Press Release: Bahamas Financial Stability Council Convenes its First Meeting for 2026

Published: Monday February 9th, 2026

Press Release

Bahamas Financial Stability Council Convenes its First Meeting for 2026

Following the signing of its joint Memorandum of Understanding in December 2024, The Bahamas Financial Stability Council (the Council) held its first meeting of 2026, and fourth overall, on 5 February 2026.

During the meeting, the Council held discussions with senior officials from the Gaming Board for The Bahamas (the Gaming Board) regarding the framework for supervisory oversight of the gaming sector and its relationship with the broader financial sector. Members of the Council discussed how collaborating on data gathering provides insight on developing a comprehensive approach to assessments of, and responses to, emerging risks and vulnerabilities within The Bahamas’ financial system. Council Members acknowledged that a part of fully surveilling the vulnerabilities that can impact financial stability will require enhanced data gathering on non–bank activities that formally engage with the public and other financial sector participants.

Since its inception, the Council has met with officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss the role enhanced data gathering and reporting would have on critically assessing financial sector stability. Following the engagement, the Council formed its Data Working Group (DWG) to formally advance reporting mechanisms to collect, gather, and report on financial stability and soundness indicators across the Bahamian financial sector.

In discussing the various supervisory frameworks and the limitations of current regulatory reporting, the DWG has begun to identify reporting gaps and propose solutions for a more coordinated and consistent approach to assessing the overall soundness of the financial sector. Moving forward, the Council, through its DWG, will also engage with the Gaming Board to extend data coverage to gaming sector activities.