiaries.

         The junior debentures will have a stated maturity of __________, 20__.

INTEREST

         Interest will accrue on the principal of the junior debentures from
their original issue date at the annual rate of ___% . Unless deferred as
described below, interest will be payable quarterly in arrears on _____ and
_____ of each year commencing on ________, 1999, to the persons who are the
record holders of the junior debentures at the close of business on the 15th day
- - whether or not a business day - next preceding the relevant interest payment
date. The amount of interest payable for any period will be computed on the
basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

         We will have the right to defer the payment of interest on the junior
debentures as long as no indenture event of default has occurred and is
continuing, as described in "Description of Capital Securities -- Distributions
- -- Deferral periods". During a deferral period, interest will continue to accrue
on the junior debentures and additional interest will accrue on each deferred
interest payment at the yearly rate of ___%, compounded semi-annually from the
corresponding interest payment date. The term "interest", wherever we use it in
this prospectus with respect to the junior debentures, includes any of this
additional interest. In addition, during any deferral period, the indenture will
prohibit us and our subsidiaries from taking certain actions described in
"Description of Capital Securities -- Distributions -- Deferral period
restrictions".

         Any interest that would otherwise become due and payable in respect of
any junior debentures during a deferral period will not become due and payable
until the day after the period ends. If the principal of any junior debentures
becomes due and payable on a day that would otherwise occur during a deferral
period, that period will end automatically on the next preceding day.

REDEMPTION

         We will have the option to redeem the junior debentures before the
stated maturity as follows:

(1)      in whole at any time or in part from time to time, provided that no
         partial redemption may occur during a deferral period; or

(2)      in whole at any time within 90 days after the occurrence of a Tax Event
         or a Capital Treatment Event.

The definitions of "Tax Event" and "Capital Treatment Event" are set forth in
"Description of 

                                       32


<PAGE>   34
Capital Securities-Redemption".

         If we redeem any junior debentures, we will do so at the relevant
redemption prices set forth in "Description of Capital Securities - Redemption -
Repayment and redemption of junior debentures". Unless we default in payment of
the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the junior debentures
called for redemption on and after the redemption date. We may not redeem any
junior debentures on a redemption date that would occur during a deferral period
unless we redeem all of the outstanding junior debentures.

         We must give notice of any redemption to the holders of the junior
debentures not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the redemption
date, in the manner described below under "-- Notices". In all other respects,
the procedures for redeeming the junior debentures will be similar to those for
redeeming the capital securities. See "Description of Capital Securities --
Redemption -- Redemption procedures".

         Payment of additional sums. As described under "Description of Capital
Securities - Redemption - Payment of additional sums", if a Tax Event has
occurred and is continuing, we may be obligated to pay additional sums on
the junior debentures.


EXCHANGE OF CAPITAL SECURITIES FOR JUNIOR DEBENTURES

         As described under "Description of Capital Securities -- Exchange of
capital securities for junior debentures", we may elect to dissolve the trust
and cause the trust to distribute a like amount of the junior debentures to the
holders of the capital securities and common securities in exchange for these
securities. Junior debentures distributed in exchange for capital securities
held in book-entry form will also be issued, upon the distribution, in
book-entry form. We expect that the book-entry arrangements for the junior
debentures will be substantially similar to those that will apply to the capital
securities. For further information on book-entry arrangements, see "Book-Entry
Issuance".

         If an exchange distribution occurs, we will be obligated to use our
best efforts to list the junior debentures on the NYSE or any other stock
exchange or organization on which the capital securities are then listed. We can
give no assurance as to the market price of any junior debentures that may be
distributed to the holders of the capital securities.

CERTAIN COVENANTS MADE BY US IN THE INDENTURE

         We will make the following covenants in the indenture:

- -        to hold, directly or indirectly through one or more of our 
         subsidiaries, 100% of the common securities, provided that permitted
         successors under the indenture may succeed to our ownership of the
         common securities;

- -        not to voluntarily terminate, wind-up or liquidate the trust, except 
         with the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, if then required, and 
         either in connection with (1) a distribution of junior debentures in
         exchange for capital securities or (2) any merger, consolidation or 
         amalgamation permitted by the amended trust agreement; and

- -        to use our reasonable efforts, consistent with the amended trust 
         agreement, to cause the trust to be classified as a grantor trust and
         not to be taxable as a corporation for U. S. federal income tax 
         purposes.

MODIFICATION OF THE INDENTURE

         From time to time we and the indenture trustee may, without the consent
of the holders of the junior debentures, amend, waive or supplement the
indenture for specified purposes. These include curing ambiguities, defects or
inconsistencies, provided that doing so does not adversely affect the interests
of the holders of the junior debentures or the capital securities in any
material respect, and qualifying, or maintaining the qualification of, the
indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.

         The indenture also permits us and the indenture trustee, with the
consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding junior debentures, to
modify the indenture in any manner whatsoever. However, we and the indenture
trustee may not modify the indenture in the following ways without the consent
of the holder of each outstanding junior debenture:

- -        change the stated maturity of the junior debentures;


                                       33
<PAGE>   35



- -        reduce the principal amount of the junior debentures;

- -        reduce the rate of interest on or any premium payable upon the
         redemption of the junior debentures;

- -        change the place of payment where, or the currency in which, any amount
         is payable on the junior debentures;

- -        impair the right to institute a suit for enforcement of any junior
         debenture; or

- -        reduce the percentage of principal amount of the outstanding junior
         debentures, the holders of which are required to consent to any
         modification of the indenture.

         As long as the capital securities are outstanding, any modification,
waiver or termination of the indenture which will adversely affect the holders
of the capital securities cannot be made without obtaining the consent of at
least a majority of the holders of capital securities. See "Description of
Capital Securities -- Enforcement rights".

INDENTURE EVENTS OF DEFAULT

         Each of the following events will be an "indenture event of default":

- -        failure to pay any interest or additional sum on the junior debentures
         when due and continuation of the default for 30 days, subject to any
         deferral period;

- -        failure to pay any principal of the junior debentures when due;

- -        failure to observe or perform any other covenants in the indenture in
         any material respect for 90 days after written notice has been given to
         us by the indenture trustee or the holders of at least 25% of the
         outstanding junior debentures; and

- -        certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of KeyCorp.

         If an indenture event of default has occurred and is continuing, either
the indenture trustee or the holders of not less than 25% of the outstanding
junior debentures may declare the principal of all junior debentures to be due
and payable immediately. If the capital securities are outstanding and the
indenture trustee or those holders of junior debentures fail to exercise this
right, the holders of at least 25% of the outstanding capital securities may do
so.

         The holders of a majority of the outstanding junior debentures may
annul any declaration of acceleration if we paid or deposited with the property
trustee all matured installments of interest and principal, and any additional
sums, due otherwise than by acceleration. Upon such payment, if the holders of
junior debentures do not exercise this right, the holders of a majority of the
outstanding capital securities may do so.

         The holders of a majority of the outstanding junior debentures may
waive any default under the indenture other than:

- -        a default in the payment of principal or interest, and any additional
         sum, unless the default has been cured; or

- -        a default in respect of a covenant that under the indenture cannot be
         modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each affected
         junior debenture.

         If the holders of the junior debentures do not waive a default under
the indenture as permitted, the holders of a majority in aggregate liquidation
amount of the outstanding capital securities may do so.

         The holders of a majority of outstanding junior debentures will have
the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for
any remedy available to the indenture trustee. This right, as well as the rights
of the holders of junior debentures with regard to acceleration, annulment and
waiver described above, will be subject to the enforcement rights of the holders
of capital securities when the capital securities are outstanding. See
"Description of Capital Securities -- Enforcement rights". We will be obligated
to provide the indenture trustee, and, if the capital securities are
outstanding, the property trustee, annually a certificate as to whether or not
we are in compliance with the applicable provisions of the indenture.



                                       34
<PAGE>   36



CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OF ASSETS AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS

         We may not consolidate with, or merge with or into, or convey, transfer
or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any other
entity, referred to as a "successor transaction", unless the following
conditions are satisfied:

- -        the successor entity, if not us, must be organized under the laws of
         the United States or any state of the United States or the District of
         Columbia, and must expressly assume our obligations in respect of the
         junior debentures, the indenture, the guarantee and the expense
         agreement;

- -        immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no indenture event
         of default, and no event that, after notice or lapse of time or both,
         would become an indenture event of default, will have occurred and be
         continuing;

- -        such transaction is permitted under the amended trust agreements; and

- -        we deliver to the property trustee an officer's certificate and opinion
         of counsel, each stating that such transaction complies with the
         indenture and that the property trustee can rely on the opinion and
         certificate.

         The general provisions of the indenture do not afford holders of the
junior debentures or capital securities protection in the event of a highly
leveraged or other transaction involving us that may adversely affect the
interests of those holders.

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

         Except as noted below, the indenture will cease to be of further
effect, and we will be deemed to have satisfied and discharged the indenture,
when the following conditions have been satisfied:

- -        all junior debentures not previously delivered to the indenture trustee
         for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and
         payable at their stated maturity or on a redemption date within one
         year;

- -        we deposit with the indenture trustee, in trust, funds sufficient to
         pay the entire indebtedness on those junior debentures not previously
         delivered for cancellation, for the principal and interest, including
         any additional sums, to the date of the deposit for junior debentures
         that have become due and payable or to the stated maturity or the
         redemption date, as the case may be for junior debentures that have
         not; and

- -        we delivered to the indenture trustee an officer's certificate and an
         opinion of counsel each stating that we complied with the conditions
         relating to the satisfaction of the indenture, as stated above.

