What Drives Sectoral Differences in Currency Derivative Usage in a Small Open Economy? Evidence from Supervisory Data

Zuzana Gric, Jan Janků, Simona Malovaná

Using a sample of nearly 980,000 new derivative transactions from about 1,700 unique institutions, we explore sectoral differences in currency derivatives usage in the Czech financial sector from 2020 to 2022. We find that larger financial institutions, institutions that are part of complex financial groups, and institutions with higher foreign exposure are more likely to engage in currency derivative transactions. Contrary to other studies, we find that financially stable institutions use currency derivatives more frequently, reflecting the long-term stability of the Czech financial system. However, the significance of key characteristics varies across financial segments. Banks are less sensitive to changes in leverage, while liquidity is crucial for investment funds.

JEL codes: F30, G15, G23, G32

Keywords: Currency derivatives, EMIR, FX derivatives, GLEIF, market-based finance

Issued: October 2023

Download: CNB WP No. 12/2023 (pdf, 5 MB)