• greyw0lv@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    2 months ago

    Its profit in the long run yes. But in short term extra people accumulating debt means less cash floating around the bank to put into other investments.

    This can be an actual problem if it someone goes to withdraw their balance and the bank literally doesn’t have money becuse too many of their credit users spent the banks cash.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      2 months ago

      Nah, that’s what the federal reserve is for.

      Banks also need to hold on to cash if you have a massive credit line, even if it’s not used, because they need to be ready to use it. So banks already have reserves to handle increases in demand, and they can close some dormant accounts to free up cash if needed. For example, I have something like $100k in total credit limit across a dozen or so cards, get I only use like $4-5k at a time and pay mine off every month. So I’m taking a disproportionate share of the total credit limit, so banks want to close my cards (and they have closed like 2 in the past year due to lack of use).

      • Turbo@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        23 days ago

        It’s not like the banks need to set aside the full $100k that they extend to you on paper … they have to have “assets” of about 1/10th of that …

        Fractional reserve banking . Basically just create numbers out of thin air

        • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          0
          ·
          edit-2
          23 days ago

          Sure, they don’t need the full $100k, but they will need to make sure they can cover that full $100k if you end up using it. There’s a lot of statistics behind it, but in general, the higher your credit limit, the more cash they need to keep on hand, and if you’re only using like $100 of that, you’re a much less attractive customer than someone spending $100 on a $1k limit. There’s a cost to that limit, and the banks wants to make a profit from any limit they extend.

          Also, fractional reserve banking doesn’t come from “thin air,” they are based on strict regulatory rules and statistics to make sure both the regulators and the bankers are comfortable with the level of risk. If they need additional cash, there are mechanisms for that (e.g. borrowing from other banks at a given interest rate).

          • Turbo@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            0
            ·
            12 days ago

            It is still extremely far from the old days when money lent, was money/gold in the vault

            I have a easier time accepting 8% interest charge when someone actually took money out of their pocket to lend me versus a ponzi like scheme with “strict regulatory rules and statistics blah blah loan loss provisions” (which sounds wonderful and for our good and safety).

            They make a shit ton of money…

            The models are just risk and likelihood based to determine cash requirements and how much they can lend out (way more than cash they have) yet they charge the same fee as if they had the funds.

            I’d rather borrow from my grandma and pay her 8% since she deserves it for parting with her money.