Banking
בנקאות
Banks and banking systems worldwide.
Federal Reserve System
The central banking system of the United States, responsible for monetary policy, bank supervision, financial stability, and key payment services.
institutionFederal Open Market Committee
The monetary-policy committee of the U.S. Federal Reserve System that sets the target stance for open market operations and the federal funds rate.
institutionBank Leumi
Bank Leumi le-Israel is one of Israel's two largest banks, founded in London in 1902 as the Anglo-Palestine Company to serve the financial needs of the Zionist movement.
institutionBank Hapoalim
Bank Hapoalim is Israel's largest bank by total assets, founded in 1921 by the Histadrut trade union federation and the Zionist Organisation.
institutionIsrael Discount Bank
Israel Discount Bank is the third-largest banking group in Israel, founded in Tel Aviv in 1935.
institutionJPMorgan Chase
Largest U.S. bank holding company by assets, with consumer banking, commercial and investment banking, payments, custody, asset management and wealth-management businesses.
institutionU.S. Department of the Treasury
The U.S. Department of the Treasury is the federal executive department responsible for managing key fiscal, financial, tax, currency, debt-management and financial-integrity functions of the United States government.
conceptFederal Funds Rate
The Federal Reserve’s key U.S. overnight interbank policy rate and monetary policy benchmark.
institutionBank of America
U.S. bank holding company providing consumer banking, wealth management, commercial banking and capital-markets services.
regulatorAustralian Prudential Regulation Authority
Australia’s prudential regulator for banks, insurers and most superannuation entities.
institutionCommonwealth Bank of Australia
Australia’s largest retail and commercial banking group, commonly known as CommBank or CBA.
institutionFederal National Mortgage Association
U.S. government-sponsored enterprise known as Fannie Mae that supports the secondary mortgage market.
regulatorFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation
U.S. federal agency that insures bank deposits, supervises certain banks, and resolves failed insured depository institutions.
regulatorOffice of the Comptroller of the Currency
U.S. Treasury bureau that charters, regulates, and supervises national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and agencies of foreign banks.
institutionDepository Trust & Clearing Corporation
U.S. post-trade market infrastructure group whose subsidiaries provide securities depository, clearing, settlement, data and related processing services.
institutionWestpac Banking Corporation
Australian authorised deposit-taking institution and one of the country’s major banking groups.
regulatorAustralian Taxation Office
Australia’s principal revenue collection agency and administrator of tax, superannuation and registry functions.
regulatorBoard of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Governing federal agency of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.
institutionFederal Reserve Bank of New York
The Federal Reserve Bank serving the Second Federal Reserve District and executing U.S. open market operations for the Federal Reserve System.
institutionCitigroup
U.S. financial holding company with institutional banking, markets, wealth management, and consumer credit-card businesses.
institutionWells Fargo
U.S. financial services company operating a national bank and businesses in consumer banking, commercial banking, investment banking, and wealth management.
institutionAustralia and New Zealand Banking Group
An Australian banking group operating in Australia, New Zealand and international markets.
institutionGoldman Sachs
U.S.-headquartered financial services group engaged in investment banking, securities markets, and asset and wealth management.
institutionMorgan Stanley
U.S.-based financial services firm operating institutional securities, wealth management, investment management and banking businesses.
fundDeposit Insurance Fund
The Deposit Insurance Fund is the fund administered by the FDIC to insure deposits at covered U.S. banks and resolve failed insured depository institutions.
institutionMizrahi-Tefahot Bank
Israeli commercial bank with a prominent mortgage franchise and nationwide retail and business banking operations.
institutionAustralian Treasury
Central economic policy department of the Australian Government, advising on the Budget, taxation, financial system, macroeconomic policy and federal financial relations.
conceptAustralian cash rate
The Australian cash rate is the Reserve Bank of Australia’s operational target for monetary policy and the benchmark overnight rate in the Australian dollar money market.
institutionAustralian Office of Financial Management
Australia’s sovereign debt manager and issuer of Australian Government Securities.
institutionMonetary Committee of the Bank of Israel
The statutory body that sets Israel’s monetary policy and key policy interest rate within the Bank of Israel.
conceptBank of Israel interest rate
The Bank of Israel’s policy interest rate, set by the Monetary Committee as Israel’s main monetary-policy instrument.
institutionNational Australia Bank
One of Australia’s major banks, providing retail, business, private and institutional banking services.
institutionThe Depository Trust Company
U.S. central securities depository and settlement utility operated as a DTCC subsidiary.
institutionFixed Income Clearing Corporation
U.S. clearing agency and DTCC subsidiary that provides central counterparty clearing and settlement services for Treasury, agency debt, and agency mortgage-backed securities markets.
