Silicon Valley Bank’s Inability to Redeem $42 Billion Highlights Banking System’s Leverage and Duration Mismatch
Gabor Gurbacs, Strategy Advisor at VanEck, recently tweeted about the alarming state of the US banking system, raising concerns about the insufficient coverage of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). According to his tweet, there is over $22 trillion in the US banking system, but the FDIC has only $124.5 billion on its balance sheet to cover deposits, which is just 1.26% of the total amount.
Gurbacs further highlighted that the FDIC’s assets only cover deposits of up to $250,000, which means that businesses and wealthy individuals who hold larger deposits are not protected. He called the FDIC “practically worthless” and warned people that they should not trust banks as much as they do.
There is more than $22 Trillion in the U.S. banking system. The FDIC has $124.5 Billion on its balance sheet and a $100 Billion line of credit from the U.S. Treasury. FDIC assets cover only 1.26% of deposits. About the size of Silicon Valley Bank. One bank. Let that sink in. pic.twitter.com/4jeOKzxSo3
— Gabor Gurbacs (@gaborgurbacs) March 10, 2023
To put things into perspective, Gurbacs compared the FDIC’s assets to those of Silicon Valley Bank, which has $209 billion in assets and over $175 billion in deposits. He pointed out that the bank couldn’t redeem $42 billion, and this illustrates the earlier point about leverage ratios and duration mismatch.
Gurbacs argues that banks are more leveraged than stablecoins, and most banks only have around 15% tier 1 capital. Tier 1 leverage ratios, which measure a bank’s capital against its consolidated assets, show just how much more leveraged banks are compared to stablecoins.
Gurbacs’s tweet has sparked a debate about the state of the US banking system and the need for reform. Many people are concerned about the lack of protection for depositors, especially businesses and wealthy individuals, who have large sums of money in the banks.
The FDIC was created to protect depositors and promote stability in the financial system, but Gurbacs’s tweet suggests that the FDIC may not be adequately fulfilling its mandate. The tweet has highlighted the need for a more robust regulatory framework to ensure the safety and stability of the US banking system.
In conclusion, Gabor Gurbacs’s tweet has raised important questions about the state of the US banking system and the adequacy of the FDIC’s coverage. The tweet has sparked a debate about the need for reform, and it remains to be seen how policymakers will respond to these concerns. As always, the safety and stability of the financial system should be a top priority for regulators, and any reforms should aim to protect depositors and promote stability.
Read more:
- BlockFi’s Uninsured Funds Worth $227 Million Allocated To Silicon Valley Bank’s Money Market Mutual Fund (MMMF)
- Binance Halts Auto-Conversion Of USDC To BUSD Amid Market Turmoil