Gridlocked consumers are begging a frazzled George Bailey to give them their money as they are pressed shoulder to shoulder. The fear that accompanied the Silicon Valley Bank collapse last week is the only similarity; instead, it happened on Twitter, message boards, mobile devices, and bank websites. The speed with which Silicon Valley Bank failed to set it apart from other significant bank failures. Last week, the $200 billion bank revealed a proposal to seek new capital. It was bankrupt and under government administration.
Regulators, policymakers, and bankers are examining how social media and digital messaging may have contributed to the collapse and whether banks are entering an era in which the psychological behaviour that drives a bank run—mass fear from depositors of losing their savings—may be amplified and go viral faster than bank officers and regulators can effectively respond.
According to The Associated Press, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation estimates that customers withdrew $40 billion, or one-fifth of Silicon Valley Bank’s deposits, in a matter of hours. As a result, the agency decided to close the bank before 12 pm rather than follow its standard operating procedure, which is to wait until a bank runs out of money.
“You are not performing your duties as a board member or a shareholder if you are not advising your firms to get the cash-out. Startup existence is perilous enough; don’t gamble with your lifeline, “Mangrove’s CEO Mark Tluszcz said on Twitter on Friday morning. Mangrove is an investment firm with offices across Europe.
Several well-known bank failures, like IndyMac, Washington Mutual, or Continental Illinois in the 1980s, didn’t occur for days or weeks after reports indicated those institutions had severe financial problems. Then a run happened, and authorities intervened.
The Silicon Valley Bank Run was the first of the digital era in many ways. At one bank, a few depositors lined up. Instead, they made phone calls and used bank applications to access their money quickly. According to venture investors and business owners who described the early Silicon Valley run, entrepreneurs were urged to withdraw their money from private message boards or Slack channels.
The fact that Silicon Valley Bank was virtually exclusively exposed to one community—the tech sector, venture capital, and startups—also made it unusual. Industry experts said this was a risk outside of social media’s growth.
The bank became more susceptible to rumours and a run when this tight-knit network of depositors communicated with one another, using digital channels to do so swiftly. Currently, the whole banking sector is struggling with the possibility that they will be the next victims of a bank run sparked by social media.