regulatorCouncil of Financial Regulators
Australia’s non-statutory coordinating body for financial regulators.
marketNew Payments Platform
Australia’s real-time account-to-account payments infrastructure for fast retail payments, PayID addressing and PayTo payment initiation.
institutionState Street Corporation
Boston-based U.S. bank holding company focused on custody, investment servicing, markets, and institutional asset management.
institutionBank of New York Mellon
U.S. custody bank and financial services company focused on securities services, market infrastructure, investment management and wealth management.
institutionAmerican Express
U.S.-based financial holding company and global payments network best known for charge cards, credit cards, merchant acquiring, travel services, and premium consumer and business payments products.
institutionVisa Inc.
U.S.-based global payments technology company operating the Visa payment network.
regulatorAustralian Competition and Consumer Commission
Australia’s national competition, consumer, fair trading and product safety regulator.
indexBank bill swap rate
Australian dollar benchmark interest rate for short-term bank paper, widely used in loans, floating-rate notes and derivatives.
productAustralian Government Securities
Debt securities issued by the Commonwealth of Australia through the Australian Office of Financial Management.
regulatorConsumer Financial Protection Bureau
U.S. federal regulator for consumer financial products and services.
regulatorBanking Supervision Department of the Bank of Israel
Israel’s prudential and conduct supervisor for banks within the Bank of Israel.
institutionMASAV
Israel’s bank-owned automated clearing and faster-payments infrastructure for shekel credits, debits and transfers.
regulatorFinancial Crimes Enforcement Network
U.S. Treasury bureau that administers and enforces Bank Secrecy Act anti-money laundering rules and serves as the U.S. financial intelligence unit.
regulatorFederal Housing Finance Agency
U.S. federal regulator and conservator overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System.
institutionFederal Home Loan Bank System
U.S. government-sponsored cooperative bank system that provides collateralized funding to member financial institutions for housing finance, liquidity, and community development.
institutionMastercard Incorporated
U.S.-based global payments technology company and operator of the Mastercard network.
regulatorNational Credit Union Administration
U.S. federal regulator, chartering authority, and share-insurance administrator for credit unions.
indexIsrael Consumer Price Index
Monthly measure of changes in Israeli consumer prices, compiled by the Central Bureau of Statistics and used as the main inflation indicator.
productFedwire Funds Service
U.S. Federal Reserve real-time gross settlement service for same-day, high-value funds transfers.
conceptBank Holding Company
A company that controls one or more U.S. banks and is subject to Federal Reserve supervision under the Bank Holding Company Act and Regulation Y.
regulatorOffice of Foreign Assets Control
U.S. Treasury office that administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions.
conceptFinancial Claims Scheme
Australian government scheme protecting eligible bank deposits and general insurance claims after a failure of a covered institution.
institutionRBA Monetary Policy Board
Australia’s statutory central-bank board responsible for monetary policy decisions, including the cash rate target.
regulatorAustralian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre
Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator and financial intelligence unit.
personAmir Yaron
Israeli economist and governor of the Bank of Israel since December 2018.
marketAustralian mortgage market
The market for residential property loans in Australia, including lending, funding, pricing and oversight.
institutionAustralian Financial Complaints Authority
Australia’s independent external dispute resolution scheme for eligible complaints about financial firms.
conceptFICO score
A brand of U.S. consumer credit score calculated from credit-report information and used by lenders to assess credit risk.
conceptBank of Israel Credit Data System
Israel’s central system for collecting and sharing individuals’ credit data under the Credit Data Law, 5776–2016.
marketIsraeli mortgage market
The Israeli mortgage market comprises housing loans secured by residential property, primarily originated by banks and regulated by the Bank of Israel. It is shaped by borrower-based limits on loan size and repayment capacity, a mix of interest-rate and indexation tracks, and an approval process designed to support comparison among lenders.
eventBachar Reform
Israel’s mid-2000s capital-market reform, which required banks to divest major holdings in mutual and provident funds to reduce conflicts of interest and broaden nonbank finance.
productTreasury Inflation-Protected Securities
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are U.S. Treasury marketable securities whose principal is adjusted with changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. They pay a fixed coupon rate on the adjusted principal and return at least the original principal at maturity, subject to the security’s terms.
conceptTerm deposits in Australia
Australian term deposits are bank deposits held for an agreed period at a fixed interest rate, generally with limited access before maturity and potential protection under the Financial Claims Scheme.
fundCitizens of Israel Fund
Israel’s sovereign wealth fund, established to manage state revenues from levies on profits from natural resources for long-term investment and intergenerational benefit.
