Financial Architecture and Banking Systems Financial and Private Sector Development Financial Systems Practice The World Bank Group
Our Mission The Financial Architecture and Banking Systems Service Line at the World Bank s Financial and Private Sector Vice Presidency is the focal point for supporting World Bank client countries and financial sector authorities in developing, deepening and strengthening banking and financial systems. The service line is involved in designing financial sector policies and facilitating their implementation, with a view to promoting sound and efficient financial systems in developing and emerging countries. What Do We Do? The Financial Architecture and Banking Systems Service Line undertakes diagnostic assessments, develops diagnostic tools, and provides policy advice and technical assistance in the full range of legal, regulatory, supervisory, systemic stability and institutional development matters for financial systems with particular attention to banks, banking systems, and financial conglomerates. Diagnostics and Tools The service line is managing the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) which is a joint program of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. FSAPs provide third-party, comprehensive assessments of member countries financial system vulnerabilities and develop appropriate policy responses. The FSAP includes assessment of risks, stress testing, crisis preparedness/management, systemic impact assessment frameworks, financial markets and sector development (e.g., capital markets, insurance, pension, housing finance), competition and efficiency analysis, financial inclusion, and other relevant financial sector issues. Diagnostics assessments are undertaken as part of the FSAP program and on a stand-alone basis. They are used to determine technical assistance needs of a country and policy development work. Diagnostic assessments include, but are not limited to the following:
Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) Assessment of State-Owned Financial Institutions Evaluation of Crisis Preparedness Arrangements Banking Sector Vulnerability Assessments Diagnostics Assessments International Association of Deposit Insurers Assessments (IADI) Assessment of Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision (BCP) The Service Line also develops quantitative diagnostic tools, such as Financial Development Indicators, Financial Projection Model, and Least Cost Test Model as well as qualitative diagnostic tools (e.g., bank resolution). The Service Line also plays a coordinating role on the Standards and Codes Initiative (ROSCs) which is one of several building blocks for strengthening the global financial architecture.
Some Products Crisis Simulation Exercises Simulations involve designing a plausible scenario and simulating a series of shocks that require actions and decisions by the financial sector authorities. They help authorities to get ready to act in crisis scenarios, and improve existing legal and/or operational framework. One of the main goals of the simulations is to build internal delivery capacity so that financial sector authorities are able to build and run simulation exercises periodically without any external support. Financial Projection Model (FPM) The FPM can be used to identify, assess, and monitor both systemic and idiosyncratic risks. The FPM helps implement comprehensive scenario analyses/stress tests on individual bank and system-wide basis, develop prompt corrective action plans, implement problem bank resolution options, and establish a forward looking CAMEL rating system. The authorities can also use the Model to establish an early warning system, put in place a risk-based deposit insurance premium system, and calculate the appropriate level of reserves against potential bank failures. Bank Resolution Regimes Assessments These involve support to supervisors, deposit insurers and finance ministries in assessing pros and cons of alternative failure resolution options, and implementation of chosen options. This work is undertaken in conjunction with the Least Cost Test Model, an analytical tool to evaluate the dynamics of a bank (or a banking system), which estimates relative costs of resolution options, and the Financial Projection Model (see above). Contingency Planning and Crisis Preparedness Assessments These help Financial Sector authorities strengthen their contingency plans and capacity to respond to suddenly emerging problems. Diagnostic assessments highlight strengths, weaknesses and gaps in existing contingency plans and response capacity, and they identify actions to be taken. Systemic Risk Assessment Frameworks The global financial crisis has firmly put macro-prudential analysis and policies on the agenda of policymakers. The Service Line assists client countries in the development of analytical tools on the basis of which risks to financial stability can be assessed, both in normal and in crisis times. Strengthening Institutional Capacity The Service Line helps authorities in improving their institutional capacity for regulation and supervision of banking systems, including advice on organizational and functional issues, determining and implementing training needs and other aspects.
Policy Advice and Technical Assistance The Financial Architecture and Banking Systems Service Line houses the World Bank s core expertise in the regulation and supervision of bank and financial conglomerates. The Service Line provides policy advice and implementation support to national financial sector authorities to help countries strengthen their regulatory and supervisory regimes; be better prepared to deal with financial stress; and be able to adhere to internationally agreed principles for banking supervision. Our current work includes, but is not limited to, fields such as: consolidated supervision, risk based supervision, macro-prudential supervision, home/host supervisory arrangements, systemic impact assessments, Basel III implementation, and others. In addition, we offer post-fsap technical assistance support to authorities in addressing matters raised in FSAPs and otherwise. Policy Advice and Technical Assistance International Standards and Issues Related to Bank and Conglomerate Regulation and Supervision Problem and Failing Bank Resolution Regimes State-Owned Financial Institutions Vulnerability/Risk Assessment Other Assessment of Basel Core Principles (BCPs) Recovery and Resolution Planning Ownership Function Bank Scenario Analysis and Stress-testing Crisis Simulation Exercises Basel Capital Rules, Basel III Reform Package Risk-Based Supervision Consolidated Supervision Macro-Prudential Supervision Credit Risk Assessment and Provisioning Design and Improvement of Deposit Insurance Systems Cross-Border Resolutions Bank Resolution Toolkits Least-Cost Test Model Governance Arrangements SME Finance Rural Finance Credit Guarantee Schemes Systemic Risk Assessment Early Warning System Crisis Preparedness Assessment Islamic Finance Microfinance Home/Host Supervisory Arrangements
Who Do We Work With? Financial Architecture and Banking Systems Service Line provides policy advice and technical assistance to supervisory and regulatory authorities, central banks, deposit insurance authorities, finance ministries, and regional development banks in World Bank client countries. In addition, we maintain institutional relationships with international organizations and standard setting bodies, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, and the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI). The Financial Architecture and Banking Systems Service Line is the focal point within the Bank for coordinating matters related to the Financial Stability Board (FSB) reform agenda and the Bank institutional representation. We work closely with the Financial Sector Reform and Strengthening (FIRST) Initiative, a multi-donor funded technical assistance program; the Toronto Leadership Centre, and the Financial Stability Institute. Our Team The Financial Architecture and Banking Systems Service Line team mainly comprises former senior regulators and supervisors from around the world, including central bankers and senior staff from supervisory and deposit insurance agencies.
Financial Architecture and Banking systems Service Line Financial and Private Sector Vice Presidency The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20433 fabs@worldbank.org