The intermediary business of commercial banks mainly includes local and foreign currency settlement, bank card, letter of credit, standby letter of credit, bill guarantee, loan commitment, derivative financial instruments, agency business and consulting business.

In foreign countries, the intermediary business of commercial banks has developed quite maturely. The intermediary business income of American, Japanese and British commercial banks accounts for about 40% of the total income, while the off-balance-sheet business scale of Chinese commercial banks generally accounts for more than 15% of their total assets.

Extended data

Compared with the on-balance-sheet assets business of commercial banks, the intermediate business risk of commercial banks is lower, but it cannot be said that there is no risk. Compared with the on-balance-sheet assets and liabilities business, the intermediary business of commercial banks presents the following characteristics.

1, greater freedom

Different from the traditional asset-liability business, intermediary business is strictly restricted by financial laws and regulations. In general, as long as both parties agree, an agreement can be reached. Intermediary business can be traded on or off the market. Most intermediate businesses do not need corresponding capital preparation, which leads to excessive expansion of entrusted and self-operated intermediate businesses of some commercial banks and brings certain potential risks to commercial banks.

2. Poor transparency

Most intermediary businesses are not reflected in the balance sheet, and many businesses cannot be truly reflected in the financial statements. It is difficult for external users of financial statements, such as shareholders, creditors and financial supervision authorities, to understand all the business scope of banks and evaluate their operating results, and the transparency of operations is reduced, which affects the correct and comprehensive judgment of the market on the potential risks of banks and is not conducive to the effective supervision of the supervision authorities.

3. Risk diversification

Cross-risks are scattered in various businesses of banks. Intermediary business involves many links, and the credit, capital, accounting, computer and other departments of the bank are all related to it, so it is difficult to prevent risks and clarify responsibilities.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Bank Intermediary Business