institutionFederal Housing Administration
A U.S. government agency within HUD that insures mortgages made by approved lenders, supporting financing for single-family homes, multifamily properties, and certain healthcare facilities.
marketIsraeli corporate bond market
The market for debt securities issued by companies and traded primarily on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
conceptFederal Reserve Discount Window
The Federal Reserve discount window is a lending facility through which eligible depository institutions borrow directly from a Federal Reserve Bank, usually against pledged collateral. Its primary, secondary, and seasonal credit programs provide different forms of short-term funding, supporting institutions’ liquidity management and the stability of the U.S. banking system.
conceptTreasury General Account
The Treasury General Account is the U.S. Treasury’s principal cash account at the Federal Reserve and a key liability on the Fed’s balance sheet. The term is also used for Treasury’s cash-deposit program through which federal agencies deposit collections at participating financial institutions.
indexSecured Overnight Financing Rate
The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) is a U.S. benchmark interest rate based on transactions in the overnight market for repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities.
conceptIsraeli Bank Capital Adequacy Framework
Israel’s bank capital adequacy framework consists of prudential rules set by the Bank of Israel’s Banking Supervision Department. It defines eligible regulatory capital, risk-weighted asset calculations, minimum capital ratios, a leverage backstop, supervisory assessment and disclosure requirements for banking corporations.
institutionFederal Reserve Bank of Boston
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston is the regional Reserve Bank for the Federal Reserve System’s First District, covering most of New England. It contributes regional research and perspectives to monetary policymaking, supervises certain financial institutions, provides payment services, and conducts community-development and economic research.
institutionFederal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City is one of the 12 regional Reserve Banks in the Federal Reserve System. Headquartered in Missouri, it serves the Tenth Federal Reserve District, operates branches in Denver, Oklahoma City and Omaha, and contributes to monetary policy, banking supervision, payment services and regional economic research.
marketIsraeli bank deposit market
The Israeli bank deposit market comprises the accounts and deposit products through which households, businesses, and other customers place funds with banks in Israel, including current accounts and interest-bearing deposits.
marketIsraeli Foreign-Exchange Market
The Israeli foreign-exchange market is the market in which shekels are exchanged for foreign currencies, mainly through over-the-counter transactions between banks, customers, and other financial-sector participants. The Bank of Israel monitors activity, publishes reference exchange rates, and may intervene under its exchange-rate policy.
personStanley Fischer
Stanley Fischer was an economist and central banker who served as governor of the Bank of Israel and vice chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve. His career connected academic economics and senior roles in international financial institutions and monetary policymaking. [citation needed]
institutionFinancial Stability Oversight Council
The Financial Stability Oversight Council is a U.S. interagency body created by the Dodd–Frank Act to monitor threats to financial stability, coordinate regulators, and use specified authorities to address systemic risks.
institutionFirst International Bank of Israel
Israeli universal bank and one of the country’s five major banking groups, listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
institutionShva
Israeli payment infrastructure company operating national payment-card and ATM switching systems.
institutionAustralian Payments Plus
Australian member-owned domestic payments organisation operating BPAY, eftpos and NPP-related payment infrastructure and brands.
institutionInsurance Australia Group
Australian and New Zealand general insurance group listed on the ASX.
regulatorCapital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority
Israeli regulator for insurance, pensions, provident funds, long-term savings and regulated non-bank financial services.
institutionIsracard
Israeli credit card, payments and consumer finance company listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
marketAustralian corporate bond market
Market for debt securities issued by Australian companies and other corporate borrowers, including domestic Australian-dollar bonds and offshore issuance by Australian entities.
institutionAccountant General of Israel
Senior Ministry of Finance office responsible for Israeli government accounting, treasury operations, debt management, state guarantees, procurement controls and budget execution oversight.
productFedNow Service
United States Federal Reserve instant payment infrastructure for 24x7x365 interbank clearing and settlement.
regulatorPayments System Board
Policy board of the Reserve Bank of Australia responsible for payments system policy and related oversight of clearing and settlement facilities.
institutionCal – Israel Credit Cards
Israeli payment-card issuer, merchant acquirer and nonbank lender.
regulatorIsrael Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority
Israel’s financial intelligence unit, responsible for receiving and analyzing financial reports concerning suspected money laundering and terrorist financing.
institutionAustralian Banking Association
Industry association representing member banks in Australia and responsible for the Banking Code of Practice.
personMichele Bullock
Michele Bullock is an Australian economist and Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Appointed in 2023 for a seven-year term, she has held senior roles at the Bank across economic policy, payments, currency and financial system work.
