SVB is Silicon Valley Bank, the almost exclusive banking network for Venture Capitalists (VC), tech sector start-ups and tech industry holding accounts. 48 hours ago, SVB was a “grade A” Moodys rating. As of tonight, they are insolvent.
“All told, customers withdrew a staggering $42 billion of deposits by the end of Thursday, according to a California regulatory filing. […] “The precipitous deposit withdrawal has caused the Bank to be incapable of paying its obligations as they come due,” the California financial regulator stated. “The bank is now insolvent.” (link)
Now, as ridiculous as this sounds outside Silicon Valley, the powers that be are concerned about a ‘contagion‘ effect, and openly discussing the need for a taxpayer funded bailout. Blood-boiling doesn’t even begin to describe the sensation.
Let the Silicon Valley companies who started with the funds from the bank sell some of their capitalization on the market and finance the bailout themselves. After all, this is one interconnected system of lenders, borrowers and investors. This is not a crisis for the guy making their catered lunches, mowing their lawns, or washing their clothes.
♦The system. A tech guy/gal has an idea or product. Venture Capitalists (VC) organize the funding for the idea/product and go to SVB for money to start the company. The bank funds the startup and takes an equity position in the company. The VC brokers the deal, takes payment and also takes an equity position. The company launches and if successful builds a multi-billion enterprise. If they IPO (most do) then shares of the company are sold and the value of the company rises with the increased stock purchasing.
The shares of the company are capital. The shares can be sold to create funds that can support SVB. If SVB needs funds, let the networked companies sell some of their capital and fund the bank that generated their venture. They do not need outside ‘bailouts’. That’s just the way I look at it.
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