         We will remain obligated to provide for registration of transfer and
exchange and notices of redemption and in other ministerial respects.

SUBORDINATION

         To the extent set forth in the indenture, the junior debentures will be
subordinated in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness. The
subordination provisions will have the following significant effects.

         If we default in the payment of any principal, interest or other amount
payable on any senior indebtedness when the same becomes due and payable, we may
not make or agree to make any payment in respect of the junior debentures, or in
respect of any redemption, repayment, retirement, purchase or other acquisition
of the junior debentures, unless and until that default has been cured or waived
or has otherwise ceased to exist, or all senior indebtedness has been paid. This
prohibition would apply to payments of principal, interest and additional sums
on any junior debentures, as well as to payments in respect of any acquisition
or retirement of junior debentures.

         In addition, if any of the following events occurs, all senior
indebtedness, including any interest that accrues after the commencement of any
proceedings, must be paid in full before any payment or distribution may be made
on account of the junior debentures:

- -        the commencement of any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership,
         liquidation, reorganization, readjustment, composition



                                       35
<PAGE>   37



         or other similar proceeding relating to us, our creditors or our
         property;

- -        the commencement of any proceeding for the liquidation, dissolution or
         other winding up of KeyCorp, voluntary or involuntary, whether or not
         involving insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings;

- -        any assignment by us for the benefit of creditors; or

- -        any other marshalling of our assets.

         In any of these events, any payment or distribution on account of the
junior debentures that would otherwise, but for the subordination provisions, be
payable or deliverable in respect of the junior debentures will be paid or
delivered directly to the holders of senior indebtedness in accordance with the
priorities then existing among those holders, until all senior indebtedness,
including any post- commencement interest, has been paid in full.

         In the event of any proceeding described above, after payment in full
of all sums owing with respect to senior indebtedness, the holders of junior
debentures, together with the holders of any of our obligations ranking equally
with the junior debentures, will be entitled to be paid from our remaining
assets the amounts at the time due and owing on the junior debentures and those
other obligations before any payment or other distribution will be made on
account of any of our capital stock or any of our obligations ranking junior in
right of payment to the junior debentures.

         If any holder of junior debentures receives any payment or distribution
on account of the junior debentures before all the senior indebtedness has been
paid in full, or otherwise in contravention of any of the subordination
provisions, the holder must receive the payment or distribution in trust for the
benefit of, and must pay over or deliver and transfer the same to, the holders
of the senior indebtedness at the time outstanding in accordance with the
priorities then existing among them for application to the payment of all senior
indebtedness remaining unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay all the senior
indebtedness in full.

         If we become insolvent, then by reason of the subordination provisions,
holders of senior indebtedness may receive more, ratably, and holders of the
junior debentures may receive less, ratably, than our other creditors.

         Definition of senior indebtedness. "Senior indebtedness" includes:

- -        "senior debt", which means any of our obligations to our creditors,
         whether now outstanding or incurred in the future, other than (1) any
         obligation as to which, in the instrument creating or evidencing the
         obligation or under which the obligation is outstanding, it is provided
         that the obligation is not senior debt and (2) trade accounts payable
         and accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business; and

- -        the amounts necessary to pay all principal of, and premium, if any, and
         interest, if any, on "senior subordinated debt" in full less, if
         applicable, any portion of such amounts which would have been paid to,
         and retained by, the holders of such senior subordinated debt but for
         the fact that such senior subordinated debt is subordinate or junior in
         right of payment to trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities
         arising in the ordinary course of business.

         "Senior subordinated debt" means any of our obligations to our
creditors, whether now outstanding or incurred in the future, where the
instrument creating or evidencing the obligation or under which the obligation
is outstanding, provides that it is subordinate and junior in right of payment
to senior debt. Senior subordinated debt includes our outstanding subordinated
debt securities and any subordinated debt securities issued in the future with
substantially similar subordinated terms, but does not include:

- -        the junior debentures described in this prospectus;

- -        our 7.826% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures issued to
         a subsidiary trust on December 4, 1996;

- -        our 8.25% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures issued to
         a subsidiary trust on December 30, 1996;

- -        our 6.625% Debentures, Series A issued to a


                                       36

<PAGE>   38



         subsidiary trust on May 30, 1997;

- -        our Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures
         issued to a subsidiary trust on June 25, 1998;

- -        our 6 7/8% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures issued to
         a subsidiary trust on March 17, 1999; or

- -        any subordinated debt securities issued in the future with
         substantially similar subordinated terms.

         Senior debt does not include senior subordinated debt or the junior
debentures.

         The indenture places no limitation on the amount of additional senior
indebtedness that we may incur in the future. We expect from time to time to
incur additional senior indebtedness. As of December 31, 1998, we had
approximately $1.2 billion of senior indebtedness outstanding.

PAYMENT AND PAYING AGENTS

         Unless we distribute the junior debentures in exchange for the capital
securities, payments in respect of the junior debentures will be made to or upon
the order of the property trustee. If in the future we distribute the junior
debentures in exchange for the capital securities, payments in respect of the
junior debentures will be made in accordance with provisions similar to those
applicable to payments in respect of the capital securities. For further
information, see "Description of Capital Securities--Payment and paying agency".

NOTICES

         Notices to holders of junior debentures under the indenture will also
be given to the holders of the capital securities in accordance with provisions
similar to those described in "Description of Capital Securities -- Notices" and
to the property trustee. If in the future we distribute the junior debentures in
exchange for the capital securities, notices to holders of junior debentures
will be given to those holders in accordance with the provisions for notices to
capital securities holders referred to above.

THE INDENTURE TRUSTEE

         The indenture trustee will have all the duties and responsibilities
specified with respect to an indenture trustee under the Trust Indenture Act.
Subject to those provisions, the indenture trustee will have no obligation to
exercise any of the powers vested in it by the indenture at the request of any
holder of junior debentures, unless offered reasonable indemnity by such holder
against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred. The
indenture trustee will not be required to expend or risk its own funds or
otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of its duties if
it reasonably believes that repayment or adequate indemnity is not reasonably
assured to it.

         Bankers Trust Company, the debenture trustee, may serve from time to
time as trustee under other indentures or trust agreements entered into with us
or our subsidiaries relating to issues of other securities. In addition, we and
some of our affiliates may have other banking relationships with Bankers Trust
Company.



                                       37

<PAGE>   39



             DESCRIPTION OF THE GUARANTEE AND THE EXPENSE AGREEMENT

         This section summarizes the material provisions of the guarantee
agreement and the agreement as to expenses and liabilities. The guarantee
agreement and the expense agreement contain the full legal text of the matters
described in this section and are governed by New York law. We have filed with
the SEC a form of each of these agreements as exhibits to our registration
statement. See "Where to Find More Information" on page 52 for information on
how to obtain a copy.

THE GUARANTEE

         We will execute a guarantee agreement when the capital securities are
issued. Bankers Trust Company will act as trustee under the guarantee for the
purpose of compliance with the Trust Indenture Act, and the guarantee will be
qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. The guarantee trustee
will hold the guarantee for the benefit of the holders of the capital
securities.

         Under the guarantee, we will irrevocably and unconditionally agree to
pay in full, on a subordinated basis and to the extent described below, to the
holders of the capital securities, the guarantee payments as and when due,
regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that the trust may
have or assert other than the defense of payment. The following payments in
respect of the capital securities, to the extent not paid by or on behalf of the
trust, are "guarantee payments":

- -        any accumulated and unpaid distributions required to be paid on the
         capital securities, to the extent that the trust has funds legally and
         immediately available to pay them;

- -        any redemption price required to be paid on the capital securities, to
         the extent that the trust has funds legally and immediately available
         to pay it; and

- -        upon a voluntary or involuntary termination, winding-up or liquidation
         of the trust unless the junior debentures are distributed to holders of
         the capital securities in exchange for these securities, the lesser of
         (1) the liquidation distribution for the capital securities and (2) the
         amount of assets of the trust remaining available for distribution to
         holders of capital securities after satisfaction of liabilities to
         creditors of the trust as required by applicable law.

         We may satisfy our obligation to make a guarantee payment by paying the
required amounts directly to the holders of the capital securities, or by
causing the trust to pay them to the holders.

         We will be required to make payments under the guarantee only to the
extent that the trust has funds sufficient to make payments in respect of its
obligations under the capital securities. If and to the extent we do not make
payments on the junior debentures, the trust will not be able to make payments
on the capital securities and will not have funds available to do so. However,
through the guarantee, the amended trust agreement, the junior debentures, the
indenture and the expense agreement, taken together, we have fully, irrevocably
and unconditionally guaranteed all the trust's obligations under the capital
securities. See "Relationship Among Capital Securities, Junior Debentures, the
Guarantee and the Expense Agreement".

         The guarantee will guarantee payment and not collection. This means
that any holder of outstanding capital securities may begin a legal proceeding
directly against us to enforce its rights under the guarantee without first
beginning a legal proceeding against the trust, the guarantee trustee or any
other party.

STATUS OF THE GUARANTEE

         The guarantee will be a general unsecured obligation of KeyCorp and
will be subordinated in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness in
the same manner as the junior debentures.

         Because we are a holding company, our obligations under the guarantee,
like our obligations under the junior debentures, will also be effectively
subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our bank subsidiaries and
any other subsidiaries we may have. See "Description of Junior
Debentures -- Subordination".

