Bank internationalization since 1995

We provide a perspective on international bank lending and borrowing since 1995. We highlight the international banking flows associated with specific countries and regions and how they have been affected by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). There are a number of key findings. First, while the U.S. is the largest net receiver of international bank funding, others include France, Italy and Spain. Second, we find there were significant reductions in net international exposures after the onset of the GFC and some evidence of the recent reallocation of risky assets to developing regions to diversify, or reduce asset concentration elsewhere. There is also an important role played by international financial centers (notably the Cayman Islands). Overall, the data highlights the dynamic nature of these balances and the importance of international banking flows in supporting the capital account positions of nations, especially during periods of crisis. In addition, our findings provide support for those theories of bank internationalization linked to the role that banks play in supporting customer transactions in international markets.