French banks local claims of foreign affiliates
French banks local claims of foreign affiliates stood at 1,974,119 USD million in Q1 2026, according to BIS – consolidated banking statistics (WS_CBS_PUB), reported by Banque de France. It is one of the indicators in the International positions of French banks table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 2005 to Q1 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the International positions of French banks table
| Indicator | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | Q4-2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local and cross-border claims and off-balance-sheet exposures | |||||||||||
| Local claims of foreign affiliates | 1,974,119 | 1,944,631 | 1,972,503 | 1,957,762 | 1,836,213 | 1,680,352 | 1,876,058 | 1,769,574 | 1,795,742 | 1,725,858 | |
| Cross-border claims | 2,468,289 | 2,388,852 | 2,436,312 | 2,415,320 | 2,177,534 | 1,952,921 | 2,190,255 | 2,029,192 | 1,978,199 | 1,799,841 |
Understanding french banks local claims of foreign affiliates
Financial claims generated by foreign branches and subsidiaries of home-country banking groups within their respective host economies measure the localized footprint of multinational lenders. This series includes loans, local securities holdings, and other assets booked directly by overseas affiliates in the local currency or foreign currencies. It excludes cross-border claims originating from the home country or third-party jurisdictions. The aggregation captures the brick-and-mortar lending activities deployed inside foreign markets rather than cross-border capital flows.
When reading this data, analysts must recognize that local affiliate lending is often funded by local deposit mobilization, making it structurally distinct from cross-border wholesale funding. Currency translation effects can significantly impact the reported figures when host currencies fluctuate against the reporting denomination. Period-on-period changes reflect local economic credit demand and affiliate expansion strategies rather than cross-border macroeconomic shocks. Comparisons with cross-border claims illustrate the dual channels through which domestic banks engage with international markets.
Frequently asked questions
- Are home-country domestic claims included in local claims of foreign affiliates?
- No, local claims refer exclusively to operations conducted by foreign-located branches and subsidiaries.
- How are local claims funded?
- Foreign affiliates frequently fund local claims through local customer deposits and regional wholesale borrowing.
- Why do these figures vary independently of cross-border claims?
- Local affiliate lending responds to domestic credit conditions in the host country, whereas cross-border claims depend on international capital mobility.