AMENDMENTS, ASSIGNMENT AND SUCCESSION

We and Bankers Trust Company may not amend the guarantee in a way that will
adversely affect in any material respect the rights of the holders of the



                                       38
<PAGE>   40



capital securities without the consent of a majority of the outstanding capital
securities. The manner of obtaining any such approval will be similar to the
manner in which any approval to amend the amended trust agreement may be
obtained. See "Description of Capital Securities -- Amendment of the trust
agreement".

         We may not assign our obligations under the guarantee except in
connection with a merger, consolidation or amalgamation which is permitted under
the indenture. In addition, any permitted successor to our obligations under the
indenture will also succeed to our obligations under the guarantee. See
"Description of Junior Debentures -- Consolidation, merger, sale of assets and
other transactions". The guarantee will bind our successors, assigns, receivers,
trustees and representatives and will inure to the benefit of the holders of the
outstanding capital securities.

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

         An event of default under the guarantee will occur if we fail to (1)
make any guarantee payment when obligated to do so, or (2) perform any other
obligation and the default remains unremedied for 30 days. The holders of a
majority of the outstanding capital securities will have the right to direct the
time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to
the guarantee trustee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred
upon the guarantee trustee under the guarantee.

         We, as guarantor, will be obligated to file annually with the guarantee
trustee a certificate as to our compliance with all the conditions and covenants
applicable to us under the guarantee.

THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

         The guarantee trustee undertakes to perform only those duties that are
specifically set forth in the guarantee, except that, after a default by us
under the guarantee, it must exercise the same degree of care and skill as a
prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
Subject to this provision, the guarantee trustee is under no obligation to
exercise any of the powers vested in it by the guarantee at the request of any
holder of capital securities unless it is offered reasonable indemnity against
the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur as a result.

TERMINATION OF THE GUARANTEE

         The guarantee will terminate and be of no further force or effect (1)
when the guarantee payments have been paid in full by us, the trust or both or
(2) when the junior debentures are distributed to the holders of the capital
securities in exchange for their securities. Until that time, the guarantee will
remain in full force and effect. In addition, the guarantee will continue to be
effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any holder
of the capital securities must restore payment of any sums paid to it under the
capital securities or the guarantee.

THE EXPENSE AGREEMENT

         In the expense agreement, we will irrevocably and unconditionally
guarantee to each person to whom the trust becomes indebted or liable, the full
payment of all the trust's costs, expenses and liabilities, other than the
obligations of the trust to pay amounts due to the holders of the capital
securities and common securities pursuant to the terms of those securities. The
expense agreement will be enforceable by third parties.

         Our obligations under the expense agreement will be subordinated in
right of payment to the same extent as the guarantee. Our obligations under the
expense agreement will be subject to provisions regarding amendment,
termination, assignment, succession and governing law similar to those
applicable to the guarantee.




                                       39

<PAGE>   41



       RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE CAPITAL SECURITIES, THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED
               DEBENTURES, THE GUARANTEE AND THE EXPENSE AGREEMENT

FULL, IRREVOCABLE AND UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE

         Taken together, our obligations under the trust agreement, the junior
debentures, the indenture, the guarantee and expense agreement provide a full,
irrevocable and unconditional guarantee of the trust's obligations under the
capital securities. No single document standing alone or operating in
conjunction with fewer than all the other documents provides this guarantee. It
is only the combined operation of these documents that has the effect of
providing a full, irrevocable and unconditional guarantee of the trust's
obligations under the capital securities.

         If and to the extent that we do not make payments on the junior
debentures, the trust will not have funds available for payments on the capital
securities. The guarantee will not apply to payment of any amounts due on the
capital securities when the trust does not have available funds to pay those
amounts. In that event, the remedy of a holder of capital securities is to
exercise its right of direct action -- that is, to begin a legal proceeding
directly against us for enforcement of our obligations under junior debentures.

         If we make payment on the junior debentures and the trust has funds
available to make payments on the capital securities but fails to do so, a
holder of capital securities may begin a legal proceeding against us to enforce
our obligations under the guarantee to make these payments or to cause the trust
to make these payments. In the event that the trust receives payments on the
junior debentures, but these funds are unavailable for payment on the capital
securities because of claims made by creditors of the trust, we would be
obligated under the expense agreement to pay those claims.

         Our obligations under the junior debentures, the guarantee and the
expense agreement are subordinated in right of payment to all of our senior
indebtedness. They are subordinated in the manner described in "Description of
Junior Debentures -- Subordination" and "Description of the Guarantee and the
Expense Agreement -- Status of the guarantee".

SUFFICIENCY OF PAYMENTS

         As long as payments are made when due on the junior debentures, those
payments should be sufficient to fund distributions and other amounts payable on
the capital securities, primarily because:

- -        the aggregate principal amount of the junior debentures will equal the
         aggregate liquidation amount of the capital securities and the common
         securities;

- -        the interest rate, interest payment dates and other payment dates for
         the junior debentures will match the distribution rate, distribution
         dates and other payment dates for the capital securities;

- -        the expense agreement provides that we will pay any and all costs,
         expenses and liabilities of the trust, other than the trust's
         obligations under the capital securities and common securities; and

- -        the amended trust agreement provides that the trust will not engage in
         any activity that is not consistent with the limited purposes of the
         trust.

         Despite anything to the contrary in the indenture, we have the right to
set off any payment we make under the guarantee in respect of the capital
securities against any payment we are otherwise required to make under the
indenture in respect of the junior debentures.

ENFORCEMENT RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF CAPITAL SECURITIES

         A holder of capital securities may begin a legal proceeding directly
against us to enforce its right of direct action under the indenture without
first beginning a legal proceeding against the trust, the property trustee or
any other party. A holder of capital securities may also begin a legal
proceeding directly against us to enforce its rights under the guarantee without
first instituting a legal proceeding against the guarantee trustee, the trust or
any other party.

         A default or event of default under any of our senior indebtedness
would not be a default with


                                       40

<PAGE>   42



respect to the capital securities or the junior debentures. However, in the
event of a payment default under, or acceleration of, any of our senior
indebtedness, the subordination provisions of the indenture provide that no
payments may be made in respect of the junior debentures, until the senior
indebtedness has been paid in full or any payment default under that debt has
been cured or waived. See "Description of Junior Debentures -- Subordination".

LIMITED PURPOSE OF ISSUER TRUST

         The capital securities evidence a preferred undivided beneficial
interest in the assets of the trust, and the trust exists solely to issue and
sell the capital securities and common securities, invest the sale proceeds in
the junior debentures and engage only in such other activities as may be
necessary or incidental to those activities. A principal difference between the
rights of a holder of capital securities against the trust and those of a holder
of junior debentures against us is that a holder of junior debentures is
entitled to receive from us all amounts payable on the junior debentures, while
a holder of capital securities is entitled to receive from the trust, or from us
under the guarantee, amounts payable on the capital securities only if and to
the extent the trust has funds available to pay those amounts.

RIGHTS UPON TERMINATION

         Upon any voluntary or involuntary termination, winding-up or
liquidation of the trust, the holders of capital securities will be entitled to
receive a like amount of junior debentures in exchange for their capital
securities, subject to prior satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the
trust. If the property trustee determines that a distribution of junior
debentures is not practical, the holders of capital securities will be entitled
to receive a liquidation distribution out of the assets held by the trust after
satisfaction of those liabilities. For further information, see "Description of
Capital Securities -- Liquidation distribution upon termination".

         Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or bankruptcy of KeyCorp,
the property trustee, as registered holder of the junior debentures, would be
our creditor subordinated in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness
as set forth in the indenture. However, the property trustee would be entitled
to receive payment in full of all amounts payable with respect to the junior
debentures before any holders of our capital stock receive payments or
distributions.

         In light of the effective guarantee provided by the combined operation
of the documents described above and the subordinated status of the obligations
they evidence, the positions of a holder of capital securities and a holder of
junior debentures, in the event of our liquidation or bankruptcy, should be
substantially the same, relative to our other creditors and to our shareholders.





                                       41

<PAGE>   43



                               BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE

         The information in this section has been obtained from sources that we
and the trust believe to be accurate, but we nor the trust assume responsibility
for its accuracy. None of us, the trustees nor the trust has any responsibility
for the performance by DTC or its participants of their respective obligations
as described in this section or under the rules and procedures governing their
respective operations.

         The capital securities will be issued in the form of one or more global
certificates. A global certificate represents a large amount of securities and
is registered in the name of a financial institution that holds the certificate
as a depositary on behalf of its customers, who in turn own the beneficial
interests in those securities. The capital securities global certificates will
be registered in the name of DTC, which will act as securities depositary for
all of the capital securities except in the circumstances we describe at the end
of this section. We refer to capital securities represented by a global
certificate as being issued in "global" or "book-entry" form.

THE DTC SYSTEM

         DTC has advised us that it is a limited-purpose trust company created
to hold securities for its participating organizations, or its "participants",
and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions in those
securities between participants through electronic book-entry changes in
accounts of its participants. The participants include securities brokers and
dealers including the underwriters, banks, trust companies, clearing
corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTC's system is also
available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies
that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant,
either directly or indirectly. We refer to these entities as "indirect
participants".

