What Is Bank Capital? Bank capital is the difference between a bank’s assets and its liabilities, and it represents the net worth of the bank or its equity value to investors. The asset portion of a bank’s capital includes cash, government securities, and interest-earning loans (e.g., mortgages, letters of credit, and inter-bank loans). The liabilities
What Is a Bank Card? A bank card is any card issued against a depository account, such as an ATM card or a debit card. Sometimes the phrase is also used to refer to Visa and MasterCards since these are also issued by banks, but they are credit cards and not linked directly to a depository
What Are Bank Debits? A bank debit is a bookkeeping term for the realization of the reduction of deposits held by bank customers. A bank debit occurs when a bank customer uses the funds in their account, therefore reducing their account balance. Bank debits can be the result of check payments, honored drafts, the withdrawal
What Are Bank Deposits? Bank deposits consist of money placed into banking institutions for safekeeping. These deposits are made to deposit accounts such as savings accounts, checking accounts, and money market accounts. The account holder has the right to withdraw deposited funds, as set forth in the terms and conditions governing the account agreement. How
What Is the Bank Discount Rate? The bank discount rate is the interest rate for short-term money market instruments like commercial paper and Treasury bills. The bank discount rate is based on the instrument’s par value and the amount of the discount. The par value is the face value or original value of the investment
What Is a Bank Endorsement? A bank endorsement is a guarantee by a bank confirming that it will uphold a check or other negotiable instrument, such as a banker’s acceptance, from one of its customers. This assures any third-party that the bank will back the obligations of the creator of the instrument in the event
What Is a Bankers’ Bank? A bankers’ bank is a specific type of bank that a group of larger, more established banks create. Bankers’ banks exist for the purpose of servicing the charter banks that founded them. While their banking services are not generally open to the public in any fashion, these institutions are designed
What Is a Banker Trojan? A Banker Trojan is a malicious computer program designed to gain access to confidential and/or material information stored or processed through online banking systems. This type of computer program is built with a backdoor, allowing outside parties to gain access to a computer, or it may instead copy a bank
What Is a Bank Examination? A bank examination is an evaluation of the financial health and resilience of a bank. Bank examinations are primarily concerned with the strength of the bank’s balance sheet. However, they also include a review of its regulatory compliance and internal controls. In the United States, examinations of national banks are
What Is Bank Failure? A bank failure is the closing of an insolvent bank by a federal or state regulator. The comptroller of the currency has the power to close national banks; banking commissioners in the respective states close state-chartered banks. Banks close when they are unable to meet their obligations to depositors and others.
