About banking statistics

The BIS compiles and publishes two sets of statistics on international banking activity - locational and consolidated banking statistics. Both sets are collected under the auspices of the Committee on the Global Financial System and reported to the BIS at a country, rather than individual bank, level.

Our data

  • Locational banking statistics
    These statistics provide information about the currency composition of banks' balance sheets and the geographical breakdown of their counterparties. They capture outstanding claims and liabilities of banks located in BIS reporting countries, including intragroup positions between offices of the same banking group. The locational statistics are compiled following principles that are consistent with balance of payments. Adjusted changes in amounts outstanding are calculated, as an approximation for flows.
     
  • Consolidated banking statistics
    These statistics measure banks' country risk exposures. They capture the worldwide consolidated claims of internationally active banks headquartered in BIS reporting countries. The consolidated statistics include the claims of banks' foreign affiliates but exclude intragroup positions, similarly to the consolidation approach followed by banking supervisors. They detail the transfer of credit risk from the immediate counterparty to the country of ultimate risk (where the guarantor of a claim resides).

Research and analysis

Developments in the latest international banking statistics, including breaks in series, are summarised in a quarterly statistical commentary. The statistics are also analysed in the Highlights section of the BIS Quarterly Review and in research papers.

Publication dates

The international banking statistics are published quarterly in January, April, July and October, with a lag of about 16 weeks. Revised data are published in March, June, September and December, concurrently with the BIS Quarterly Review.

View our release calendar for advance notice of publication dates.

Reporting guidelines

The Guidelines for reporting the BIS international banking statistics provide definitions and requirements for reporting locational and consolidated banking statistics. The consistency of reporting practices with the Guidelines varies across reporting countries, and key discrepancies are highlighted in countries' summaries of their banks' reporting practices.

More information

See our video on "BIS statistics on international banking activity ‒ locational and consolidated banking statistics".

The following publications provide further information about the structure and uses of the BIS international banking statistics:

Contact

For queries on banking statistics, please write to statistics$bis.org (where "$" denotes "@").