Informal Funds Transfer Systems

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been increased public interest in informal funds transfer (IFT) systems. This paper examines the informal hawala system, an IFT system found predominantly in the Middle East and South Asia. The paper examines the historical and socioeconomic context within which the hawala has evolved, the operational features that make it susceptible to potential financial abuse, the fiscal and monetary implications for hawala-remitting and hawala-recipient countries, and current regulatory and supervisory responses.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been increased public interest in informal funds transfer (IFT) systems. This paper examines the informal hawala system, an IFT system found predominantly in the Middle East and South Asia. The paper examines the historical and socioeconomic context within which the hawala has evolved, the operational features that make it susceptible to potential financial abuse, the fiscal and monetary implications for hawala-remitting and hawala-recipient countries, and current regulatory and supervisory responses.

Hawala and other remittance systems have gained attention in recent years with the substantial growth of remittance flows from countries with large migrant labor forces and with increased focus on combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The IMF and the World Bank have been researching these systems since 2002 to better understand the interplay of historical, cultural, and economic factors that promote such systems. This book is a survey of regulatory practices and an overview of experiences in different countries, and includes articles on regulatory frameworks in remitting and receiving countries and on the problems that can arise when regulating remittance systems.

The International Transactions in Remittance: Guide for Compilers and Users (RCG) presents concepts, definitions, and classifications related to remittances. It is consistent with the new standards for measuring balance of payments transactions, as contained in the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6). These standards are used globally to compile comprehensive and comparable data. The RCG identifies the main remittances compilation methods currently being used by compilers and discusses in detail the strengths and weaknesses of each method. It is the first manual providing compilation guidance for remittances and is also the first compilation guide based on concepts set out in BPM6. Although the RCG is primarily aimed at remittances data compilers, it may also be useful for users who wish to understand remittances data.

Examining the experience of the Canada-Vietnam remittances corridor over the past several years, this title is a first step towards identifying the main features and pointing out some of the areas and issues that researchers and authorities should examine more closely. In contrast to the large size and advanced level of development of the U.S.-Mexico remittances corridor, examined in the first case study, the Canada-Vietnam corridor is small in absolute terms and still at a nascent stage of shifting from informal to formal systems. For purposes of discussion, 'The Canada-Vietnam Remittance Corridor' breaks down the remittance process into three stages: - the First Mile, when decisions are in the hands of the remittance sender; - the Intermediary Stage, comprising the systems that facilitate the cross-border transfer of funds, and; - the Last Mile, where the funds reach the hands of the remittance recipient. By analyzing the objectives, obstacles, incentives, and changes occurring at each of these stages in the Canada-Vietnam corridor, lessons are drawn for other remittance sending and receiving countries that seek to encourage formalization of the flows.

The experience of Mexican nationals who send money home from the United States forms the basis for this study. The authors identify three stages of the remittance process: the First Mile, when decisions are in the hands of the remittance sender; the Intermediary Stage, comprising systems that facilitate the cross-border transfer of funds; and the Last Mile, where the funds reach the hands of the remittance recipient. This analysis, covering the last eight years, may provide guidance for other remittance sending and receiving countries that seek to encourage formalization of the flow.