Introduction
The global banking regulatory environment is changing and global financial institutions are forced to change in line with these changes in their operations. Each country has come up with banking regulatory policies meant to protect local and regional policies and these policies are increasingly getting influenced by the emerging global trends in international banking and finance. The fall or large global financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers has forced governments around the world to come up with new policies that can effectively protect investors, depositors, the government, and other entities that rely on these financial institutions. The following are some of the policies and regulations likely to affect the future of global banks.
Capital Planning and Stress Testing
This new global trend is likely going to redefine the future of global banking. In North America, the United States has developed a policy where large financial institutions are evaluated to determine if they have sufficient capital that can enable them to continue operations even during a period of financial and economic stress (Valdez 55). This regulation is meant to ensure that these institutions can be relied upon to promote sustainability at times when the country or the region is going through distress. The policy may require these financial institutions to enlarge their financial base.
Financial Technology (Fintech)
The concept of financial technology emerged in Europe and it spread very quickly to North America and it is now becoming a global issue. As firms adopt fintech, it becomes necessary for the regulatory authorities to come up with policies that would define how firms are to operate in this new platform (Lin 67). In Hong Kong, it is the responsibility of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to ensure that such operations, which are becoming increasingly relevant in the global market, are in line with the fundamental laws and regulations in the field of banking and finance within this territory.
Cyber Risks
Cyber threat has to become a major issue among financial institutions not only in Hong Kong but also in other countries across the world. Banks all over the world are losing billions to cybercriminals. It is the responsibility of every financial institution to come up with measures to protect themselves from this threat. However, it is also necessary for HKMA to come up with regulatory policies to help fight the vice. There are laws and regulations in place meant to ensure that cyberattacks planned and executed through inside jobs can be properly investigated and culprits justly punished. HKMA has also developed new regulations that should be followed by financial institutions to protect them and their customers from a possible attack.
Consumer Protection
Consumer protection is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of HKMA. The financial sector is at the nerve center of the economy and any major disruption that it experiences is likely to affect all other industries within this region (Fam 84). It is for that reason that the government is forced to come up with regulatory policies meant to protect consumers. In this case, consumers refer to depositors, who may lose their money if a bank collapses lenders of the bank, and the public. The changing environmental forces and the emergence of new market threats make it necessary to reevaluate and formulate new policies and regulations that are capable of protecting consumers under the changing environment.
Works Cited
Fam, Joseph. Capitalizing China. University of Chicago Press, 2012.
Lin, Justin. New Structural Economics: A Framework for Rethinking Development. World Bank, 2012.
Valdez, Stephen. Introduction to Global Financial Markets. Palgrave Macmillan Publishers, 2015.