The BIS is planning to develop its headquarters site in Basel.
Our mission
Our mission is to support central banks' pursuit of monetary and financial stability through international cooperation, and to act as a bank for central banks.
To pursue our mission, we provide central banks with:
The BIS provides central banks and financial supervisory authorities with a forum for dialogue and cooperation, where they can freely exchange information, forge a common understanding and decide on common actions. Through our programme of regular meetings and our support to the main global standard setters for the international financial system, we help to promote dialogue among central banks and supervisory authorities to foster global monetary and financial stability.
The BIS also promotes international cooperation in the area of financial stability through its Financial Stability Institute, which supports central banks and other financial authorities in the implementation of global regulatory standards and sound supervisory practices. Our representative offices in Asia-Pacific and the Americas also play a key role in this regard, by strengthening relationships and promoting cooperation between the BIS and regional central banks and supervisory authorities.
The future of central banking is inextricably linked to innovation. Whether it is in the area of artificial intelligence, big data, fintech, digital currencies or green finance, innovation gives us the opportunity to leverage technology to explore new public goods for central banks and make the financial system work better for everyone.
To respond to the increasing need for central banks to collaborate in this space, the BIS Innovation Hub Centres provide a platform for responsible innovation, and the Cyber Resilience Coordination Centre enables central banks to protect themselves from the associated risks. We work together with central banks to explore the technological innovation that is rapidly transforming the financial landscape, to help them realise its benefits while avoiding the associated risks.
The BIS draws on its unique position at the intersection of research and policy. Our economic analysis responds to pressing short-term issues while exploring themes of strategic importance for central banks and financial supervisory authorities. In this role, we support central bank cooperation and provide an independent voice to sound policymaking.
Working closely with our central bank counterparts, we produce in-depth research and statistical analysis which is made freely available to the public.
As our name indicates, the BIS also acts as a bank. We offer financial services exclusively to central banks, monetary authorities and international organisations, mainly to assist them in the management of their foreign exchange assets. Our banking transactions fund our own activities and provide us with first-hand insights into current financial market conditions, which contribute to our research activities.
As an institution owned and governed by central banks, the BIS is well placed to understand the needs of reserve managers – their primary focus on safety and liquidity, as well as the evolving need to diversify their exposures and obtain a competitive return. With banking operations in Basel, Hong Kong SAR and Mexico, we offer sound and competitive financial services to central banks around the globe and around the clock.
To deliver on our mission and be able to respond to the evolving nature of our business, our work is anchored in strong core values that shape the way in which we work. These values are the shared principles and beliefs that unite our staff and guide our actions to promote a cohesive, purpose-driven culture to support central banks through their current and future challenges.
- We deliver value through excellence in performance.
- We are committed to continuous improvement and innovation.
- We act with integrity.
- We foster a culture of diversity, inclusion, sustainability and social responsibility.
Established in 1930, the BIS is owned by 63 central banks, representing countries from around the world that together account for about 95% of world GDP. Its head office is in Basel, Switzerland and it has two representative offices: in Hong Kong SAR and in Mexico City, as well as Innovation Hub Centres around the world.
Our medium-term strategy, Innovation BIS 2025, leverages technology and new collaboration channels to serve the central banking community in this fast-changing world.
In research and analysis, banking services and knowledge-sharing, we are continuously innovating to support our stakeholders in the pursuit of monetary and financial stability.
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