institutionTASE Derivatives Clearing House
The MAOF Clearing House is the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange subsidiary responsible for issuing, clearing, settling and exercising exchange-traded options and futures in Israel. It acts as the central counterparty for derivatives transactions and operates under TASE rules and Israel Securities Authority oversight.
marketIsraeli securities lending market
A market in which securities held by investors are temporarily lent to borrowers, including investors seeking to make short sales. In Israel, lending is conducted through market intermediaries and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Clearing House’s central securities lending pool.
productBPAY
BPAY is an Australian electronic bill-payment scheme that lets customers pay participating billers through their financial institution’s online banking using a Biller Code and Customer Reference Number.
eventIsraeli Kibbutz Debt Crisis
A financial crisis that left many Israeli kibbutzim heavily indebted during the 1980s and led to debt-restructuring agreements involving the kibbutz movements, creditor banks and the state.
institutionFederal Reserve Bank of Chicago
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is one of the 12 regional Reserve Banks in the U.S. Federal Reserve System. It serves the Seventh District, contributes regional research and economic information to national monetary policy discussions, supervises certain financial institutions, and provides central banking and payment services.
institutionAMP Limited
AMP Limited is an Australian financial services company providing wealth management, superannuation, retirement, financial advice and banking services, principally in Australia and New Zealand. It is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and traces its origins to the Australian Mutual Provident Society, founded in 1849.
institutionBendigo and Adelaide Bank
An Australian authorised deposit-taking institution headquartered in Bendigo, Victoria, formed through the 2007 merger of Bendigo Bank and Adelaide Bank. It provides retail, business and other financial services, operates the Bendigo Bank and Up brands, and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange as BEN.
conceptIsraeli depositor protection
Israel’s approach to protecting bank depositors relies on banking supervision and financial-stability measures rather than a statutory deposit-insurance scheme with a defined compensation limit. The Bank of Israel has described an implicit government guarantee, but that is distinct from a legally specified, automatic entitlement to reimbursement if a bank fails.
conceptDigital shekel
A proposed digital form of central bank money that the Bank of Israel is studying as an additional means of payment alongside cash and bank deposits.
conceptIsraeli Financial Literacy
Financial literacy in Israel encompasses the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors used to make financial decisions, supported by school curricula, public information and policy initiatives.
institutionFederal Reserve Bank of Richmond
The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond is one of the 12 regional Reserve Banks in the U.S. Federal Reserve System. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, it serves the Fifth Federal Reserve District and carries out regional functions including economic research, financial-institution supervision, and payment services.
institutionFederal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks in the U.S. Federal Reserve System. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, it serves the Sixth Federal Reserve District, contributes regional economic information to national monetary-policy deliberations, supervises certain financial institutions, and provides payment and lending services.
productPayID
PayID is an Australian payment addressing service that lets people and businesses link identifiers such as mobile numbers, email addresses or business identifiers to eligible bank accounts, so others can address payments without entering a BSB and account number.
marketIsraeli money market
The Israeli money market is the segment of Israel’s financial system for short-term borrowing, lending, liquidity management and trading in short-maturity instruments, principally in shekels. It connects banks, the Bank of Israel, government and institutional investors, and other financial firms through central-bank operations, MAKAM bills, deposits and securities-based transactions.
eventIsraeli financial-market response to the 2008 global financial crisis
The Israeli financial-market response to the 2008 global financial crisis involved sharp repricing of shares and corporate bonds, a severe interruption of non-bank credit, and policy measures by the Bank of Israel and the government. Israeli banks remained stable, while markets and economic activity were affected most strongly in late 2008 and early 2009.
institutionAustralian Payments Network (AusPayNet)
Australian Payments Network Limited (AusPayNet) is an Australian payments-industry membership organisation and self-regulatory body. It develops and administers rules, procedures and standards for several payment frameworks, and supports coordination among participants. It does not own or operate the underlying payment infrastructure through which funds move.
conceptFinancial Stability Review (Australia)
The Financial Stability Review (FSR) is a twice-yearly publication of the Reserve Bank of Australia assessing the resilience of Australia’s financial system and risks that could affect its stability. It surveys domestic and international conditions, borrowers, banks and non-bank institutions, and informs the RBA Monetary Policy Board’s consideration of financial-system risks.
conceptZAHAV Payment System
ZAHAV is Israel’s real-time gross settlement system for shekel payments. Operated by the Bank of Israel, it settles payment instructions individually and finally, supporting high-value transfers between participating institutions and certain customer payments.
productAustralian Treasury Notes
Short-term Australian Government securities issued at a discount and repaid at face value at maturity, used to manage the Commonwealth’s short-term financing needs.
