Compliance a big challenge for internationalising Chinese banks, say analysts
One-tenth of international banks’ costs are spent on compliance showing the challenge for the Chinese banks
As Chinese banks continue to internationalise, ensuring that they are compliant with the ever changing international regulatory framework is a growing challenge, said analysts.
Banks with a global footprint have spent millions of US dollars on hiring compliance staff and putting systems in place in a bid to minimise wrongdoing, yet have still received substantial fines from regulators.
Chinese banks have less experience of operating overseas, and are vulnerable to falling foul of overseas regulations, with anti-money-laundering rules being a particular challenge.
“Cultural reform is important for Chinese banks expanding overseas, to manage their compliance risks,” said James Tam, financial services partner at PwC.
Tam identified banks’ governance, incentive systems and assessment mechanisms as important areas that Chinese banks need to get right in their internationalisation.
While China’s largest banks have operated branches outside China for a number of years, a new wave of internationalisation of Chinese banks is currently taking place.