brand
In payments, a brand is the market identity under which a provider offers a card or other payment service. It enables users and businesses to recognize the product and distinguishes it from competing offerings…
Month: August 2026
Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6)
BPM6 establishes internationally harmonized rules for measuring an economy’s external accounts. It covers cross-border flows, such as trade and financial transactions, as well as the foreign assets and liabilities recorded in the international investment…
backup system
A backup system provides an alternative means of continuing operations when the normal arrangement is disrupted. It can be used to preserve business activities, services, or infrastructure during outages or other interruptions, regardless of…
bilateral procedure
A bilateral procedure is a transaction format in which a central bank selects and engages specific eligible parties rather than inviting competing offers from the market as a whole. It can be used for…
batch (bulk payments)
Batch processing refers to submitting multiple payment or securities-transfer instructions as one operational set, allowing the relevant system to manage them under a common processing arrangement rather than individually.
book-entry transaction
A book-entry transaction is one carried out solely through records maintained in financial accounts. For investments, the relevant institution updates the holder's securities position instead of exchanging paper certificates. In payment services, it may…
Business Identifier Code (BIC)
A BIC is an alphanumeric identifier assigned to a bank or other financial institution for use in payment and messaging activities. SWIFT administers the BIC registration system. Each identifier has an eight-character core, while…
bilateral exposure
Bilateral exposure measures the potential financial loss arising from a specific counterparty relationship if that counterparty does not fulfill its contractual duties. It can apply to lending, trading, settlement and other obligations involving institutions,…
book-entry system
A book-entry system maintains investors' ownership interests in digital account records rather than issuing paper certificates. When an interest changes hands, the relevant accounts are updated electronically to reflect the new holder, eliminating the…
Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD)
The Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD) is the EU rulebook for preparing banks and certain investment firms for financial distress and addressing failures when they occur. It requires firms and authorities to plan…