The financial sector is reliable due to its structural solidity: CNBV

Cancún, QR., Confidence in the Mexican financial system is sustained by its structural solidity, assured the president of the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV), Ángel Cabrera, who stated that the bank maintains capitalization levels above regulatory minimums, robust liquidity ratios and a default rate close to 2 percent, in a context marked by recent episodes of tension in the sector.

In an interview conducted during the 89th Banking Convention, the official pointed out that these indicators have allowed the perception of trust among users to be maintained, despite events such as the collapse of a popular financial company (Sofipo) and international accusations towards financial institutions in the recent year.

“Confidence in the financial system is born from its solidity,” he said, highlighting that commercial banking has shown resilience even in adverse scenarios.

However, he acknowledged that strengthening that trust is an ongoing process and that structural challenges still exist, particularly in financial inclusion and the use of cash.

Cabrera explained that the role of the CNBV is not limited to regulation, but covers the supervision and development of the financial system, with the aim of guaranteeing stability and preventing risks.

He highlighted that the banking commission has strengthened its processes to anticipate financial, market and credit risks, through stricter supervision and surveillance schemes.

The official defended that the application of sanctions and the actions of the authority do not weaken trust, but rather strengthen it, by demonstrating that there is effective surveillance over the entities.

“A financial system supervised, regulated and monitored by an authority concerned with its development, generates trust,” he stated.

Recent episodes and regulatory response

Regarding recent events in the sector, the president of the CNBV acknowledged that he took office in a context of high pressure, marked by cases such as that of a Sofipo that left savers affected, as well as tensions derived from external factors.

He indicated that, although these episodes show vulnerabilities, they have also led to more timely regulatory and supervisory decisions, particularly in the resolution of unviable entities.

“We will make the decisions that are necessary to protect the financial system and people,” he stated.

As part of these actions, he detailed that regulatory changes have been made in the Sofipo sector, focused on strengthening capital integration, risk management and protection mechanisms for savers.

He indicated that the protection fund and internal supervision processes have been reinforced, as part of a strategy to avoid similar cases in the future.

In parallel, Cabrera warned that one of the main pending issues of the financial system is to deepen inclusion, pointing out that, although around 80 percent of adults in Mexico have at least one financial product, this does not guarantee effective use or access to more complex services.

He explained that a large part of the population maintains basic products, such as payroll accounts or retirement savings, but without access to credit, investment or insurance.

Added to this is the high use of cash in the economy, which limits the development of the financial system and the traceability of operations.

Given this, he pointed out that the CNBV promotes measures to promote digitalization and the use of electronic payment methods, as part of a system development strategy.

Security and banking

The president of the CNBV also defended the importance of banking access against informal savings schemes, warning that these can put people’s assets at risk.

He argued that the formal financial system offers security conditions as it is regulated and supervised, in addition to opening opportunities for access to credit, investment and asset development. “Participating in the financial system is the key to generating financial well-being.”

Finally, it recommended that users verify that the institutions with which they operate are registered in the registry of entities supervised by the CNBV, as a measure to avoid fraud.