Why regulators seized Signature Bank in third-biggest bank failure in U.S. history (2024)

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On Friday, Signature Bank customers spooked by the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank withdrew more than $10 billion in deposits, a board member told CNBC.

That run on deposits quickly led to the third-largest bank failure in U.S. history. Regulators announced late Sunday that Signature was being taken over to protect its depositors and the stability of the U.S. financial system.

The sudden move shocked executives of Signature Bank, a New York-based institution with deep ties to the real estate and legal industries, said board member and former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank. Signature had 40 branches, assets of $110.36 billion and deposits of $88.59 billion at the end of 2022, according to a regulatory filing.

The Signature Bank headquarters at 565 Fifth Avenue in New York, US, on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Lokman Vural Elibol | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

"We had no indication of problems until we got a deposit run late Friday, which was purely contagion from SVB," Frank told CNBC in a phone interview.

Problems for U.S. banks with exposure to the frothiest asset classes of the Covid pandemic — crypto and tech startups — boiled over last week with the wind down of crypto-centric Silvergate Bank. While that firm's demise had been long expected, it helped ignite a panic about banks with high levels of uninsured deposits. Venture capital investors and founders drained their Silicon Valley Bank accounts Thursday, leading to its seizure by midday Friday.

Worries spread

That led to pressure on Signature, First Republic and other names late last week on fears that uninsured deposits could be locked up or lose value, either of which could be fatal to startups.

Signature Bank wasfounded in 2001as a more business-friendly alternative to the big banks. It expanded to the West Coast and then opened itself to the crypto industry in 2018, which helped turbocharge deposit growth in recent years. The bank created a 24/7 payments network for crypto clients and had $16.5 billion in deposits from digital-asset-related customers.

Why regulators seized Signature Bank in third-biggest bank failure in U.S. history (2)

Shares of Signature Bank have been under pressure.

But as waves of concern spread late last week, Signature customers moved deposits to bigger banks including JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, Frank said.

According to Frank, Signature executives explored "all avenues" to shore up its situation, including finding more capital and gauging interest from potential acquirers. The deposit exodus had slowed by Sunday, he said, and executives believed they had stabilized the situation.

Instead, Signature's top managers have been summarily removed and the bank was shuttered Sunday. Regulators are now conducting a sales process for the bank, while guaranteeing that customers will have access to deposits and service will continue uninterrupted.

Poster child

The move raised some eyebrows among observers. In the same Sunday announcement that identified SVB and Signature Bank as risks to financial stability, regulators announced new facilities to shore up confidence in the country's other banks.

Another bank that had been under pressure in recent days, First Republic declared that it had more than $70 billion in untapped funding from the Federal Reserve and JPMorgan Chase.

For his part, Frank, who helped draft the landmark Dodd-Frank Act after the 2008 financial crisis, said there was "no real objective reason" that Signature had to be seized.

"I think part of what happened was that regulators wanted to send a very strong anti-crypto message," Frank said. "We became the poster boy because there was no insolvency based on the fundamentals."

Why regulators seized Signature Bank in third-biggest bank failure in U.S. history (2024)

FAQs

Why regulators seized Signature Bank in third-biggest bank failure in U.S. history? ›

Signature Bank was shut down by federal regulators on March 12, 2023. The bank's failure resulted from regulator concern about depositors withdrawing large amounts of money after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the fear of continued contagion.

Why did regulators seize signature banks? ›

Please update your browser or turn off ad blocker to continue to watch. What Led to the Collapse of Signature Bank? Signature Bank was seized by the government Sunday after regulators lost faith in management and depositors fled, according to New York officials.

Which bank was the largest bank failure in US history? ›

The largest bank failure ever occurred when Washington Mutual Bank went under in 2008. At the time, it had about $307 billion in assets. During the uncertainty of the banking crisis, however, Washington Mutual experienced a bank run where customers withdrew almost $17 billion in assets in less than 10 days.

