About The Bank for International Settlements (BIS)

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is an international financial institution that serves as a bank for central banks and promotes global monetary and financial stability.

Establishment: The BIS was established in 1930 and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. It is one of the oldest international financial organizations.

1. Functions and Roles:
   • Central Bank Cooperation: The BIS provides a forum for central banks to exchange information and coordinate monetary and financial policies.
   • Research and Analysis: It conducts research on various economic and financial issues, producing reports and statistics that are widely used by policymakers, academics, and market participants.
   • Financial Services: The BIS offers banking services to central banks and international organizations, including investment services, credit facilities, and settlement services.
   • Regulatory Standards: It helps develop and implement international regulatory standards, such as those from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, which sets global standards for bank regulation.
2. Governance:
   • Ownership: The BIS is owned by central banks, and its shareholders include 63 central banks and monetary authorities.
   • Structure: It is governed by a Board of Directors, which includes governors of central banks from member countries.
3. Key Activities:
   • Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS): One of the most significant committees under the BIS, it formulates broad supervisory standards and guidelines and recommends statements of best practice in banking supervision.
   • Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS): Focuses on monitoring and analyzing broad financial system trends.
   • Markets Committee: Monitors developments in financial markets and promotes the exchange of information and views among central banks.