François Villeroy de Galhau: Financial stability in the age of digital industry Introducing speech by Mr François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Bank of France, at the Paris Europlace International Financial Forum, New York City, 18 April 2016. *  *  *  Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce this third round table by presenting the latest issue of the Banque de France Financial Stability Review entitled “Financial Stability in the Digital Era”. This new edition of the FSR addresses a very topical issue in the financial world, the impact of digitalisation and how to regulate such changes where necessary. I am keen to hear today’s exchange of views. In this FSR, we have gathered contributions from prominent academics, practitioners and policy-makers in order to shed light on the impact of innovation on financial stability. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the contributors who have provided their views and analyses on such a technical and forward-looking topic. I cannot list all the contributors just now but I would like to give a special mention to Ms Karen Gifford who is with us today. The contributions presented in the FSR are very diverse in nature. The aim of the FSR is to help readers form an opinion; it is not designed to convey the explicit message of the Banque de France. The core aims of our Review are to exchange ideas, explore a given theme from various angles, and juxtapose different analyses and opinions.
The regulation of financial services created in the wake of the digital wave must be tailored to its specific risks. To this end, we must adhere to two principles of action. The first principle is an absolute guarantee of payment and transaction security. In the framework of its mandate to oversee the security of payment instruments, the Banque de France strives to promote innovative, effective and safe payment solutions. In this respect, it ensures that the emergence of new players and new solutions does not reduce security. Central banks are also trying to take a proactive approach towards the digital transition, to avoid being left behind by the highly technical nature of certain innovations. For instance, discussions are underway at the Banque de France over how to monitor the development of initiatives concerning blockchain technology, both in terms of the possibilities it offers and the issues it raises notably in terms of security. The second principle is a proportionate adaptation of regulations and supervision to address the development of fintechs. The regulation applied to these new players should avoid stifling innovations that may be beneficial to consumers and, more generally, to the economy and society; but at the same time it should also guarantee consumer protection and address issues of financial stability. Specific regulations, allowing for a gradual adjustment of regulatory intensity, might be better suited to preventing the risks generated by fintech firms.