         If you buy capital securities while they are represented by a global
certificate, you must do so through a participant, which will receive a credit
in DTC's book-entry system for those capital securities, and your ownership
interest will in turn be recorded on the participant's records. We refer to
persons who have acquired an interest in a global security as a "beneficial
owner". Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of
their purchases, but we expect that beneficial owners will receive written
confirmations providing details of the transactions, as well as periodic
statements of their holdings, from the participants through which they purchased
the capital securities. Transfers by beneficial owners of ownership interests in
the global certificates will be accomplished by entries made on the books of
participants or indirect participants acting on their behalf. Transfers between
DTC's participants will be effected in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC's
rules and will be settled in same-day funds. Beneficial owners will not receive
certificates representing their ownership interests in capital securities,
unless the book-entry system for the capital securities is discontinued, which
will only happen under the circumstances we describe at the end of this section.

         DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the capital
securities. DTC's records reflect only the identity of the participants to whose
accounts the capital securities are credited, which may or may not be the
beneficial owners. The participants and indirect participants are responsible
for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

         Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to participants,
by participants to indirect participants and by participants and indirect
participants to beneficial owners, as well as the voting rights of participants,
indirect participants and beneficial owners, will be governed by arrangements
among them. Those arrangements may be subject to statutory or regulatory
requirements in effect from time to time.

         Redemption notices will be sent to DTC or its nominee as the registered
holder of the capital securities. If less than all of the capital securities are
being redeemed, DTC's current practice is to determine by lot the amount of the
interest of each participant to be redeemed. Although voting with respect to the
capital securities is limited to the holders of record of the capital
securities, in those instances in which a vote is required, neither DTC nor its
nominee will itself consent or vote with respect to the capital securities.
Under its usual procedures, DTC would mail an omnibus proxy to the property
trustee as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns the
consenting or voting rights of DTC or its nominee to those participants to whose
accounts the capital


                                       42

<PAGE>   44



securities are credited on the record date identified in a listing attached to
the omnibus proxy.

EXCHANGE OF GLOBAL CERTIFICATES FOR NON-GLOBAL CERTIFICATES

         Capital securities represented by a global certificate will not be
exchanged for capital securities represented by a non-global certificate -- that
is, one registered in the name of a person other than DTC or its nominee --
unless any of the following events occurs:

- -        DTC notifies the trust that it is unwilling or unable to continue as
         depositary for the global certificate and no successor depositary has
         been appointed;

- -        DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities
         Exchange Act of 1934 at any time when it is required to be so
         registered to act as a depositary;

- -        the trust in its sole discretion determines that the global certificate
         will be exchangeable; or

- -        an indenture event of default has occurred and is continuing, and
         holders of a majority of the outstanding capital securities determine
         to discontinue the system of book-entry transfers.

         Any global certificate that is exchangeable as described above will be
exchangeable for non-global certificates registered in the names that DTC
directs. We expect that DTC will base these directions on instructions received
by it from its participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in
the global certificate. If capital securities are issued in non-global form,
they will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and multiples of that amount and
may be transferred or exchanged at the corporate office of the property trustee
in New York, New York, or at the offices of any paying agent or transfer agent
chosen by the property trustee and acceptable to the administrators.

BENEFICIAL OWNERS WILL NOT BE REGISTERED OWNERS

         As the registered holder of the global certificate representing the
capital securities, DTC or its nominee will be the sole owner and holder of all
the capital securities for all purposes under the amended trust agreement, the
indenture and the guarantee. Consequently, unless and until beneficial owners
receive non-global certificates representing their ownership interests in the
capital securities and registered in their own name, beneficial owners will not
be considered the registered owners or holders of the capital securities for any
purpose under those documents. We and the trust will make all payments and give
all notices required to be made or given under those documents directly to DTC
or its nominee and not to any beneficial owner. Once we and the trust do so, we
and the trust will have no further responsibility for any payments or notices,
even if DTC or its nominee, or any participant or indirect participant, fails to
pass them along to the beneficial owners.

         The rights and interests of beneficial owners will be subject to the
rules and practices of DTC and its participants and indirect participants, as
applicable. The rules and practices are subject to change by them, and we assume
no responsibility for those rules and practices.

         The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers must
take physical delivery of securities in non-global form. As a result, the
ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global certificate to those
purchasers may be limited. Also, the ability of beneficial owners to pledge
their beneficial interests to persons or entities that do not participate in the
DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of those interests, may be
impaired by the lack of a non-global certificate representing those interests.

REGISTRATION OF JUNIOR DEBENTURES

         The junior debentures will initially be registered in the name of and
held by the property trustee. If in the future the junior debentures are
distributed to the holders of capital securities in exchange for the capital
securities and the capital securities are then held in book-entry form, the
junior debentures would be distributed in book-entry form. We expect that the
book-entry arrangements applicable to the junior debentures would be similar to
those applicable to the capital securities. If junior debentures are issued in
non-global form, they will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and multiples of
that amount.



                                       43

<PAGE>   45



DTC YEAR 2000 EFFORTS

         DTC has advised us that its management is aware that some computer
applications systems, and the like for processing data that are dependent upon
calendar dates, including dates before, on and after January 1, 2000, may
encounter "Year 2000 problems".

         DTC has informed its participants and other members of the financial
community, or the industry, that it has developed and is implementing a program
so that its systems, as the same relate to the timely payment of distributions,
including principal and income payments, to securityholders, book-entry
deliveries, and settlement of trades within DTC continue to function
appropriately. This program includes a technical assessment and a remediation
plan, each of which is complete.

         Additionally, DTC's plan includes a testing phase, which is expected to
be completed within appropriate time frames.

         However, DTC's ability to perform properly its services is also
dependent upon other parties, including but not limited to issuers and their
agents, as well as third-party vendors from whom DTC licenses software and
hardware, and third-party vendors on whom DTC relies for information or the
provision of services, including telecommunication and electrical utility
service providers, among others. DTC has informed the industry that it is
contacting and will continue to contact third-party vendors from whom DTC
acquires services to:

- -        impress upon them the importance of such services being Year 2000
         compliant; and

- -        determine the extent of their efforts for Year 2000 remediation, and,
         as appropriate, testing, of their services.

         In addition, DTC is in the process of developing contingency plans as
it deems appropriate.

         According to DTC, the preceding year 2000 information has been provided
to the industry for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as
a representation, warranty or contract modification of any kind.





                                       44
<PAGE>   46



                     U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

         The following summary of the material U.S. federal income tax
consequences to the purchase, ownership and disposition of capital securities
only addresses the tax consequences to a "U.S. holder" that acquires capital
securities on their original issue date at their original offering price. You
are a "U.S. holder" if you are a beneficial owner of a capital security that is:

- -        a citizen or resident of the United States;

- -        a domestic corporation;

- -        an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless
         of its source; or

- -        a trust if a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the
         trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons have authority to
         control all substantial decisions of the trust.

         This summary does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of
holders subject to special rules, such as:

- -         a dealer in securities or currencies;

- -         a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of
          accounting;

- -         a bank;

- -         an insurance company;

- -         a thrift institution;

- -         a regulated investment company;

- -         a real estate investment trust;

- -         a tax-exempt organization;

- -         a person that holds capital securities that are a hedge or that are
          hedged against interest rate or currency risks;

- -         a person that holds capital securities as part of a straddle or
          conversion transaction for tax purposes; or

- -         a person whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar.

         The statements of law or legal conclusion set forth in this summary
constitute the opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell, special tax counsel to us and the
trust. This summary is based upon the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the "Code"), its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations
under the Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in
effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. The
authorities on which this summary is based are subject to various
interpretations, and it is therefore possible that the federal income tax
treatment of the purchase, ownership and disposition of capital securities may
differ from the treatment described below.

         PLEASE CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR CONCERNING THE CONSEQUENCES OF
OWNING THE CAPITAL SECURITIES IN YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER THE CODE
AND THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE JUNIOR DEBENTURES AND THE TRUST

         Under current law and assuming full compliance with the terms of the
amended trust agreement and the indenture, the trust will not be taxable as a
corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, you will be
required to include in your gross income your proportional share of the interest
income, including original issue discount ("OID"), paid or accrued on the junior
debentures, whether or not the trust actually distributes cash to you.

INTEREST INCOME AND ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT

         Under Treasury regulations, an issuer and the Internal Revenue Service
will ignore a "remote" contingency that stated interest will not be timely paid
when determining whether a junior debenture is issued with OID. We believe that
the likelihood of exercising our option to defer interest payments is remote
because we would be prohibited from making certain distributions on our capital
stock and payments on our indebtedness if we exercise that option. Accordingly,
we believe that the junior debentures will not be considered to be issued with
OID at the time of their original issuance.


                                       45

<PAGE>   47



         Under these regulations, if we were to exercise our option to defer any
payment of interest, the junior debentures would at that time be treated as
issued with OID, and all stated interest on the junior debentures would
thereafter be treated as OID as long as the junior debentures remained
outstanding. In that event, all of your taxable interest income on the junior
debentures would be accounted for as OID on an economic accrual basis regardless
of your method of tax accounting, and actual distributions of stated interest
would not be reported as taxable income. Consequently, you would be required to
include OID in gross income even though we would not make any actual cash
payments during a deferral period.

         These regulations have not been addressed in any rulings or other
interpretations by the IRS, and it is possible that the IRS could take a
position contrary to the interpretation in this prospectus.

         Because income on the capital securities will constitute interest or
OID, corporate U.S. holders of the capital securities will not be entitled to a
dividends-received deduction for any income taken into account on the capital
securities.

         In the rest of this summary, we assume that unless and until we
exercise our option to defer any payment of interest, the junior debentures will
not be treated as issued with OID, and whenever we use the term "interest", it
also includes income in the form of OID.

