Cutthroat Bankers' New Scheme: Why Banks Are Suddenly Closing Accounts
Nov 8, 2023
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Professor Richard Wolff joins Brian to discuss the sudden closure of bank accounts and its impact on individuals and small businesses. They explore the complexity of financial language, the dominance of banks in the US economy, and the lack of non-profit-driven and public banking options. They highlight the need for a new system that prioritizes stability and accessibility for all.
Banks are closing customer accounts, known as 'de-risking,' to protect their own profitability, even if it causes distress for individuals and small businesses.
US banks are selling complex debt instruments to unload risk and prioritize profitability, creating incomprehensible financial jargon that is difficult for the average person to understand.
Deep dives
Banks Closing Customer Accounts
Banks across the country have been unexpectedly closing customer accounts, causing chaos in their personal finances. The reasons for these closures vary, but customers often receive vague explanations or no explanation at all. The banks refer to this practice as 'de-risking.' Despite the negative impact on individuals and small businesses, banks prioritize their own profitability and protect their profits by dumping accounts that are deemed risky or not profitable enough. This leads to social costs and economic distress for those affected.
Banks' Risk Transfer Strategies
US banks have been creating new ways to unload risk as they adapt to tighter regulations and rising interest rates. They sell complex debt instruments known as synthetic risk transfers to private fund managers. These instruments are expensive for banks but less costly than bearing the full capital charges on underlying assets. Such risk transfers are lucrative for investors, offering returns of around 15% or more. However, this financial jargon-heavy language used in financial reports is often incomprehensible to the average person, making it difficult for them to fully grasp the risks and implications involved in these transactions.
The Need for Public Banking
The dominance of banks in the US capitalist economy raises concerns about stability and the treatment of depositors and borrowers. Public banking, owned and operated by the government, could be a viable alternative to the profit-driven private banking system. In countries around the world, public banks exist and serve their communities without the relentless pursuit of profit. Despite this, the idea of public banking is rarely discussed in mainstream financial media outlets. The example of the publicly owned Bank of North Dakota highlights the benefits of a public banking system, which prioritizes the needs of individuals and businesses over profit maximization.
On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss why people all over the country are finding out at the checkout counter that their bank accounts aren't working. Banks are suddenly closing accounts—sometimes without any notice—in what bankers are calling "de-risking," despite the individuals, families, and small businesses that are hit not doing anything wrong.
Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.
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