California rocked by Silicon Valley Bank collapse

California’s banking industry has been rocked by a significant collapse that has left investors and customers reeling. The collapse of several high-profile banks, most notably Silicon Valley Bank, has raised concerns about the stability of the banking system, the broader economy, and current U.S. banking regulations.

The crisis began late last week when several banks, including Silicon Valley Bank, Comerica, and East West Bank, announced significant losses related to their lending portfolios. The losses were primarily attributed to the banks’ exposure to the technology and startup sectors, which have seen a significant downturn in recent months.

Nicole Elam, President and CEO of the National Bankers Association

“In light of recent industry events, the National Bankers Association wants to assure consumers that your money is safe with minority banks. Minority depository institutions are very different from both SVB and Signature Bank which had high concentrations in crypto deposits and volatile venture capital. Minority banks are not exposed to riskier asset classes and have the capital and strong liquidity to best serve consumers and small businesses. If you’re looking for a place to bring your deposits and have greater impact, bring your deposits to minority banks,” said Nicole Elam, President and CEO of the National Bankers Association. 

According to industry experts, the region’s banks have traditionally focused on lending to technology and startup companies, which are inherently risky investments. While these companies have the potential for significant returns, they also face a high likelihood of failure.

The region’s banks have also been hit hard by the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses have struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic, and some have been forced to shut down entirely. This has significantly increased loan defaults and delinquencies, further weakening the banking industry’s financial position.

The fall of the Silicon Valley banking industry has been exacerbated by the region’s high cost of living. Many tech companies and startups in the area need help to attract and retain talent due to the high cost of housing and other living expenses. This has led to a slowdown in business growth and reduced demand for loans from the banking industry.

The venture capitalist community used Twitter to make predictions about the future of venture capital firms as government officials frantically worked over the weekend to try to prevent a broader financial impact from the bankruptcy. 

Twitter users react to the Silicon Valley Bank collapse

Over 5,000 startup CEOs also issued a petition to federal regulators pleading for support, and the Biden Administration answered.

“Today we are taking decisive actions to protect the U.S. economy by strengthening public confidence in our banking system,” federal officials said in the statement on Sunday. “This step will ensure that the U.S. banking system continues to perform its vital roles of protecting deposits and providing access to credit to households and businesses in a manner that promotes strong and sustainable economic growth.”

Both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature were classified by the Treasury Department as systemic risks, giving the department the power to dissolve both entities. Depositors, many of whom had substantially more than the $250,000 placed at the banks that the FDIC ordinarily covers, will be compensated using the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund rather than taxpayer dollars.

“Investors in the banks will not be protected,” Biden said in a White House speech today. “They knowingly took a risk and when the risk didn’t pay off, the investors lose their money. That’s how capitalism works.”

Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist & Hollis W. Hart, Senior Fellow at The Conference Board

Even though the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) may be able to mitigate the repercussions of these two failures, what are the long-term effects? The shortcomings pale in comparison to the 2008 banking system-wide crisis. However, Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist & Hollis W. Hart, Senior Fellow at The Conference Board writes, “there are still significant risks of spread and that, in order to prevent a more severe crisis, authorities may need to take additional steps to boost public trust in the financial system and corporations’ ability to protect themselves from financial harm.”

In conclusion, the collapse of the Silicon Valley banking industry has been a major blow to the region’s economy and has raised serious questions about the stability of the banking system. While regulators are taking steps to support the industry, it remains to be seen how long it will take for the region’s banks to recover and regain the trust of investors and customers.