Supervision

There are two pillars to our approach: prudential supervision and integrity supervision. Prudential supervision involves ensuring the soundness of financial institutions and a stable financial system. Integrity supervision involves maintaining a clean and ethical financial sector by tackling financial crime, such as money laundering, fraud, corruption and non-compliance with sanctions legislation. It also includes supervising ethical corporate culture, licensing and assessing management and supervisory board members in terms of fitness and propriety. Click here for more information about integrity supervision.

Three supervisory authorities 

Our supervision of financial institutions in the Caribbean Netherlands is based on the Financial Markets (BES) Act (Wet financiële markten BES – Wfm BES), which governs prudential and integrity supervision as well as conduct-of-business supervision. Three supervisory authorities are responsible for supervision: 

• De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) 
• The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) 
• Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS)

Financial institutions having their registered office in the Caribbean Netherlands fall under our prudential and integrity supervision. Branch offices are only subject to our integrity supervision, with prudential supervision of branch offices being carried out by the CBCS, through the institution's main enterprise.

Our mandate

Our mandate includes: 

• granting an institution access to the market, e.g. by issuing a licence 
• collecting information at a supervised institution and reviewing this against applicable supervisory requirements 
• intervening and making adjustments in a supervised institution if it fails to comply with applicable supervisory requirements 

The twin peaks model

There is a division of tasks between DNB and the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), in line with the twin peaks model enshrined in the European-Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht – Wft). We are responsible for prudential supervision, also of financial institutions for which the AFM is the licensing supervisory authority, and the AFM is responsible for conduct-of-business supervision, also of financial institutions for which DNB is the licensing supervisory authority.

Collaboration with other supervisory authorities

We work closely with other domestic and foreign supervisory authorities, such as the AFM, the CBCS and the Central Bank of Aruba (CBA). This cooperation includes 

• aligning delegated regulations and policies governing subjects that are relevant to both prudential and integrity supervision, and 
• exchanging information and coordinating specific supervisory activities. 

Information about specific subjects 

Are you operating as a financial institution or service provider in the Caribbean Netherlands or are you planning to do so? On the Market access page, you can find more information and application forms. If you cannot find the requested information or if you have any other questions, feel free to contact us (in Dutch or English). Just call us at +31 20 524 9111 on business days between 9:00 and 17:00 (Dutch time). Or drop us a line at info@dnb.nl. 

Want to know more about supervision of financial institutions and service providers? More information can be found on the following sector-specific pages:

Register

The register includes the licences granted under the Financial Markets (BES) Act (Wet financiële markten BES – Wfm BES). In general, financial institutions must have a licence from DNB to conduct activities in the Caribbean Netherlands. The register was prepared pursuant to Sections 2:19 and 2:20 of the Wfm BES and Sections 2:12 to 2:14 of the Financial Markets (BES) Decree (Besluit financiële markten BES – Bfm BES).