Why did the government take over Signature Bank? ›

In a joint statement released on Sunday, March 12, 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department, Federal Reserve, and FDIC said that keeping Signature Bank open would have threatened the stability of the entire banking system, and through their actions, they sought to reassure Americans that any financial contagion was firmly ...

Why did regulators shut down SVB? ›

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was shut down in March 2023 by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Based in Santa Clara, California, the bank was shut down after its investments greatly decreased in value and its depositors withdrew large amounts of money, among other factors.

Did regulators seize Signature Bank in the third largest bank failure in the US? ›

Why regulators seized Signature Bank in third-biggest bank failure in U.S. history. On Friday, Signature Bank customers spooked by the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank withdrew more than $10 billion in deposits, a board member told CNBC.

What do regulators do when a bank fails? ›

When a bank fails, the FDIC or a state regulatory agency takes over and either sells or dissolves the bank. Most banks in the US are insured by the FDIC, which provides coverage up to $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC bank, per ownership category.

What is the third largest bank failure in US history? ›

List of largest bank failures in the United States
BankCityAssets at time of failure
Nominal
Signature BankNew York$118 billion
Continental Illinois National Bank and TrustChicago$40.0 billion
First Republic Bank CorporationDallas$32.5 billion
77 more rows

Which 3 banks collapsed in usa? ›

It prompted a massive liquidity crisis, thereby leading to the collapse. Over the last week, we've observed the collapse of three major banks in the United States - Silvergate, Silicon Valley, and Signature. However, what led to this occurrence, and is there a connection between their simultaneous decline?

Which 3 banks collapsed in the states? ›

The collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in March 2023—then the second- and third-largest bank failures in U.S. history—took consumers by surprise. Subsequently, three more banks failed in 2023: First Republic Bank in May, Heartland Tri-State Bank in July and Citizens Bank of Sac City in November.

When did Signature Bank fail? ›

On March 12, 2023, Signature Bank, New York, NY, was closed by the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was named Receiver. No advance notice is given to the public when a financial institution is closed.

What bank bought out Signature Bank? ›

Amid last year's regional banking turmoil, NYCB acquired the failed Signature Bank, taking over most of its deposits and a third of its assets, including $13 billion in loans, according to the report. Initially, investors responded with enthusiasm, driving NYCB shares higher, the report said.

When did regulators take over SVB? ›

As many of you are aware, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a bank licensed by the State of California whose deposits are insured by the FDIC, was seized by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and placed into FDIC receivership on Friday, March 10.

Why did Feds seize SVB? ›

The bank failed after depositors – mostly technology workers and venture capital-backed companies – created a run on it.

Did regulators warn SVB? ›

Recent reporting has indicated that, more than a year ago, the San Francisco Fed did notice problems—including how the bank managed its exposure to changes in interest rates and whether it would have enough cash in a crisis—and warned S.V.B. about them.

What bank was closed by regulators? ›

Financial regulators have closed Silicon Valley Bank and taken control of its deposits, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. announced Friday, in what is the largest U.S. bank failure since the global financial crisis more than a decade ago.

Did the FDIC seize Signature Bank? ›

On March 12, 2023, Signature Bank, New York, NY, was closed by the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was named Receiver.

When did FDIC take over Signature Bank? ›

Signature Bridge Bank, N.A., was created by the FDIC on March 12, 2023, to take over the operations of Signature Bank, New York, New York, after the New York State Department of Financial Services closed the bank and appointed the FDIC as receiver.

Why did SVB and Signature Bank collapse? ›

SVB stockholders and investors took a big hit because, unlike customers, they were not backed by FDIC on their investment. Other issues include a lack of money from deposits for immediate expenses such as payroll. Large tech companies with significant cash in SVB include Etsy, Roblox, Rocket Labs and Roku.

Did regulators order Silicon Valley Bank to shut down? ›

Over a period of just two days in March 2023, the bank went from solvent to broke as depositors rushed to SVB to withdraw their funds, resulting in federal regulators closing the bank for good on March 10, 2023. SVB's collapse marked the second largest bank failure in U.S. history after Washington Mutual's in 2008.

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