A worker (centre) tells people that the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) headquarters is closed on 10 March, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Photo: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images / AFP
After the rapid collapse of Silicon Valley and Signature Banks in the US this week - how much protection is there in this country for depositors? A bill before parliament could create an insurance scheme to compensate those who lose money in the event of their bank, credit union, building society or finance company collapsing. It would cover depositors for a total of $100k per institution, per depositor. The NZ Banking Association argues that it would require banks to almost double the capital they hold, and that New Zealand banks routinely pass the Reserve Bank's severe stress testing scenarios. Could the collapse of the US banks this week change things? Kathryn discusses with John Kensington, head of banking at KPMG.
