Conduct
Book notes: Imagining the Fed, by Nicolas Thompson
A worthwhile perspective on the evolution of such an important institution, but a shame that it isn’t a longer and broader examination
Efficient data reporting is main suptech driver
Resource constraints are the biggest challenge in developing a suptech strategy
How Afghanistan’s central bank can help prevent famine
Rules could be devised to allow the New York Fed to ease the acute US dollar banknotes shortage, writes Warren Coats
Croatian central bank denies allegations against governor
Financial supervisor is investigating media claims of insider dealing by central bank staff
How Turkey’s president created chaos in economic policy-making
Observers allege presidential domination of the central bank, unauthorised FX transactions and untrustworthy statistics
‘Say what?’ Trust in central bank communications
Central banks are changing how they communicate with different audiences, but judging the success of these communication efforts is difficult
Summers: digital yuan unlikely to threaten US dollar
Traceability of Chinese CBDC amid “financial thunderbolts” from Beijing may limit appeal, says former top US economics policy-maker
Campos Neto named in Pandora Papers
Investigation identifies Brazil governor as stakeholder in four offshore companies
Book notes: Fintech regulation in China, by Robin Hui Huang
The book includes meticulous exploration of detailed regulations across the Chinese fintech sector, but risks missing some of the bigger picture due to China’s on/off oversight
An assessment of the ECB’s strategy review
A number of aspects of the new framework raise challenges for implementation and credibility, while the inclusion of climate change may politicise the institution, writes euro architect Otmar Issing
Sanctioned disobedience: the challenge of protecting whistleblowers
Most central banks have policies on whistleblowing, but practice and usage vary widely
The ‘golden age’ of central banking has passed
Central banks face multi-faceted challenges and weakened autonomy amid highly polarised inflation expectations
Somalia’s governor on rebuilding its central bank
Governor Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi discusses reviving Somalia’s war-damaged economy, re-creating a payments system, and dealing with remittances
Benoît Cœuré on CBDCs, stablecoins and central bank fintech co-operation
BIS Innovation Hub chief voices concerns about the timing of stablecoin and CBDC roll-outs, fintech risks for supervisors and monetary policy, and details development plans for eight innovation locations
Fintech & IT Benchmarks 2021 report – executive summary
Shedding light on fintech initiatives, staffing, salaries, cyber security and more
Regulating big tech and non-bank financial services in the digital era
Big tech incursions into financial services in China and elsewhere demonstrate the potential benefits of adopting a digital-bank or holding-company approach to financial regulation
A rebuttal of Philip Turner’s criticism of the BIS ‘house view’
Robert Pringle critiques the key findings raised in Philip Turner’s occasional paper, ‘The new monetary policy revolution: advice and dissent’
Central bank of the year: The Federal Reserve System
Overwhelming Fed interventions in March 2020 forestalled a damaging global financial crisis, as policy overhaul prompts introspection in Europe and Japan
Initiative of the year: Saudi Central Bank’s business continuity programme
Advanced planning has allowed Sama employees and systems to continue operating critical functions despite the Covid-19 lockdowns
High income countries report greater numbers of licensed fintech firms
Some jurisdictions host many licensed fintech firms but others have none
Advisory services: Oliver Wyman
The consultancy has built a reputation for analytical excellence and governance expertise, and counts leading central banks across the globe as its clients
Corporate Services Benchmarks 2021 report – trends in financial reporting and administration
Insights on staffing and salaries, technological automation, data security, rule compliance, gender equality and green office spaces in accounting, audit, HR and administration
The Covid crisis, central banks and the future
Crisis responses have had positive initial outcomes, but also exacerbated significant underlying challenges that raise concerns related to exit strategies and the future for central banks
BoE reassures foreign banks on post-Brexit booking models
EU banks that lost passporting rights after Brexit are unlikely to have to establish UK subsidiaries