Banking for the Americas
The Americas Office Regional Treasury dealing room, established in May 2020, was created to enhance the level of banking services and support customers in managing their reserves. This facility complements the BIS trading rooms in Basel and Hong Kong SAR, enabling the BIS to provide near 24-hour banking services to its central bank and official sector customers.
Activities
- Comprehensive Banking Services: The Americas Office provides customers with access to the full suite of the Bank's banking services. While initially focused on serving central banks and other reserve managers within the hemisphere, it has increasingly attracted customers from beyond the region, who benefit from trading during the Americas' time zones.
- Strong Regional Engagement: The banking team maintains close and active contact with customers and counterparties across the region, serving 32 central banks, five official institutions, and 11 representative offices.
- Growing Global Impact and Product Expansion: Reflecting the BIS’s expanding global reach, placements by central banks in the Americas have increased over recent years, representing 21% of total placements in treasury products and 30% of total assets under management as of the financial year ending in March 2026. The regional presence has also enabled the BIS to broaden its product offerings, including the introduction of Mexican Peso accounts and investment products in 2024.
- Fostering Collaboration and Expertise: The Americas Office plays a key role in organising and coordinating the Regional Forum of Heads of Reserves, addressing critical challenges and opportunities in reserve management. It also actively supports BIS knowledge-sharing events and seminars, promoting collaboration and the exchange of expertise among stakeholders.
