A bank takes overnight deposits from checking accounts and lends them out for the next 10 years. This fundamental mismatch between the duration of assets and liabilities in the banking sector is a major problem, particularly in a world where more and more households and firms can withdraw and transfer funds simply by pulling out their iPhones.
For insurance companies, the duration of liabilities is different. In particular, life insurance companies owe policyholders a stream of future cash flows over the next 10 years. As a result, assets and liabilities are duration-matched in insurance firms.
The bottom line is that, in a world where mobile banking is more and more widespread, the duration mismatch in the banking sector is a growing risk, and every dollar that leaves the banking sector and goes to other long-term suitable sources of financing for firms and households makes the financial system more stable.







