Johannesburg – Concerns have emerged over the safety of funds in South African banks in the wake of the recent collapse of two US banks, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. On Monday, the stocks of banks around the world fell following the collapse of these two US banks as regulators attempted to contain the damage. The stocks of U.S. regional banks plummeted on Monday as investors reassessed how much such lenders were worth following the sudden collapses of Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank.

Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank

On Friday, Silicon Valley Bank, which had a client base consisting of some of the world’s most influential tech investors, collapsed and was taken over by federal regulators, becoming the largest U.S. bank to fail since the 2008 global financial crisis. The sudden collapse of this bank has raised concerns about the stability of financial institutions around the world.

Following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, regulators on Sunday became worried about the financial health of New York’s Signature Bank. This concern was largely due to the bank’s substantial exposure to the volatile cryptocurrency market, which has been a source of instability for financial institutions worldwide. The potential collapse of Signature Bank has raised further concerns about the safety of funds in banks around the world, as investors and depositors worry that more banks could be at risk of failure.

South Africa Depositor Protection

While no major bank failures have occurred in South Africa, investors and depositors fear that the crash of these two US banks could be a sign of more collapses to come around the world. However, experts suggest that the risk of losing money in South African banks is relatively low. The country’s largest banks are well-capitalized and have diverse portfolios, which helps to mitigate risks. Additionally, the South African Reserve Bank provides oversight and regulation to the banking industry, ensuring stability.

According to the South African Reserve Bank, all retail banks operating in the country are required to be members of the Corporation for Deposit Insurance, which provides deposit insurance for individual depositors up to ZAR 100,000 per bank. This means that even in the unlikely event of a bank failure, depositors would be protected up to this amount.

What can depositors do

To assess the safety of their deposits, the South African Reserve Bank advises depositors to check if their bank is a member of the Corporation for Deposit Insurance and ensure that their funds are within the deposit insurance limit. The Reserve Bank also encourages individuals to stay informed about the financial health of their bank and to seek advice from a financial advisor if they have any concerns.

While the collapse of two US banks may have caused some concern, it appears that the risk of losing money in South African banks remains relatively low.