Peter Pang: Developing critical financial infrastructure between Hong
Kong and Thailand
Opening remarks by Mr Peter Pang, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary
Authority, at the HKMA-BOT Joint Press Conference on the Launch of US Dollar - Thai Baht
PvP Link, Hong Kong, 28 July 2014.
* * *
Deputy Governor, ladies and gentlemen,
1. Good afternoon. It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this press conference
jointly organised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Bank of
Thailand (BOT). I would like to thank Deputy Governor Mr. Krirk Vanikkul for joining
me here to announce the launch of the payment-versus-payment (PvP) link between
BAHTNET, the Thai Baht Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system in Thailand,
and the US dollar RTGS system in Hong Kong.
2. Time flies. About a year ago the HKMA and BOT announced in Bangkok to build this
PvP link. With the concerted effort of colleagues on both sides, the link went live
today as scheduled, after completion of the system development and meticulous
testing with the users. The banks in both jurisdictions have been fully engaged to
ensure maximum readiness, on both technical and business fronts, for the launch of
the link.
3. This PvP link is an iconic project that symbolises the determination of the HKMA and
BOT to work together to promote financial integration and financial stability in the
region through the linkage of critical financial infrastructure. It will bring significant
benefits in three areas.
4. First and foremost, this PvP link will help eliminate settlement risk in US dollar-Thai
Baht foreign exchange (FX) transactions. Prior to this link, the settlement of the two
currency legs was done in different time zones and in an uncoordinated manner -
Thai Baht (THB) in the Asian time zone, followed by US dollar (USD) during New
York hours. With the new PvP link, all payments can be made within the Asian time
zone and in a coordinated manner by adopting the PvP mode. Under this
arrangement, when a Thai Bank delivers (or receives) THB to (or from) its
counterparty in Bangkok, the correspondent bank of the Thai Bank in Hong Kong
receives (or delivers) USD at the same time. Hence, the risk due to time lag in
settling the two legs of the FX transaction can be removed.
5. Second, the reduction in FX settlement risk will open up new business opportunities
for banks in both Thailand and Hong Kong. USD against THB transactions
accounted for about 75% of Thailand's FX transactions in 2013. Through this link,
banks in Thailand can benefit from the highly flexible and cost-effective solution
offered by the USD RTGS system in Hong Kong for managing the settlement risk of
their USD FX transactions. The seven-and-a-half-hour PvP window offers a high
degree of convenience to the system users. With an average daily turnover
exceeding USD22 billion and over 90 participating banks (including 18 that have a
significant presence in Thailand), our USD RTGS system in Hong Kong provides
ample USD liquidity and easily accessible correspondent banking service to Thai
banks for the PvP service. This should help them develop a wider range of banking
services and financial products in Thailand. At our end, banks in Hong Kong will find
new correspondent banking opportunities through serving Thai banks in settling their
USD FX transactions in Hong Kong. I am sure this new relationship will create
opportunities for commercial cooperation on other fronts.
6. Third, the link will also help banks comply with supervisory requirements relating to
the management of FX risk in a cost-effective manner. In February 2013, the Basel
Committee on Banking Supervision issued an updated guidance on management of
FX risk, which recommends that banks should reduce principal risk as much as
practicable by settling FX transactions through the use of financial market
infrastructure that provides PvP settlement. This recommended best practice is
being implemented by bank supervisors on a global basis. The decision of BOT to
implement the PvP link will certainly facilitate banks and the payment and settlement
systems in Thailand to meet these recommended standards in good time.
7. While these are all good reasons to introduce the PvP link, its success will depend
on the commitment and dedication of all parties concerned. The HKMA and BOT are
fully committed to the successful implementation of this PvP link. Over the past year,
exceptional effort has been made by BOT to engage Thai banks to encourage
participation and adequate preparation for its implementation. On our side, apart
from rendering support on the technical front, we have been in close dialogue with
the participating banks of the USD RTGS system, especially those active in
correspondent banking activities, to facilitate Thai banks to identify suitable
correspondent banking service providers in Hong Kong. These efforts are bearing
fruit. About half of the banks in Thailand, including most of those active in the FX
market, participated in the pre-launch tests together with their USD correspondent
banks in Hong Kong. On the back of the keen interest observed, I am confident that
we will see sizeable flow of transactions through this link.
8. Expanding the footprint of the local financial market infrastructure is a strategy
actively pursued by the HKMA to develop Hong Kong into a regional payment and
settlement hub. This PvP link with Thailand is the third of its kind in the region,
preceded by the launch of the links with Malaysia and Indonesia, in 2006 and 2010
respectively. According to the latest triennial survey on global FX market activity of
the Bank for International Settlements, the average daily turnover in FX transactions
in Asia increased by 27.5% from US$962 billion equivalent in April 2010 to
US$1,227 billion equivalent in April 2013. This is in line with the growth in the
activities of the two existing cross border PvP links recorded by us. Since 2010, the
combined average daily turnover of the links with Malaysia and Indonesia has
doubled, reaching a new record of US$5.4 billion last month. This is equivalent to an
annual growth of about 23%. Other economies in the region, especially those with
significant FX transactions, can similarly be benefited from a reduction in settlement
risk and increase in efficiency in the settlement of FX transactions by establishing a
PvP link with the USD RTGS system in Hong Kong.
9. The HKMA will continue to watch out for opportunities to collaborate with Asian
neighbours to develop infrastructural solutions to meet growing regional demand for
more efficient and robust settlement solutions.
10. Lastly, I would like to thank BOT again for the Bank's commitment and
professionalism leading to the successful launch of the PvP link. Based on the solid
foundation laid through this project, I keenly look forward to working with BOT in
other areas of central bank cooperation to contribute further to regional financial
stability and prosperity.
11. Thank you.