ABBL

Luxembourg’s banking association ABBL is encouraging its members to overcome their reluctance and embrace the cloud computing revolution in order to remain “agile and innovative”, especially now that the CSSF has improved its regulatory framework for cloud banking.  A recent ABBL-KPMG survey shows that banks in the Grand Duchy are slow to take up cloud services.

Rising interest rates and growing balance sheets have led to a rise of 20.1 percent in interest income for Luxembourg’s banks in the first quarter, according to data released by financial supervisor CSSF. The improvements however were not enough to counter a decline in non-recurring revenues, which meant overall bank sector profits fell 2.4 percent.

New rules, new details and a new terminology regarding financial sector outsourcing are being introduced by Luxembourg’s financial regulator CSSF with the presentation of its widely discussed ‘circular 22/806’. These changes, with significant consequences for the use of IT and cloud services, bring greater clarity within the  regulatory framework.

Two of Luxembourg’s top financial bodies are undergoing changes in key leadership positions. Former Fortuna Bank CEO Jerry Grbric this month took over from Yves Maas as chief executive officer of the Grand Duchy’s banking association ABBL, while Frank Wagener, long-time chair of the board of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, will retire in May.

Revenue from corporate banking activities in Luxembourg has risen nearly 60 percent since 2016 to approximately 3 billion euro, according to a new study conducted by consultancy firm PWC. The consultants also found a need for the government and regulators to join the banking sector on its innovation journey in order to address regulation challenges. 

Part of Luxembourg’s effort to tackle allegations that it enables questionable business and tax practices through a lack of transparency will be significantly upgraded through new rules, technical capacities, increased staff and administrative penalties by 2023.

Under a reform project involving a draft Grand-Ducal regulation announced last week, the Luxembourg government body that makes available business registration information – including a ultimate beneficial owner registry -  will be overhauled and have its staff doubled.

Understanding risks related to the climate and environment, also known as CRE risks, and managing them will be a key challenge for banks over coming decades. Luxembourg’s banking association ABBL has sought to provide a framework for this in a new publication which also features some guidance related to strategy and governance, integration of CRE concerns within risk management frameworks and disclosure.

Private banks in Luxembourg have seen their assets under management double since the 2007-8 financial crisis, according to a survey conducted by KPMG and the Luxembourg Bankers’ Association (ABBL). The report observed that growth at Luxembourg’s private banks in 2020 outpaced growth at their counterparts in Switzerland.

Private banks held 508 billion euro in assets at the end of 2020, up 9 percent from 466 billion euro a year earlier and more than double the 225 billion euro held at the end of 2008.

The Luxembourg financial sector has long-discussed the blockchain or as it’s also called “distributed ledger technology (DLT)” as way to strengthen the Luxembourg financial sector. As it was put by Ananda Kautz of Luxembourg’s banks and bankers association the ABBL: “Digital strategy, digital ledger technology, most commonly known as blockchain, has been a key strategic topic for ABBL since many years now.”

The cost of implementing banking sector regulations has risen by an annual average of 16% since 2015 says a recent study by the the Luxembourg Bankers Association (ABBL) and major accounting firm EY.