The Bank for International Settlements in Basel
16 April 2026
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) was established in 1930 to administer Germany’s reparations payments, as stipulated in 1919 (Treaty of Versailles). More than 10 years later, during a period of very high inflation and a stock market crash (1929), it was clear that these reparations were economically unrealistic and politically dangerous for Germany.
For this reason, the BIS also has a German-language name, the Bank für Zahlungsausgleich (BIZ). It was founded at the Hague Conference in the Netherlands. A convention establishing the BIS was signed by Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom on the one hand, and Switzerland on the other.
From its inception to the present day, the BIS has played a number of key roles in the global economy, from settling reparation payments imposed on Germany following the First World War to serving central banks in their pursuit of monetary and financial stability.
The BIS is owned today by 63 central banks and still welcomes new members, representing countries from around the world that together account for about 95% of world GDP. Its head office is in Basel, Switzerland, and it has two representative offices: in Hong Kong SAR and in Mexico City, as well as Innovation Hub Centres worldwide.
Its mission is to support central banks’ pursuit of monetary and financial stability through international cooperation and to act as a bank for central banks.
The BIS provides central banks and financial supervisory authorities with a forum for dialogue and cooperation, where they can freely exchange information, forge a common understanding and decide on common actions.
Bimonthly meetings
Governors and other senior officials of BIS member central banks meet bimonthly, usually in Basel, to discuss current developments and the outlook for the world economy and financial markets. They also exchange views and experiences on issues of interest to central banks.
Other meetings of Governors
The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS) is a high-level forum responsible for international collaboration on banking supervision. Chaired by Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, the GHOS meets periodically to decide on global banking regulations and oversee the work of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
The Financial Stability Institute helps central banks and regulators strengthen their financial systems. It supports the use of global rules and good supervision. It does this through policy work, sharing knowledge, and training.
Through this programme of regular meetings and support for the main global standard setters of the international financial system, BIS helps promote dialogue among central banks and supervisory authorities to foster global monetary and financial stability.
The future of central banking is inextricably linked to innovation. Whether in artificial intelligence, big data, fintech, digital currencies, or green finance, innovation offers an opportunity to leverage technology to develop new public goods for central banks and to make the financial system work better for everyone.
To address the growing need for central banks to collaborate in this space, the BIS Innovation Hub Centres provide a platform for responsible innovation, while the Cyber Resilience Coordination Centre enables central banks to protect themselves against the associated risks.
The Botta-building
It’s a Bank
As the name indicates, the BIS also acts as a bank. It offers financial services exclusively to central banks, monetary authorities, and international organisations. Its banking transactions fund the activities, salaries, offices and projects. The BIS is financially self-supporting, an exception in the field of international organisations!
Tower headquarters building
The current and planned premises
The BIS currently has two main buildings in Basel: the Tower headquarters building (designed by Martin Burckhardt in 1977) on the Centralbahnplatz and the Botta building (designed by Mario Botta in 1986) on Aeschenplatz. It also owns two older buildings facing onto Centralbahnstrasse and Gartenstrasse.
Following an international competition, the BIS decided to develop its complex with a new tower. The initial phase is expected to run until 2027.
(Source and further information: Bank for International Settlements)