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Investopedia is written by contributors. I’ve read an article regarding how banks make loans that was completely wrong, it asserted that banks lend out consumer deposits, which is not true.

I think it’s a good start to learn common terms, or how certain financial instruments or securities work, but important to keep in mind that you might have to consult other sources

 

I assumed commercial banks use deposits (& other revenue sources) for their loans—enlighten me more

 

A common misconception most believe is that they think Joe goes to his local bank, deposits $100, then the bank takes that same $100 and loans it out to Jane at 8% while paying Joe 1%. Banks are not loaning out consumer deposits. They can’t. Every single loan made is money that the bank created out of thin air, and as loans are amortized, or paid back, the money is “destroyed”. That’s why to boost a slow economy or fight deflation, central banks will cut rates to encourage borrowers to borrow more, and banks to “create” more money to meet that demand, and central banks do the opposite to take money out of the system.

Deposits matter because under our fractional reserve banking system they determine how much a bank can lend out. The more deposits a bank holds, the more loans it’s legally allowed to make.

 

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