FundBank fully agrees with the sentiments of Mr. Hsu. The U.S. banking system does require additional liquidity but liquidity commensurate with the nature of a bank’s client base, its product set and the skill of its management to be prepared for “acute, ultra-short term” deposit outflows. Banks need to understand their clients and the probability of “acute, ultra-short term” deposit outflows to which the bank may be subjected by their clients and the bank’s ability to support the volatile cash flows of their clients and in particular, if their clients are hedge, venture, and private equity funds.
John Rosanelli, CEO of FundBank, N.A. (in Organization) and U.S. Advisor to FundBank Ltd commented “The large, transient deposits of the alternative investment fund business are destabilizing to the balance sheets of banks and are unsuitable deposits for banks to fund loans. Unfortunately, some banks view these deposits as more stable than they are due to their good relationships with these clients. In the end, any business, especially an investment fund, that has a fiduciary obligation to its stakeholders and must act to protect the assets of its investors and when a sense of confidence is lost the money goes away. And quickly.
At FundBank, we support the need for additional capital but believe that our operating structure as a trust bank, not making loans with our clients’ money but rather holding clients’ money in high quality liquid assets, minimizes credit, duration and liquidity risk and is the only one in which we feel confident to not only safeguard client money, but also to build a stronger, more resilient banking sector.
To replete an old adage when asked how much capital a bank needs:
A well-run bank doesn’t need any capital and a poorly run bank can’t have enough.
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