What kind of ‘financial safety net’ for Russia? Russian Banking reform in comparative context

Abstract

This article examines three current banking reform initiatives in Russia: the introduction of deposit insurance, the reform of prudential regulation and the adoption of measures intended to enhance the transparency of Russian banks. Together, they constitute the core elements of Russia's emerging ‘financial safety net’—the package of policies and institutions aimed at ensuring the stability of the system and facilitating timely, efficient action to address incipient crises. These reforms are assessed in light of both the lessons found in the comparative literature on financial sector design and the peculiarities of Russia's institutional environment. The analysis suggests that Russia's current reforms are likely to avoid many of the pitfalls identified by the literature but also that they are likely to have a less dramatic impact than the authorities hope. As ever, much will depend on implementation of the reforms over time, which is likely to be contested.