Which bank risk is most likely to cause a bank to fail?
Credit risk is the biggest risk for banks. It occurs when borrowers or counterparties fail to meet contractual obligations.
Historically, small banks are more likely to fail than large banks because they concentrate on regional lending, have fewer revenue streams to diversify risk and possess less capital to absorb losses. However, robust regulatory oversight and FDIC insurance help mitigate the risk to depositors.
Banks can fail for a variety of reasons including undercapitalization, liquidity, safety and soundness, and fraud. The chartering agency has the authority to terminate the bank's charter and appoint the FDIC to resolve the failure.
Banks fail in economic terms when the market value of their assets declines below the market value of their deposits and other borrowings. At that time, all depositors and creditors cannot expect to be paid in full and on time.
Banks with smaller initial capitalization, higher uninsured leverage, and a higher share of sophisticated depositors are more susceptible to such runs and insolvency.
Wells Fargo
According to data from FairShake, which collected information on a state-by-state basis, Wells Fargo is the most hated bank in 9 different U.S. states, which was tied for the worst result out of all banks analyzed by the site.
2024 in Brief
There are no bank failures in 2024. See detailed descriptions below.
Bank | City | Assets at time of failure |
---|---|---|
Nominal | ||
First Republic Bank | San Francisco | $229 billion |
Silicon Valley Bank | Santa Clara | $209 billion |
Signature Bank | New York | $118 billion |
The largest bank failure ever occurred when Washington Mutual Bank went under in 2008. At the time, it had about $307 billion in assets. During the uncertainty of the banking crisis, however, Washington Mutual experienced a bank run where customers withdrew almost $17 billion in assets in less than 10 days.
The collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in March 2023—then the second- and third-largest bank failures in U.S. history—took consumers by surprise. Subsequently, three more banks failed in 2023: First Republic Bank in May, Heartland Tri-State Bank in July and Citizens Bank of Sac City in November.
What are the top 3 bank risks?
The major risks faced by banks include credit, operational, market, and liquidity risks. Prudent risk management can help banks improve profits as they sustain fewer losses on loans and investments.
These risks are: Credit, Interest Rate, Liquidity, Price, Foreign Exchange, Transaction, Compliance, Strategic and Reputation. These categories are not mutually exclusive; any product or service may expose the bank to multiple risks.
Recently, a report posted on the Social Science Research Network found that 186 banks in the United States are at risk of failure or collapse due to rising interest rates and a high proportion of uninsured deposits.
1. JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan Chase, or Chase Bank, is the biggest bank in America with nearly $3.4 trillion in assets. It boasts a vast network of over 4,800 physical branches and more than 15,000 ATMs.
Bank | Forbes Advisor Rating | Products |
---|---|---|
Chase Bank | 5.0 | Checking, Savings, CDs |
Bank of America | 4.2 | Checking, Savings, CDs |
Wells Fargo Bank | 4.0 | Savings, checking, money market accounts, CDs |
Citi® | 4.0 | Checking, savings, CDs |
Identifying FDIC-insured banks
The best way to ensure a bank is FDIC-insured, whether you're looking to open a business bank account or assess your current bank, is via the agency itself. Here are some things to do to ensure your bank is insured: Use the FDIC tool to search for your bank. Call the FDIC at 877-275-3342.
Wells Fargo is the worst bank overall, with a high percentage of unresolved complaints and loss of Better Business Bureau accreditation.
Chase ranked well in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. Chase has a good basic checking account but its savings rates are low, and some fees are high and hard to avoid.
Asset-heavy, diversified and regulated banks like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, PNC Bank and U.S. Bank are among the safest banks in the U.S. and should be considered if you are weighing your options.
Six in 10 bankers are optimistic about the industry's prospects for the coming year (up 5% from last year). Yet 52% anticipate a recession or downturn in the economy. The percentage of financial institutions that view Big Tech and megabanks as threats increased significantly for 2024.
Is bank of America in trouble?
Overall, Bank of America appears to be in a relatively healthy financial position and is not currently in imminent danger of collapse.
Still, the FDIC itself doesn't have unlimited money. If enough banks flounder at once, it could deplete the fund that backstops deposits. However, experts say even in that event, bank patrons shouldn't worry about losing their FDIC-insured money.
