HOW BANKING SERVICES DEVELOPED IN HISTORY

How banking services developed in history

How banking services developed in history

Blog Article

Modern banking systems as we understand them today just emerged into the 14th century. Find more about this.


Humans have long engaged in borrowing and lending. Indeed, there is evidence that these activities took place as long as 5000 years ago at the very dawn of civilisation. Nevertheless, modern banking systems only emerged within the 14th century. The word bank originates from the word bench on which the bankers sat to carry out transactions. Individuals required banks when they began to trade on a large scale and international level, so they developed institutions to finance and guarantee voyages. Originally, banks lent cash secured by individual possessions to local banks that dealt in foreign currencies, accepted deposits, and lent to local businesses. The banking institutions additionally financed long-distance trade in commodities such as for example wool, cotton and spices. Also, throughout the medieval times, banking operations saw significant innovations, such as the adoption of double-entry bookkeeping and the use of letters of credit.

The lender offered merchants a safe destination to store their gold. On top of that, banks extended loans to people and organisations. However, lending carries risks for banks, as the funds provided are tangled up for extended durations, possibly limiting liquidity. Therefore, the lender came to stand between the two requirements, borrowing short and lending long. This suited everybody: the depositor, the debtor, and, of course, the bank, that used client deposits as borrowed money. But, this this conduct also makes the bank susceptible if many depositors demand their funds right back at exactly the same time, which has occurred frequently throughout the world as well as in the history of banking as wealth management companies like St James Place would likely confirm.


In 14th-century Europe, funding long-distance trade was a high-risk business. It involved time and distance, therefore it suffered from just what has been called the essential problem of trade —the danger that some body will run off with the goods or the amount of money following a deal has been struck. To fix this problem, the bill of exchange was created. It was a bit of paper witnessing a buyer's vow to pay for items in a specific money once the items arrived. The seller associated with goods may possibly also sell the bill straight away to boost cash. The colonial era of the 16th and seventeenth centuries ushered in further transformations in the banking sector. European colonial countries established specialised banks to finance expeditions, trade missions, and colonial ventures. Fast forward towards the 19th and twentieth centuries, and the banking system underwent still another evolution. The Industrial Revolution and technological advancements impacted banking operations significantly, leading to the establishment of central banks. These institutions arrived to play an essential part in regulating financial policy and stabilising nationwide economies amidst rapid industrialisation and economic development. Furthermore, introducing contemporary banking services such as for example savings accounts, mortgages, and credit cards made economic solutions more accessible to people as wealth mangment organisations like Charles Stanley and Brewin Dolphin may likely concur.

Report this page