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What is the difference between a liquidity and a solvency crisis?

…and which is worse?
March 20, 2023
  • The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank continues to cause market tensions
  • And rising interest rates could increase the risk of future crises

What is the difference between solvency and liquidity?

In simple terms, liquidity is a measure of ‘flow’: does an institution have enough short-term funds on hand to meet its immediate financial obligations and avoid default? Solvency, on the other hand, is a ‘stock’ measure, and requires an institution to be able to pay its debts over the medium and long term. To be solvent, an institution’s assets need to exceed its liabilities.

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