DISTRIBUTION OF JUNIOR DEBENTURES TO HOLDERS OF CAPITAL SECURITIES UPON 
LIQUIDATION OF THE TRUST

         If the trust distributes the junior debentures as described under the
caption "Description of Capital Securities -- Liquidation distribution upon
termination", you will receive directly your proportional share of the junior
debentures previously held indirectly through the trust. Under current law, you
will not be taxed on the distribution and your holding period and aggregate tax
basis in your junior debentures will be equal to the holding period and
aggregate tax basis you had in your capital securities before the distribution.
If, however, the trust were to become taxed on the income received or accrued on
the junior debentures due to a tax event, the trust might be taxed on a
distribution of junior debentures to you, and you might recognize gain or loss
as if you had exchanged your capital securities for the junior debentures you
received upon the liquidation of the trust. You will include interest in income
in respect of junior debentures received from the trust in the manner described
above under "--Interest income and original issue discount".

SALE OR REDEMPTION OF CAPITAL SECURITIES

         If you sell your capital securities, including through a redemption for
cash, you will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between your
adjusted tax basis in your capital securities and the amount you realize on the
sale of your capital securities. Assuming that we do not exercise our option to
defer payment of interest on the junior debentures, your adjusted tax basis in
your capital securities generally will be the price you paid for your capital
securities.

         If the junior debentures are deemed to be issued with OID as a result
of an actual deferral of interest payments, your adjusted tax basis in your
capital securities generally will be the price you paid for your capital
securities, increased by OID previously includible in your gross income to the
date of disposition and decreased by distributions or other payments you
received on your capital securities since and including the date of the first
deferral period. This gain or loss generally will be a capital gain or loss,
except to the extent any amount that you realize is treated as a payment of
accrued interest on your proportional share of the junior debentures required to
be included in income. Capital gain of a non-corporate U.S. holder is generally
taxed at a maximum rate of 20% where the property is held for more than one
year.

         If we exercise our option to defer any payment of interest on the
junior debentures, your capital securities may trade at a price that does not
accurately reflect the value of accrued but unpaid interest with respect to the
underlying junior debentures. If you sell your capital securities before the
record date for the payment of distributions, then you will not receive payment
of a distribution for the period before the sale. However, you will be required
to include accrued but unpaid interest on the junior debentures through the date
of the sale as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes and to add
the amount of accrued but unpaid interest to your tax basis in the capital
securities. Your increased tax basis in the capital securities will increase the
amount of any capital loss that you may have otherwise realized on the sale. In



                                       46
<PAGE>   48



general, an individual taxpayer may only offset $3,000 of capital losses against
regular income during any year.

BACKUP WITHHOLDING TAX AND INFORMATION REPORTING

         The amount of interest income paid and OID accrued on your capital
securities will be reported to the IRS unless you are a corporation or other
exempt U.S. holder. Backup withholding at a rate of 31% will apply to payments
of interest to you unless you are an exempt U.S. holder or you furnish your
taxpayer identification number in the manner prescribed in applicable
regulations, certify that such number is correct, certify as to no loss of
exemption from backup withholding and meet certain other conditions.

         Payment of the proceeds from the disposition of capital securities to
or through the U.S. office of a broker is subject to information reporting and
backup withholding unless you establish an exemption from information reporting
and backup withholding.

         Any amounts withheld from you under the backup withholding rules will
be allowed as a refund or a credit against your U.S. federal income tax
liability, provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.

         It is anticipated that the trust or its paying agent will report income
on the capital securities to the IRS and to you on Form 1099 by January 31
following each calendar year.

                              ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

         If you are a fiduciary of a pension, profit-sharing or other employee
benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"),
you should review the fiduciary standards of ERISA and the plan's particular
circumstances before deciding to invest in the capital securities. You should
consider whether the investment would satisfy the prudence and diversification
requirements of ERISA and whether the investment would be consistent with the
terms of the plan and the other agreements which apply to plan investments.

         A fiduciary of a plan subject to ERISA, as well as a person investing
on behalf of an individual retirement account or a pension or profit sharing
plan for one or more self-employed persons, should also consider whether an
investment in the capital securities could result in a prohibited transaction.
ERISA and the Code prohibit plans and individual retirement accounts from
engaging in certain transactions involving plan assets with persons who are
called parties in interest under ERISA or disqualified persons under the Code
with respect to the plan or individual retirement account. A violation of these
rules may result in a substantial excise tax under the Code and other
liabilities under ERISA. Employee benefit plans which are governmental plans,
foreign plans or church plans generally are not subject to the prohibited
transaction rules or the fiduciary standards of ERISA.

         The assets of the trust would be treated as plan assets for purposes of
the prohibited transaction rules under a U.S. Department of Labor regulation if
plans and individual retirement accounts purchase capital securities, unless an
exception under the regulation applies. The only exception in the regulation
that could apply to the trust requires that after each purchase of capital
securities in the trust, less than 25% of the total value of the securities is
held by:

(1)      plans subject to ERISA, individual
         retirement accounts and plans for self-
         employed persons;

(2)      other employee benefit plans not subject to ERISA, such as
         governmental, church and foreign plans; and

(3)      entities which are considered to hold assets of a plan subject to ERISA
         according to the regulation.

         The plans, individual retirement accounts and entities described in
clauses (1), (2) and (3) are referred to as "benefit plan investors". The
underwriters cannot be certain that benefit plan investors will hold less than
25% of the total value of capital securities when the initial offering is
completed. After that time, when a person sells capital securities, no one will
review the securities held by benefit plan investors to determine if the
exception applies.



                                       47

<PAGE>   49



         Some of the transactions involving the trust could be treated as
prohibited transactions if the trust's assets were considered to be plan assets.
For example, if we are a party in interest or a disqualified person with respect
to a plan or individual retirement account which buys capital securities, either
directly or because we own banking or other subsidiaries, extensions of credit
from us and the trust would likely be prohibited transactions unless an
administrative exemption issued by the Department of Labor applies.

         The Department of Labor has issued five class exemptions that may apply
to exempt transactions resulting from the purchase or holding of the capital
securities. Those class exemptions are:

- -         96-23, for transactions determined by in-house asset managers;

- -         95-60, for transactions involving insurance company general accounts;

- -         91-38, for transactions involving bank collective investment funds;

- -         90-1, for transactions involving insurance company separate 
          accounts; and

- -         84-14, for transactions determined by independent qualified asset 
          managers.

         Because the capital securities may be treated as equity interests in
the trust for purposes of applying the prohibited transaction rules, the capital
securities may not be purchased or held by any benefit plan investor, unless
such purchaser or holder can use one of the above class exemptions or another
applicable exemption. By purchasing or holding capital securities or any
interest in the capital securities, any purchaser or holder is deemed to have
represented that it either:

(1)      is not a benefit plan investor; or

(2)      can use one of the above class exemptions or another applicable
         exemption with respect to its purchase or holding.

         If a purchaser or holder of the capital securities that is a benefit
plan investor will rely on an exemption other than one listed above, we and the
trust may require a satisfactory opinion of counsel or other evidence with
respect to the availability of such exemption for such purchase and holding.

         These rules are very complicated and the penalties that may be imposed
upon persons involved in prohibited transactions can be substantial. This makes
it very important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing the
capital securities on behalf of a benefit plan investor consult with their
lawyer regarding what could happen if the assets of the trust were deemed to be
plan assets and if the investor can use one of the above class exemptions or
another applicable exemption.





                                       48

<PAGE>   50



                                  UNDERWRITING

         Based on the terms and conditions of an underwriting agreement, the
trust has agreed to sell to each of the underwriters named below, and each of
the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase from the trust the number of
capital securities indicated in the following table. [UNDERWRITER] is the
representative of the underwriters.
                                                               Number of
                                                           capital securities
                                                           ------------------

[UNDERWRITERS]................................................_____________

         Total ..............................................._____________

         The obligations of the underwriters are subject to certain conditions
precedent and the underwriters must purchase all of the capital securities if
any are purchased. The underwriters have agreed that, in the event of a default
by an underwriter, in certain circumstances, the purchase commitments of
non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may
be terminated.

COMMISSIONS AND DISCOUNT

         The underwriters propose to offer the capital securities to the public
initially at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus. Any capital securities sold by the underwriters to securities
dealers may be sold at a discount of up to ___% of the liquidation amount per
capital security. Any of these securities dealers may resell any capital
securities purchased from the underwriters to other brokers or dealers at a
discount of up to ___% of the liquidation amount per capital security. If all of
the capital securities are not sold at the initial offering price, the
representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms.

         Since the trust will use the proceeds from the sale of the capital
securities to purchase our junior debentures, we have agreed to pay the
underwriters an underwriting commission of $________ per capital security or a
total of $_____________.

NO SALES OF SIMILAR SECURITIES

         We and the trust have agreed with the underwriters not to offer, sell,
contract to sell or otherwise dispose of (1) any other capital securities, (2)
any other securities of KeyCorp, the trust or any other of our subsidiaries that
are substantially similar to the capital securities, including any guarantee of
those securities, or (3) any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any
of these securities, in each case except with the prior written consent of the
representative and except for the capital securities offered in this offering.
This restriction will apply for 30 days from the date of this prospectus.

MARKET-MAKING ACTIVITIES

         The capital securities are a new issue of securities with no
established trading market. In connection with the offering, each of the
underwriters, except McDonald Investments Inc., has advised us and the trust
that it intends to, and by McDonald Investments that it may, make a market in
the capital securities. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so and
may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We can give no
assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for the capital securities.