Generally, credit unions are viewed as safer than banks, although deposits at both types of financial institutions are usually insured at the same dollar amounts. The FDIC insures deposits at most banks, and the NCUA insures deposits at most credit unions.
Bank NameBank | CityCity | Closing DateClosing |
---|---|---|
Signature Bank | New York | March 12, 2023 |
Silicon Valley Bank | Santa Clara | March 10, 2023 |
Almena State Bank | Almena | October 23, 2020 |
First City Bank of Florida | Fort Walton Beach | October 16, 2020 |
Bank of America will continue shuttering branches this year, with over a dozen already scheduled for early 2024. In 2023, Bank of America closed down more than a hundred branches and has already scheduled the closure of dozens more.
References
- https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/banking/advice/what-happens-to-my-money-if-my-bank-closes-down/
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/banking/list-of-failed-banks/
- https://www.noradarealestate.com/blog/is-bank-of-america-in-trouble/
- https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/bank-accounts/wells-fargo-review/
- https://www.creditdonkey.com/safest-banks-in-the-us.html
- https://www.npr.org/2023/07/11/1187060652/bank-of-america-250-million-illegal-fees-fake-accounts-fines
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/banking/how-to-tell-if-a-bank-is-healthy/
- https://coincodex.com/article/33788/worst-banks-in-america/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets-economy/082316/3-reasons-banks-can-freeze-your-account.asp
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-bank-stocks-least-likely-192442317.html
- https://ocro.stanford.edu/enterprise-risk-management-erm/key-definitions/definition-risk-owner
- https://www.fdic.gov/analysis/cfr/2014/wp2014/2014-04.pdf
- https://investor.bankofamerica.com/regulatory-and-other-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001193125-03-067236/d425.htm
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/chase-bank-review/
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-banks-trust-hard-earned-154119069.html
- https://www.gbnews.com/money/us/bank-branch-closures-us-list
- https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/cdrh-transparency/overview-medical-device-classification-and-reclassification
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/safest-banks-in-the-us/
- https://www.usnews.com/banking/articles/credit-union-vs-a-bank
- https://www.crnrstone.com/whats-going-on-in-banking-2024
- https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career-map/sell-side/risk-management/major-risks-for-banks/
- https://www.joinleland.com/library/a/top-ten-investment-banks
- https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/banks-most-at-risk-morningstar
- https://financeunlocked.com/videos/operational-risk-management
- https://www.wellsfargo.com/financial-education/basic-finances/manage-money/options/fdic/
- https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/how-you-can-protect-your-money-in-the-wake-of-banking-collapses
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/15-biggest-bank-failures-us-184142673.html
- https://www.noradarealestate.com/blog/which-banks-are-in-danger-of-failing/
- https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-banks-branch-closure-pace-further-slows-in-2023-80557666
- https://www.ifac.org/knowledge-gateway/preparing-future-ready-professionals/discussion/eight-steps-establish-firm-risk-management-program
- https://www.bankrate.com/banking/list-of-failed-banks/
- https://www.piranirisk.com/blog/5-tools-for-identifying-risks
- https://www.americanbullion.com/can-banks-seize-your-money/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/bank-of-america/
- https://investor.bankofamerica.com/corporate-governance/governance-library/code-of-conduct
- https://smartasset.com/checking-account/the-top-ten-banks-by-assets-held
- https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/bank-of-america
- https://www.usnews.com/banking/articles/how-many-bank-accounts-should-i-have
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/banking/bank-of-america-review/
- https://en.as.com/latest_news/bank-of-america-branch-closures-scheduled-for-early-2024-n/
- https://www.preferredbank.com/personal/products-and-services/expanded-insurance-protection
- https://www.bankwithunited.com/about-united/most-trustworthy-bank.html
- https://www.shippingsolutions.com/blog/supply-chain-operational-risks
- https://www.aba.com/about-us/our-story/aba-history/1782-1799
- https://time.com/personal-finance/article/chase-vs-bank-of-america/
- https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/bank-america-is-closing-more-than-100-branches-this-year/7WHOOHJBRFGUHBY6HDVWNYVJQQ/
- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/bank-of-america-for-illegally-charging-junk-fees-withholding-credit-card-rewards-opening-fake-accounts/
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-worst-banks-america-karen-e-peyton-
