UPSC » UPSC CSE Study Materials » General Awareness » Commercial Banks & Financial Institutions

Commercial Banks & Financial Institutions

A commercial bank is a type of financial institution that takes deposits from the public and lends money for spending and investing in order to make money.

In today’s financial services, the financial institutions are created to provide a wide variety of deposits, lending, and deposit procedures that are required to be carried out to facilitate individuals, businesses, or both. These procedures are required to be carried out to facilitate individuals, businesses, or both. Some financial institutions concentrate on giving their products and services to the broad public, while others cater to certain types of customers by providing them with specialised products and services.

Financial institutions are formed to cater to the requirements of the society, and because of this, it is essential for individuals to have a solid understanding of the differences between the many types of institutions that would be most suited to meet their particular requirements.

Commercial bank

Commercial banks offer basic banking products and services to both individuals and small to medium-sized businesses. These services include checking and savings accounts, loans and mortgages, basic investment services like CDs, and other services like safe deposit boxes.

Fees and service charges are how banks make money. Depending on the product, these fees include account fees (like monthly maintenance fees, minimum balance fees, overdraft fees, and NSF fees), fees for safe deposit boxes, and fees for being late. Along with the interest, many loan products also have fees.

Banks also make money from the interest they get on money they lend to other people. The money they lend comes from deposits made by their customers. But the bank pays less interest on the money it borrows than it charges on the money it gives out. For example, a bank might give people who have savings accounts an annual interest rate of 0.25 percent but charge people who have mortgages an annual interest rate of 4.75 percent.

Commercial banks have usually been in buildings where customers can use teller windows and automated teller machines (ATMs) to do their regular banking. With the growth of the internet, most banks now let their customers do most of the same things online that they could do in person, like transfer money, make deposits, and pay bills.

Financial Institute

Most people use financial institutions in some way. This is because financial operations are a key part of any economy, and both individuals and businesses use them to make transactions and investments. Because banks and other financial institutions are so important to the economy, governments think it’s important to keep an eye on and regulate them. In the past, when financial institutions went bankrupt, it caused panic.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures regular deposit accounts in the United States to give people and businesses peace of mind about the safety of their money in banks. The health of a country’s banking system is a key factor in how stable its economy is. A bank run can happen when people lose faith in a financial institution.

Financial services types

1. Banking

Customers can deposit money into their checking and savings accounts and borrow money from banks. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) reserve requirement says that about 10% of the money deposited in banks must stay on hand. The other 90% can be used to lend money. The bank gives some of the interest it makes on these loans to customers who have put money in the bank.

2. Advisory

This part of financial services helps both individuals and businesses do a wide range of things. Financial advisors can help with things like making sure investments are safe, figuring out how much a business is worth, helping with real estate deals, and more. In each case, advisors help people make good choices when it comes to their money.

3. Wealth Management

This type of financial service helps people save money wisely and get a return on their investments when possible. One way to manage your money is through a 401K programme offered by your employer.

4. Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are a type of investment that more than one person can share. A professional, not the investors themselves, is in charge of these investments. Mutual funds are a good choice for people who aren’t sure how to handle their money because they aren’t as big of an investment as bonds, the stock market, or other similar options. Also, the investments are spread out, which helps to lessen risk.

5. Insurance

This is a common type of service in the financial services field. Most people know at least a little bit about insurance. It’s a system that you pay into on a monthly or yearly basis that acts as a safety net and covers the costs of some large, often unexpected expenses. There are many different kinds of insurance, such as health, auto, home, renters, and life insurance.

Conclusion

In the industry, commercial banks make short- and medium-term loans. In India, they fund small-scale companies and also offer hire-purchase financing. These banks not only finance business, but also assist in the development of the capital market, which is undeveloped in these nations.

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

What's the difference between commercial banks and financial institutions?

Answer. The main difference between banks and other financial institutions is that other institutions can’t ta...Read full

How do commercial banks and other financial institutions work?

Answer. In the business world, commercial banks offer short-term and medium-term loans. In India, they finance small...Read full

What kind of bank does a commercial bank belong to?

Answer. Finance company that makes money ...Read full

Why is it important to have commercial banks?

Answer. Banks give loans to retailers and wholesalers so they can buy more of the goods they sell. They also help mo...Read full

Why is it important to know about financial institutions?

Answer. Financial institutions are important because they give people a place to buy and sell money and other assets...Read full