Systemically Important Payment Systems

Systemically Important Payment Systems (SIPS) are payment systems which have the characteristic that a failure of these systems could potentially endanger the operation of the whole economy. In general, these are the major payment clearing systems or Real Time Gross Settlement of individual countries, but in the case of Europe, there are certain pan-European payment systems. TARGET2 is a pan-European SIPS dealing with major inter-bank payments. STEP2, operated by the Euro Banking Association is a major pan-European clearing system for retail payments which has the potential to become a SIPS.

In the event of a bank failure, adherence to the rules for the operation of SIPS should prevent a domino effect whereby payment obligations of the failing bank are effected against the solvent banks. Clearly, this does not prevent the effects of a bank failure from spreading; however, it closes off one route.

Read more about Systemically Important Payment Systems:  Operation of A SIPS, Core Principles (Summary)

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