- https://www.cnbc.com/select/what-to-do-if-bank-closes-your-account/
- https://www.bankofamerica.com/deposits/account-information-and-access-faqs/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/managing-wealth/050716/10-checking-accounts-ultra-rich-use.asp
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/banking/best-national-banks
- https://www.quora.com/Is-it-legal-to-store-large-amounts-of-cash-at-home-in-the-United-States
- https://www.fdic.gov/resources/resolutions/bank-failures/failed-bank-list/
- https://www.macroaxis.com/invest/ratio/COF/Probability-Of-Bankruptcy
- https://apnews.com/article/wells-fargo-comptroller-of-currency-sales-practices-scandal-d3f41b3dbab4de74462fd3fe2585d50e
- https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/16/regional-bank-failures-may-be-ahead-fmr-fdic-chair-sheila-bair-warns.html
- https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/global-financial-stability-notes/Issues/2024/03/04/The-US-Banking-Sector-since-the-March-2023-Turmoil-Navigating-the-Aftermath-544809
- https://atg.benefits.ml.bac-assets.com/CDN/ATGDocs/Production/contentRepository/BOL0059152/700957_BAC_Term_Guide_2.pdf
- https://www.simplilearn.com/common-project-risks-article
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bank-america-corp-bac-company-051326625.html
- https://www.gao.gov/high-risk-list
- https://www.occ.treas.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/1996/nr-occ-1996-2a.pdf
- https://www.thetaxdefenders.com/can-the-irs-take-money-from-my-bank-account-without-notice/
- https://siepr.stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/fragile-why-more-us-banks-are-risk-run
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-banks-dump-now-bust-234758659.html
- https://wise.com/us/blog/bank-of-america-reviews
- https://www.bajajfinservmarkets.in/fixed-deposit/safest-bank-in-india.html
- https://www.capitalone.com/bank/fdic/
- https://time.com/personal-finance/article/what-happens-when-the-bank-closes-your-account/
- https://www.simplilearn.com/financial-risk-and-types-rar131-article
- https://www.emarketer.com/insights/largest-banks-us-list/
- https://www.bankrate.com/banking/reviews/bank-of-america/
- https://en.as.com/latest_news/wells-fargo-branches-across-the-us-that-could-close-in-2024-n/
- https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career-map/sell-side/risk-management/risk/
- https://blog.tsibinc.com/the-3-basic-categories-of-risk
- https://hr.fullerton.edu/risk-management/information-and-document-requests/information-management/essential-techniques-of-risk-management.php
- https://gfmag.com/banking/worlds-safest-banks-2023-global-100/
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/most-popular-banks-by-state/
- https://www.silive.com/business/2023/12/bank-of-america-closing-over-100-branches-heres-where-theyre-located.html
- https://www.ssctech.com/blog/why-do-banks-fail-and-whats-next-2023-lessons-and-predictions
- https://www.merrilledge.com/article/how-much-do-you-really-need-to-save-for-retirement
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/062415/what-are-major-categories-financial-risk-company.asp
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/4-most-popular-banks-millionaires-150054420.html
- https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/banking/largest-banks-in-the-us/
- https://www.investopedia.com/deposit-insurance-keeps-bank-accounts-safe-even-if-its-funding-runs-dry-7496229
- https://www.lifestoryresearch.com/2022-americas-most-trusted-retail-bank
- https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-banks
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/banking/chase
- https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/money/largest-banks-in-the-us
- https://www.investopedia.com/what-happens-if-my-bank-fails-7378029
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/bank-of-america-review/
- https://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/24/03/2023/three-banks-have-now-collapsed-progressive-economist-explains-why
- https://www.bankrate.com/banking/what-happens-when-a-bank-fails/
- https://www.fdic.gov/resources/resolutions/bank-failures/in-brief/bfb2024.html
- https://fortune.com/2024/01/25/bank-of-america-threatening-workers-return-to-office-disciplinary-action/
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/list-of-failed-banks/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/what-happens-if-my-bank-fails
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/largest-banks-in-the-us/
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-137-44217-8_2
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_bank_failures_in_the_United_States
- https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/historical/frbchi/workingpapers/frbchi_workingpaper_1986-01b.pdf
- https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/what-to-do-if-bank-closes-your-account/
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/eventrisk.asp