Universal regulator model on the up

Three new unified regulators were established last year: the Georgian Financial Supervisory Agency, Financial Supervisory Authority in Finland and the Swiss Financial Services Supervisory Agency, reported the latest edition of How Countries Supervise their Banks, Insurers and Securities Markets, published by Central Banking Publications.

The number of countries adopting the model has now risen from four in 1980 to 45 last year. Twenty five have been created since the turn of the century. Guatemala set up the first unified regulator, the Superintendencia de Bancos de Guatemala, in 1946. Of the G7 countries, three - the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan - have adopted the model.

Now in its 9th edition, How Countries Supervise their Banks, Insurers and Securities Markets 2009, a guide to the world's financial regulatory authorities, was published on Monday 16 February.