The history of bank supervision in America and the road ahead

How banks are supervised has been an intense debate for decades. Too often this conversation has focused on legislative and regulatory rules, ignoring the discretionary application of these rules that comprise bank supervision. In their new book, “Private Finance, Public Power: A History of Bank Supervision in America,” professors Peter Conti-Brown and Sean Vanatta uncover how the American system of bank oversight works and how it came to be.

On June 10, the Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets hosted a conference which featured the authors of this book and multiple panels of experts to examine the complex questions of bank supervision. Former Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) Chair Sheila Bair offered a keynote, with panels that featured a wide range of viewpoints from leading academics, former policymakers, industry leaders, and top journalists. The book’s authors reported their findings, and all participants addressed how they see the future of bank supervision.

This event is a part of the Center on Regulation and Markets Series on Financial Markets and Regulation. Viewers asked questions in advance by emailing [email protected] and on X @BrookingsEcon using #BankSupervision.