RESTRICTED PURCHASER

         In connection with the offer and sale of the capital securities, the
underwriters have advised us that they will comply with Rule 2810 of the Conduct
Rules of the NASD. Offers and sales of capital securities will be made only to:

- -        "qualified institutional buyers", as defined in Rule 144A under the
         Securities Act;

- -        institutional "accredited investors", as defined in Rule 501(a)(1)-(3)
         of Regulation D under the Securities Act; or

- -        individual "accredited investors", as defined in Rule 501(a)(4)-(6)
         under the Securities Act, for whom an investment in


                                       49

<PAGE>   51



         non-convertible investment grade preferred securities is appropriate.

         In addition, NASD members may not confirm sales of capital securities
to any discretionary accounts without the prior written approval of the 
customer.

INTERESTS OF UNDERWRITERS

         Certain of the underwriters or their affiliates have provided from time
to time, and expect to provide in the future, investment or commercial banking
services in the ordinary course of business to us and our affiliates. For these
services, the underwriters or their affiliates have received or will receive
customary fees and commissions.

MCDONALD INVESTMENTS

         McDonald Investments is our wholly owned subsidiary and an affiliate of
the trust and may be participating in the distribution of the capital
securities. McDonald Investments, as our affiliate, can use this prospectus for
offers and sales related to market-making transactions in the capital securities
effected from time to time after the commencement of the offering to which this
prospectus relates. McDonald Investments may act as principal or agent in such
transactions, including as agent for the counterparty when acting as principal
or as agent for both counterparties. McDonald Investments may receive
compensation in the form of discounts and commissions, including from both
counterparties when it acts as agent for both. These sales will be made at
prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related thereto or at
negotiated prices.

PRICE STABILIZATION, SHORT POSITIONS AND PENALTY BIDS

         In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell
capital securities in the open market. These transactions may include short
sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by
short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater
amount of capital securities than they are required to purchase in the offering.
Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases made for the
purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the capital
securities while the offering is in progress.

         The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a
particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting
commissions received by it because the representatives have repurchased capital
securities sold by or for the account of that underwriter in stabilizing or
short covering transactions.

         These activities by the underwriters may stabilize, maintain or
otherwise affect the market price of the capital securities. As a result, the
price of the capital securities may be higher than the price that otherwise
might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, the
underwriters may discontinue them at any time.

INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

         We and the trust have agreed to (1) indemnify the underwriters against
certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act of
1933 or (2) contribute to any payments which the underwriters may be required to
make in that respect.

OFFERING EXPENSES

         We estimate that the total expenses of the offering, excluding
underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $______________.



                                       50

<PAGE>   52



                             VALIDITY OF SECURITIES

         Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., special Delaware counsel to us and the
trust, will pass upon certain matters of Delaware law relating to the validity
of the capital securities, the enforceability of the amended trust agreement and
the creation of the trust. Our Associate General Counsel and Sullivan &
Cromwell, New York, New York, counsel for the underwriters, will each pass upon
the validity of the guarantee and the junior debentures. Our Associate General
Counsel will rely upon the opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell as to matters of New
York law and upon the opinion of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. as to matters
of Delaware law. Sullivan & Cromwell will rely upon the opinion of our Associate
General Counsel as to matters of Ohio law and upon the opinion of Richards,
Layton & Finger, P.A., as to matters of Delaware law. Sullivan & Cromwell
regularly perform legal services for us and our subsidiaries.

         Our General Counsel and the Associate General Counsel, who are
currently authorized to render an opinion on our behalf, own shares of KeyCorp,
including common stock and options that are immediately exercisable. As of this
date, the General Counsel holds 71,000 shares and the Associate General Counsel
holds 20,000 shares.

         Sullivan & Cromwell, as special tax counsel to us and the trust, will
pass upon certain matters relating to U.S. federal income tax considerations.

                                     EXPERTS

         Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, have audited our consolidated
financial statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1998, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by
reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our
consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on
Ernst & Young LLP's report, given on their authority as experts in accounting
and auditing.



                                       51

<PAGE>   53



                       WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

         We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and
other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document that we file
at the SEC's public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the
public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public
through the SEC's Internet site at http://www.sec.gov and through the New York
Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. The trust will not
file any reports or other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.

         We and the trust have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with
the SEC. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement and does not
contain all of the information in the registration statement. Wherever a
reference is made in this prospectus to a contract or other document, please be
aware that the reference is not necessarily complete and that you should refer
to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement for a copy of the
contract or other document. You may review a copy of the registration statement
at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, D.C. as well as through the
SEC's Internet site.

         The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we file
with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by
referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is
an important part of this prospectus.

         Information that we file in the future with the SEC and incorporated by
reference in this prospectus will automatically update and replace this
information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any
future filings made by us with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 if the filings are made before the time
that all of the capital securities are sold in this offering:

- -        annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998; and

- -        current reports on Form 8-K, filed on March 15, 1999 and April 16,
         1999.

You may request a copy of these filings at no cost by writing or telephoning us
at the following address:

         KeyCorp
         127 Public Square
         Cleveland, Ohio, 44114-1306
         Attention: Investor Relations
         (216) 689-6300

         You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or
provided in this prospectus. Neither we nor the trust has authorized anyone else
to provide you with different information. Neither we nor the trust is making an
offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You
should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any
date other than the date of this prospectus or the date of the documents
incorporated by reference in this prospectus.









                                       52

<PAGE>   54





YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY REFERRED YOU TO. NEITHER WE, THE TRUST NOR
ANY UNDERWRITER HAS AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH DIFFERENT INFORMATION.
IF ANYONE PROVIDES YOU WITH DIFFERENT OR INCONSISTENT INFORMATION, YOU SHOULD
NOT RELY ON IT. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL, NOR IS IT SEEKING AN
OFFER TO BUY, THESE SECURITIES FROM ANY PERSON IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE
OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS NOT PERMITTED. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS
PROSPECTUS IS CORRECT ONLY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS OR OF THE DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS, REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF THE
DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS OR ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES.


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                          PAGE

Forward-Looking Statements..................................................2
Summary of Offering.........................................................3
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Changes.........................................6
Risk Factors................................................................7
KeyCorp  ..................................................................10
KeyCorp Capital III........................................................14
Selected Consolidated Financial Data.......................................15
Use of Proceeds............................................................17
Accounting Treatment.......................................................17
Capitalization.............................................................18
Description of Capital Securities..........................................20
Description of Junior Debentures...........................................32
Description of the Guarantee and the Expense Agreement.....................38
Relationship Among the Capital Securities, the Junior Debentures, the 
         Guarantee and the Expense Agreement...............................40
Book-Entry Issuance........................................................42
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.....................................45
ERISA Considerations.......................................................47
Underwriting...............................................................49
Validity of Securities.....................................................51
Experts  ..................................................................51
Where You Can Find More Information........................................52




- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------





                                   $1,000,000

                              KEYCORP CAPITAL III

                            ____% Capital Securities

                                 Guaranteed by

                                     [LOGO]

                                    KEYCORP

                                   PROSPECTUS

                                 [UNDERWRITERS]





<PAGE>   55

                                    PART II.

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.*


Registration fee under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended..........................................             $ 278
Blue Sky fees and expenses (including counsel
fees)...............................................                **
Fees of rating agencies.............................                **
Trustees' fees and expenses.........................                **
Printing fees and expenses..........................                **
Accounting fees and expenses........................                **
Legal fees and expenses.............................                **
Miscellaneous.......................................                **

  Total.............................................      $         **
                                                          ============

- ----------
*        All of the above amounts, except the Registration Fee, are estimates.
**       To be filed by amendment.

ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         Under Ohio law, Ohio corporations are authorized to indemnify
directors, officers, employees, and agents within prescribed limits and must
indemnify them under certain circumstances. Ohio law does not provide statutory
authorization for a corporation to indemnify directors, officers, employees, and
agents for settlements, fines, or judgments in the context of derivative suits.
However, it provides that directors (but not officers, employees, and agents)
are entitled to mandatory advancement of expenses, including attorneys' fees,
incurred in defending any action, including derivative actions, brought against
the director, provided the director agrees to cooperate with the corporation
concerning the matter and to repay the amount advanced if it is proved by clear
and convincing evidence that his act or failure to act was done with deliberate
intent to cause injury to the corporation or with reckless disregard to the
corporation's best interests.

         Ohio law does not authorize payment of judgments to a director,
officer, employee, or agent after a finding of negligence or misconduct in a
derivative suit absent a court order. Indemnification is required, however, to
the extent such person succeeds on the merits. In all other cases, if a
director, officer, employee, or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation, indemnification is discretionary except as otherwise provided by a
corporation's articles, code of regulations, or by contract except with respect
to the advancement of expenses of directors.

         Under Ohio law, a director is not liable for monetary damages unless it
is proved by clear and convincing evidence that his action or failure to act was
undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to the corporation or with
reckless disregard for the best interests of the corporation. There is, however,
no comparable provision limiting the liability of officers, employees, or agents
of a corporation. The statutory right to indemnification is not exclusive in
Ohio, and Ohio corporations may, among other things, procure insurance for such
persons.

         The KeyCorp Regulations provide that KeyCorp shall indemnify to the
fullest extent permitted by law any person made or threatened to be made a party
to any action, suit, or proceeding by reason of the fact that he is or

                                      II-1



<PAGE>   56



was a director, officer, or employee of KeyCorp or of any other bank,
corporation, partnership, trust, or other enterprise for which he was serving as
a director, officer, or employee at the request of KeyCorp.

