While the collapse of SVB might have been predictable, what was surprising was the US regulators’ response and the precedent it sets.

Is the ‘one off’ First Republic rescue enough to quell fears in the US banking system? 

The past year saw a wave of consolidation in the US banking sector, with many regional players expanding their footprint through acquisitions and leaping up the ranking as a result. 

Boosting interoperability and speed while cutting risk, wholesale CBDCs would be a boon for cross-border settlements but are still very much in the experimental phase, making co-operation between central banks vital for success.

The OCC has announced a new fintech office in response to rising financial digitalisation, creating a fork in the road that leads either to rigid regulation or innovation inspiration.

The US plans for the introduction of FedNow, its real-time payments solution – but decades after some other countries. What took so long?

Rapid regional bank growth is leading some players into “too big to fail” territory, guiding regulators to consider new debt requirements.

The World Bank chief’s awkward stance on global warming has accelerated calls for multinational development banks to get an overhaul.

The US, EU and UK have imposed an increasingly complex regime of sanctions on Russia as the war in Ukraine has evolved.

While aware of the challenges ahead, the country’s huge network of small and mid-sized banks believe they are in a strong position and remain optimistic about the long-term outlook.