The Americas
Two-thirds of RTGS systems now aligned with ISO 20022
Over 80% of central banks aligned with CPMI harmonised standards
Powell makes renewed case for Fed independence
Former chair invokes presidents Kennedy and Adams in plea for institutional autonomy to be respected
RTGS systems process nearly 200 million payments on average
Transaction values average $11.6 trillion among respondents
Number of RTGS fee-regulating central banks rises
More than two-fifths of retail payments ecosystem were diversified in 2025
Non-banks lack central bank oversight in some jurisdictions
One in five smaller central banks lack oversight on all payment systems
Some payment departments struggle with staffing capacity
Payment teams from Africa and the Americas report highest staff shortage
Payments units have median staffing of 30 FTE personnel
Central banks say they are boosting staff numbers to keep pace with evolving technology
IMF approves $1bn disbursement to Argentina
Board releases funds following agreement in April
Dollar smiles again, but for how long?
Twitchy investors backed the buck during Iran war, but experts are divided on whether this marks a return of the dollar smile
High-value notes: default money for criminals?
Some experts say the notes are a boon for felons, and that central banks should stop issuing them
The challenges facing Fed chair Kevin Warsh
New chair has pledged sweeping change, but can he keep Trump – and the FOMC – onside?
Working group minutes: guarding financial independence
Dynamic capital may help but tailoring accounting frameworks to central banks is still challenging
BIS announces board changes
Panetta elected chair, plus new roles for heads of RBA, BCB, BoJ and BoK
Geopolitical shifts and the evolution of reserve management: adapting to a new reality
How great power rivalry affects central bank portfolios by the Central Bank of Brazil’s Ricardo da Costa Martinelli
Three-fifths of central banks use strategic progress monitoring tools
Respondents with wider set of objectives report highest usage of tools
Central banks increasingly use KPIs for strategic planning
Practice more widespread in jurisdictions that link annual reviews to all staff
Trends in reserve management 2026: survey results
101 central banks, responsible for $9.5trn+ reserves, reveal exclusive data on FX interventions, if the US dollar is still seen as a safe-haven currency and approaches to investing in 20+ currencies
Strategic control processes often data driven
Processing is implemented quarterly or bi-annually across jurisdictions
Annual reviews usually linked to strategic plans for some staff only
Remuneration commonly not linked with progress on strategic goals
Team leaders increasingly involved in strategic plan implementation
Respondents commonly review plans and re-align objectives after strategic cycles
FOMC holds as Powell decides to stay on as Fed governor
Outgoing chair to remain on board, citing uncertainty over further potential criminal probes