         Under the terms of KeyCorp's directors' and officers' liability and
company reimbursement insurance policy, directors and officers of KeyCorp are
insured against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the
Securities Act.

         KeyCorp is a party to agreements with, respectively, Robert W.
Gillespie, Henry L. Meyer III and William B. Summers, Jr., and KeyCorp is party
to Change of Control Agreements with certain other executive officers (the
provisions of which became effective as a result of the merger of old KeyCorp
with and into Society Corporation), pursuant to which KeyCorp has agreed to
indemnify the officer, to the full extent permitted or authorized by Ohio law,
if the officer is made or threatened to be made a party to any action, suit, or
proceeding by reason of the officer's serving as employee, officer, or director
of KeyCorp and/or any of its subsidiaries, and KeyCorp has agreed to advance
expenses incurred by the officer in defending any such action, suit, or
proceeding.

         Under the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, KeyCorp will agree to
indemnify each of the trustees of the trust and any predecessor trustees, and to
hold such trustees harmless, against any loss, damage, claims, liability or
expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of
or in connection with the acceptance of administration of such trust agreement,
including the costs and expenses of defense against any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties
under the Trust Agreement or the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, each of
which is an exhibit to this Registration Statement.

         Reference is made to the indemnity provisions in the Underwriting
Agreement which is filed as Exhibit 1 to this Registration Statement.

ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS.

         Reference is made to the Exhibit Index filed herewith.

ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         Each of the undersigned Registrants hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, each filing of a Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a)
or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that is
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of a
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, each of the
undersigned Registrants has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against such public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by a registrant of expenses incurred by a director, officer or
controlling person of a registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit
or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, each of the undersigned
Registrants will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
of such issue.


                                      II-2



<PAGE>   57




         Each of the undersigned Registrants hereby also undertakes:

                  (1) to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in
                      the underwriting agreement certificates in such
                      denominations and registered in such names as required by
                      the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each
                      purchaser.

                  (2) that, for the purposes of determining any liability under
                      the Securities Act:

                      (i) The information omitted from the form of prospectus
                  filed as part of this Registration Statement in reliance upon
                  Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the
                  Registrants pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under
                  the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this
                  Registration Statement as of the time it was declared
                  effective.

                      (ii) Each post-effective amendment that contains a form of
                  prospectus shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
                  relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
                  of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
                  initial bona fide offering thereof.


                                      II-3



<PAGE>   58



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
KeyCorp certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of
the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Cleveland, State of Ohio, as of the 20th day of
April, 1999.

                                     KEYCORP

                                       By: /s/ Daniel R. Stolzer
                                          --------------------------------------
                                           Name:  Daniel R. Stolzer
                                           Title: Vice President and
                                                  Associate General Counsel

         PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED,
THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BELOW BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN
THE CAPACITIES INDICATED BELOW AND AS OF THE DATE INDICATED ABOVE.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

SIGNATURE                                             Capacity
- ---------                                             --------
<S>                                   <C>
 /s/ Robert W. Gillespie*             Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive
- -------------------------------       Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Robert W. Gillespie                   

 /s/ K. Brent Somers*                 Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
- ------------------------------        Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
K. Brent Somers                       

 /s/ Lee G. Irving*                   Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting
- ------------------------------        Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)
Lee G. Irving                         

 /s/ Cecil D. Andrus*                                           Director
- ------------------------------
Cecil D. Andrus

 /s/ William G. Bares*                                          Director
- ------------------------------
William G. Bares

 /s/ Albert C. Bersticker*                                      Director
- ------------------------------
Albert C. Bersticker

 /s/ Edward P. Campbell*                                        Director
- ------------------------------
Edward P. Campbell

 /s/ Carol A. Cartwright*                                       Director
- ------------------------------
Carol A. Cartwright

 /s/ Thomas A. Commes*                                          Director
- ------------------------------
Thomas A. Commes
</TABLE>



                                      II-4

<PAGE>   59




Signature                                              Capacity
- ---------                                              --------
                                             
 /s/ Kenneth M. Curtis*                                Director
- -----------------------------
Kenneth M. Curtis

 /s/ John C. Dimmer *                                  Director
- -----------------------------
John C. Dimmer

 /s/ Stephen R. Hardis*                                Director
- -----------------------------
Stephen R. Hardis

 /s/ Henry S. Hemingway*                               Director
- -----------------------------
Henry S. Hemingway

 /s/ Charles R. Hogan*                                 Director
- -----------------------------
Charles R. Hogan

 /s/ Douglas J. Mcgregor*                              Director
- -----------------------------
Douglas J. Mcgregor

 /s/ Henry L. Meyer III*                               Director
- -----------------------------
Henry L. Meyer III

 /s/ Steven A. Minter*                                 Director
- -----------------------------
Steven A. Minter

 /s/ M. Thomas Moore*                                  Director
- -----------------------------
M. Thomas Moore

 /s/ Richard W. Pogue*                                 Director
- -----------------------------
Richard W. Pogue

 /s/ Ronald B. Stafford*                               Director
- -----------------------------
Ronald B. Stafford

 /s/ Dennis W. Sullivan*                               Director
- -----------------------------
Dennis W. Sullivan

                                                       Director
- -----------------------------
Peter G. Ten Eyak, II

*By:  /s/ Daniel R. Stolzer
   --------------------------
      Name:  Daniel R. Stolzer
      Title:  Attorney-in-Fact


                                      II-5



<PAGE>   60



                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
KeyCorp Capital III certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Cleveland, State of Ohio, as of the 20th day of
April, 1999.

                                KEYCORP CAPITAL III

                                By: KeyCorp, as Depositor


                                By:    /s/ Daniel R. Stolzer
                                  ---------------------------------------
                                      Name:    Daniel R. Stolzer
                                      Title:   Vice President and
                                               Associate General Counsel



                                      II-6


<PAGE>   61


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT                 DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
- -------                 ----------------------

1             Form of Underwriting Agreement*

4(a)          Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of December 4, 1996,
              between KeyCorp and Bankers Trust Company, as Debenture Trustee
              (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(a) to Registration
              Statement on Form S-4, Commission No. 333-19151 and 333-19151-01)

4(b)          Certificate of Trust of KeyCorp Capital III, dated as of 
              April 13, 1999

4(c)          Trust Agreement of KeyCorp Capital III, dated as of April 13, 1999

4(d)          Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of KeyCorp Capital
              III (including the related form of Expense Agreement)*

4(e)          Form of Capital Security Certificate (included in Exhibit 4(d))*

4(f)          Form of Guarantee Agreement*

5(a)          Opinion of Daniel R. Stolzer, Esq., as to validity of the Junior
              Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures and the Guarantee*

5(b)          Opinion of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., as to validity of the
              Capital Securities*

8             Opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell as to certain federal income tax 
              matters*

12            Computations of Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges
              (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 12 to KeyCorp's Annual
              Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998)

23(a)         Consent of Ernst & Young L.L.P.

23(b)         Consent of Daniel R. Stolzer, Esq. (Included in Exhibit 5(a))*

23(c)         Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. (Included in 
              Exhibit 5(b))*

23(d)         Consent of Sullivan & Cromwell (Included in Exhibit 8)*

24            Powers of Attorney

25            Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Bankers Trust Company to
              act as trustee under the Indenture, under the Amended and
              Restated Trust Agreement, and under the Guarantee for the
              benefit of holders of Capital Securities*

- ----------------
*  To be filed by amendment.


<PAGE>   1

                                                                Exhibit 4(b)
                              CERTIFICATE OF TRUST

                                       OF

                               KEYCORP CAPITAL III


                  This Certificate of Trust of KeyCorp Capital III (the
"Trust"), dated as of April 13, 1999, is being duly executed and filed by the
undersigned, as trustees, to form a business trust under the Delaware Business
Trust Act (12 Del. C. section 3801, et seq.).

                  1. NAME. The name of the business trust being formed hereby is
KeyCorp Capital III.

                  2. DELAWARE TRUSTEE. The name and business address of the
trustee of the Trust, with a principal place of business in the State of
Delaware, are Bankers Trust (Delaware), E.A. Delle Donne Corporate Center,
Montgomery Bldg., 1011 Centre Road, Suite 200, Wilmington, Delaware 19805-1266.

                  3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Certificate of Trust shall be
effective as of its filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly executed this
Certificate of Trust in accordance with Section 3811(a)(1) of the Act as of the
date first above written.


                                     BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE), not in its
                                     individual capacity, but solely as Trustee



                                     By: /s/ M. Lisa Wilkins
                                       ---------------------------------------
                                         Name: M. Lisa Wilkins
                                         Title:   Assistant Secretary


                                     DANIEL R. STOLZER, not in his individual
                                     capacity, but solely as Trustee

                                     /s/ Daniel R. Stolzer
                                     ---------------------------------------


<PAGE>   1
                                                                Exhibit 4(c)
                                 TRUST AGREEMENT
                                       OF
                               KEYCORP CAPITAL III


         THIS TRUST AGREEMENT is made as of April 13, 1999 (this "Trust
Agreement"), by and among KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, as depositor (the
"Depositor"), and Bankers Trust (Delaware), as trustee, and Daniel R. Stolzer,
as trustee (jointly, the "Trustees"). The Depositor and the Trustees hereby
agree as follows:

         1. The trust created hereby shall be known as KeyCorp Capital III (the
"Trust"), in which name the Trustees or the Depositor, to the extent provided
herein, may conduct the business of the Trust, make and execute contracts, and
sue and be sued.

