The Funding Gap Problem in the Polish Banking Sector

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify the problem of maturity mismatches in the structure of banks’ assets and liabilities with particular reference to those that specialise in mortgages. The mismatches, which may cause a significant threat to the financial stability of a bank, are a consequence of the different expectations of borrowers and lenders. The greatest mismatches are found where the share of long-term mortgages in the banking sector’s loan portfolio is growing. One attempt to neutralize the mismatch problem was the introduction of long-term covered bonds. However, market conditions have prevented these bonds from playing a significant role in solving the problem.