Liechtenstein’s banking sector remains stable
The rating agency Standard & Poor's continues to assess Liechtenstein’s banking sector as resistant to crisis.
In the most recent risk assessment from the international banking sector, the Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) continues to assess Liechtenstein’s banking sector as resilient, competitive, and extremely flexible. The rating agency describes its legal framework as very effective, fair, and predictable. The efficient political system is said to be in a position to rapidly adapt to external political challenges. For this reason, orderly development of laws without sudden changes can be expected in future as well. This is according to a press release from the Liechtenstein Bankers Association.
S&P assesses the “significant” progress made over the past ten years in implementing anti-money laundering and tax evasion prevention regulations as particularly positive. This was also confirmed recently in the Moneyval report, which was published in May 2022. In this, the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism from the Council of Europe recognized that Liechtenstein has an effective system for combating these issues.
Furthermore, S&P praised the strong or above-average risk-adjusted capital ratios of the banks assessed. The press release states: “The Bankers Association is convinced that the government’s decision to start accession negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an important contribution to further strengthening this good starting position for the country and the financial and banking centre.”