         2. The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to
the Trust the sum of $10. The Trustees hereby acknowledge receipt of such amount
in trust from the Depositor, which amount constitutes the initial trust estate.
The Trustees hereby declare that they will hold the trust estate in trust for
the Depositor. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust created
hereby constitute a business trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware
Code, 12 DEL. C. section 3801, ET SEQ. (the "Business Trust Act"), and that this
document constitute the governing instrument of the Trust. The Trustees are
hereby authorized and directed to execute and file a certificate of trust with
the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the
Business Trust Act.

         3. The Depositor and the Trustees will enter into an amended and
restated Trust Agreement or Declaration of Trust satisfactory to each such party
and substantially in the form to be included as an exhibit to the 1933 Act
Registration Statement (as defined below), to provide for the contemplated
operation of the Trust created hereby and the issuance of the Capital Securities
and Common Securities referred to therein. Prior to the execution and delivery
of such amended and restated Trust Agreement or Declaration of Trust, the
Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation hereunder or with respect of the
trust estate, except as otherwise required by applicable law or as may be
necessary to obtain prior to such execution and delivery any licenses, consents
or approvals required by applicable law or otherwise. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Trustees may take all actions deemed proper as are necessary to
effect the transactions contemplated herein.

         4. The Depositor, as sponsor of the Trust, is hereby authorized, in its
discretion, (i) to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") and to execute, in the case of the 1933 Act Registration
Statement and 1934 Act Registration Statement (as herein defined), on behalf of
the Trust, (a) a Registration Statement (the "1933 Act Registration Statement"),
including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments thereto, relating to
the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"),
of the Capital Securities of the Trust, (b) any preliminary prospectus or
prospectus or supplement thereto relating to the Capital Securities of the Trust
required to be filed pursuant to the 1933 

<PAGE>   2
Act, and (c) a Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other appropriate form (the
"1934 Act Registration Statement"), including all pre-effective and
post-effective amendments thereto, relating to the registration of the Capital
Securities of the Trust under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(ii) if and at such time as determined by the Depositor, to file with the New
York Stock Exchange, Inc. or other exchange, or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), and execute on behalf of the Trust a listing
application and all other applications, statements, certificates, agreements and
other instruments as shall be necessary or desirable to cause the Capital
Securities of the Trust to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or
such other exchange, or the NASD's Nasdaq National Market; (iii) to file and
execute on behalf of the Trust, such applications, reports, surety bonds,
irrevocable consents, appointments of attorney for service of process and other
papers and documents that shall be necessary or desirable to register the
Capital Securities of the Trust under the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of such
jurisdictions as the Depositor, on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or
desirable; (iv) to execute and deliver letters or documents to, or instruments
for filing with, a depository relating to the Capital Securities of the Trust;
and (v) to execute, deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust an underwriting
agreement with one or more underwriters relating to the offering of the Capital
Securities of the Trust.

         In the event that any filing referred to in this Section 4 is required
by the rules and regulations of the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange,
Inc. or other exchange, NASD, or state securities or "Blue Sky" laws to be
executed on behalf of the Trust by the Trustees, the Trustees, in their capacity
as trustees of the Trust, are hereby authorized to join in any such filing and
to execute on behalf of the Trust any and all of the foregoing, it being
understood that the Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, shall
not be required to join in any such filing or execute on behalf of the Trust any
such document unless required by the rules and regulations of the Commission,
the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or other exchange, NASD, or state securities
or "Blue Sky" laws.

         5. This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.

         6. The number of trustees of the Trust initially shall be two and
thereafter the number of trustees of the Trust shall be such number as shall be
fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed by the Depositor which
may increase or decrease the number of trustees of the Trust; provided, however,
that to the extent required by the Business Trust Act, one trustee of the Trust
shall either be a natural person who is a resident of the State of Delaware or,
if not a natural person, an entity which has its principal place of business in
the State of Delaware. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor is entitled to
appoint or remove without cause any trustee of the Trust at any time. Any
trustee of the Trust may resign upon thirty days' prior notice to the Depositor.

         7. This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict
of laws principles).

                                        2

<PAGE>   3



         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trust Agreement
to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

                                        KEYCORP, as Depositor



                                        By:      /s/ Daniel R. Stolzer
                                           ------------------------------------
                                                 Name:    Daniel R. Stolzer
                                                 Title:   Authorized Officer

                                        BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE), as trustee



                                        By:      /s/ M. Lisa Wilkins
                                           ------------------------------------
                                                 Name:  M. Lisa Wilkins
                                                 Title:   Assistant Secretary

                                        DANIEL R. STOLZER, as trustee

                                        /s/ Daniel R. Stolzer
                                        --------------------------------


                                        3




<PAGE>   1
                                                                  Exhibit 23 (a)



                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS




We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of KeyCorp and KeyCorp
Capital III, for the registration of $1,000,000 of Capital Securities and to the
incorporation by reference therein of our report dated January 14, 1999, with
respect to the consolidated financial statements of KeyCorp incorporated by
reference in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1998,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                                           /s/ Ernst & Young LLP


Cleveland, Ohio
April 13, 1999



<PAGE>   1
                                                                      Exhibit 24

                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 13, 1999.



                                                 By:  /s/ Robert W. Gillespie
                                                      -----------------------

<PAGE>   2
                                                                      Exhibit 24


                                    KEYCORP

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and director of
KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or amendments to existing
registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such other form or forms as
applicable) to effect the registration of capital securities, debentures and a
related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant to Rule 415 (or other
applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an aggregate issue price of
up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K. Brent Somers, Thomas C.
Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R. Stolzer, and each of them,
as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned, to sign
and file the proposed registration statements and any and all amendments,
post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all applications
and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power and authority
to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite and necessary
to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the acts of such
attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as of
April 16, 1999.

                                             By:  /s/ K. Brent Somers
                                                  ---------------------
<PAGE>   3
                                                                      Exhibit 24


                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 13, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Lee G. Irving
                                                        ------------------

<PAGE>   4

                                                                      Exhibit 24

                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 12, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Cecil D. Andrus
                                                         -------------------

<PAGE>   5
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 12, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ William G. Bares
                                                         --------------------

<PAGE>   6
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                   By: /s/ Albert C. Bersticker
                                                       ------------------------


<PAGE>   7
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                  By: /s/ Edward P. Campbell
                                                      ----------------------

<PAGE>   8
                                                                      Exhibit 24


                                    KEYCORP

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


     The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and director of
KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Washington D.C., under the provisions of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or amendments to existing
registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such other form or forms as
applicable) to effect the registration of capital securities, debentures and a
related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant to Rule 415 (or other
applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange Commission of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an aggregate issue price of
up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K. Brent Somers, Thomas C.
Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R. Stolzer, and each of them,
as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned, to sign
and file the proposed registration statements and any and all amendments,
post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all applications
and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power and authority
to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite and necessary
to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the acts of such
attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as of
April 8, 1999.



                                             By:  /s/ Carol Cartwright
                                                  ---------------------
<PAGE>   9
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 10, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Thomas A. Commes
                                                         --------------------

<PAGE>   10
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of 8th day of April, 1999.




                                                   By: /s/ Kenneth M. Curtis
                                                       ---------------------

<PAGE>   11
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 9, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ John C. Dimmer
                                                         ------------------

<PAGE>   12
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                    By: /s/ Stephen R. Hardis
                                                        ---------------------

<PAGE>   13
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                   By: /s/ Henry S. Hemingway
                                                       ----------------------

<PAGE>   14
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Charles R. Hogan
                                                         --------------------

<PAGE>   15
                                                                      Exhibit 24




                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                 By: /s/ Douglas J. McGregor
                                                     -----------------------

<PAGE>   16
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 13, 1999.




                                                   By: /s/ Henry L. Meyer III
                                                       ----------------------

<PAGE>   17
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Steven A. Minter
                                                         --------------------

<PAGE>   18
                                                                      Exhibit 24


                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ M. Thomas Moore
                                                         -------------------

<PAGE>   19
                                                                      Exhibit 24


                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Richard W. Pogue
                                                         --------------------

<PAGE>   20
                                                                      Exhibit 24



                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 12, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Ronald B. Stafford
                                                         ----------------------

<PAGE>   21
                                                                      Exhibit 24




                                     KEYCORP

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned, an officer or director, or both an officer and
director of KeyCorp, an Ohio corporation, which anticipates filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, such registration statements or
amendments to existing registration statements (on Form S-3, Form S-4 or such
other form or forms as applicable) to effect the registration of capital
securities, debentures and a related guarantee or a shelf registration pursuant
to Rule 415 (or other applicable rules) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission of capital securities, debentures and a related guarantee, with an
aggregate issue price of up to $250,000,000, hereby constitutes and appoints K.
Brent Somers, Thomas C. Stevens, Joseph M. Vayda, Lee G. Irving and Daniel R.
Stolzer, and each of them, as attorney for the undersigned, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution for and in the name, place and stead of the
undersigned, to sign and file the proposed registration statements and any and
all amendments, post-effective amendments, and exhibits thereto, and any and all
applications and other documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pertaining to such securities or such registration with full power
and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever requisite
and necessary to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the
acts of such attorney or any such substitute or substitutes.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand as
of April 8, 1999.




                                                     By: /s/ Dennis W. Sullivan
                                                         ----------------------


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