conceptFinancial literacy in Australia
Financial literacy in Australia refers to the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that help people understand financial information and make decisions about earning, spending, saving, borrowing, investing and planning for the future. Australian policy increasingly uses the related term financial capability, which also emphasises applying knowledge in real-life circumstances.
productIsrael Bonds
Debt securities issued by the State of Israel and marketed internationally through designated organizations, including Development Corporation for Israel in the United States.
institutionMercantile Discount Bank
Israeli commercial bank owned by Israel Discount Bank, with roots in Barclays and Anglo-Egyptian Bank operations in Palestine.
institutionDigital Bank One Zero
Israeli digital-only bank licensed by the Bank of Israel and launched to increase competition in retail banking.
institutionReserve Bank Board
Former main policy board of the Reserve Bank of Australia, replaced in 2025 by the Monetary Policy Board and Governance Board.
institutionIsrael Postal Bank
Postal financial-services arm of Israel Post, providing low-cost current accounts, payments, remittances and related services under Ministry of Communications supervision.
indexTA-Banks 5 Index
Israeli equity index tracking five large bank shares listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
conceptMakam
Short-term central bank bills issued by the Bank of Israel and traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
marketIsrael’s sovereign credit-default swap market
Israel’s sovereign credit-default swap market is the over-the-counter market for contracts referencing the credit risk of the State of Israel. Its quoted spreads provide a market-based measure of the cost of credit protection, while reflecting contract terms, liquidity and broader market conditions as well as perceptions of sovereign credit risk.
institutionInter-Ministerial Committee on Financial Stability (Israel)
Israel’s Financial Stability Committee is a statutory forum for coordination among the central bank, finance ministry and financial regulators. It monitors risks that could affect the financial system as a whole and can make recommendations to regulators and the government, while operational supervisory and crisis-management responsibilities remain with the relevant authorities.
conceptAustralian dollar
Australia’s official currency, issued as banknotes by the Reserve Bank of Australia and as coins under Commonwealth currency law.
event1983 Israeli Bank Stock Crisis
The 1983 Israeli bank stock crisis was a collapse in the prices of major Israeli bank shares after years of bank intervention to support them. The episode prompted an 18-day closure of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and a government-backed arrangement that transferred control of major banks to the state.
institutionMacquarie Group
Macquarie Group Limited is an Australian-listed global financial services group headquartered in Sydney. Its businesses span asset management, Australian retail and business banking, commodities and financial markets, asset finance, advisory and capital raising. The group’s predecessor began operating in 1969, and its holding company is regulated by APRA.
institutionBank Massad
Israeli commercial bank focused on teachers, education workers, households and small and medium-sized businesses.
institutionLeumi Card
Former Israeli credit-card company established by Bank Leumi, later rebranded as Max It Finance.
institutionIsrael Government Debt Management Unit
Unit in Israel’s Ministry of Finance responsible for financing the government and managing the state debt portfolio.
productBank Hapoalim Bit app
Israeli mobile payments application operated by Bank Hapoalim for P2P transfers, merchant payments and related digital financial services.
marketAustralian mortgage-backed securities
Debt securities backed by pools of Australian residential mortgages, used by banks and non-bank lenders for funding and by the RBA as eligible collateral under specified conditions.
conceptBank of Israel foreign exchange reserves
Foreign-currency reserve assets held and managed by the Bank of Israel for liquidity, crisis financing, and market-stability purposes.
institutionJerusalem Bank of Israel Ltd.
Israeli commercial bank formally known as Bank of Jerusalem Ltd., listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and supervised by the Bank of Israel.
institutionBank Leumi Mortgage Bank
Former Israeli mortgage-banking subsidiary of Bank Leumi, absorbed into the parent bank in 2012.
institutionBank Hapoalim Securities
Former U.S. broker-dealer subsidiary of Bank Hapoalim used for securities trading services for the group’s customers.
institutionBank Yahav
Israeli retail bank historically associated with public-sector employees and jointly owned by Mizrahi-Tefahot Bank and a state-employee economic and cultural company.
regulatorAustralian Securities and Investments Commission Innovation Hub
ASIC program that supports fintech and regtech firms in navigating Australian financial-services regulation.
institutionBank of Jerusalem
Israeli commercial bank focused on mortgages, deposits, consumer credit, construction finance and capital-market services.
institutionIsrael Foreign Trade Risks Insurance Corporation (ASHRA)
ASHRA is a wholly government-owned Israeli export credit agency that provides insurance for medium- and long-term export credit and, in specified cases, other international trade risks. Its coverage can address political and commercial non-payment risks and is backed by a state guarantee, subject to underwriting and government approval.