These are •  first, implementing monetary policy in Germany;  •  second, and closely related to the first, maintaining the supply of cash;  •  third, executing domestic and cross-border payments, thus contributing to the smooth functioning of payment and clearing systems;  •  fourth, ensuring the stability of the financial and monetary system; and  •  fifth, carrying out banking supervision.
These core business areas are supplemented by a number of other fields of activity, such as statistics and research, which see to it that the right conditions are in place for successful work in the core business areas. 4  BIS central bankers’ speeches  5.