Second, the regulators worldwide have initiated steps to refurbish the market infrastructure, particularly for the OTC derivatives, opaqueness of which is often the reason ascribed for the crisis. As of now, it is not clear how long it would take for the uncertainties to recede from the global financial markets and what would be the final shape of the regulatory framework and market infrastructure.
The number of small banks has decreased; concentration ratios – measured as the share of banking system assets held by the largest five banks – have increased both in the euro area and in the United States. In Italy, at the end of 2016, the share of total assets accounted for by the five largest banks amounted to 43 percent.