Central and Commercial Bank: What’s the Difference?

The primary difference between Central and Commercial Banks; In any country’s financial sector, banks play a crucial role in the overall economic development, by mobilizing savings of individuals and entities. They act as an intermediary between depositor and borrower. Besides lending money, banks provide various other value-added services, that help in the smooth functioning of the economy. Also, the Central bank, as the name suggests is the apex body, that regulates the entire banking system of the economy.

Learn, Explain the Difference between Central and Commercial Banks!

The Central bank is not the same as a commercial bank, which is the financial institution that provides banking services to individuals and firms. There is a big difference between the central bank and commercial bank in India, in the sense that the former is the top financial institution in the country, whereas the latter is an agent of the Central Bank. Check out the article in which we have compiled some differences in tabular form.

Definition of Central Banks:

Central Bank is the supreme financial institution that regulates the banking and monetary system of the country. It is formed to bring monetary stability, issue notes, and maintain the value of a country’s currency in the international market. It administers the currency and credit system of the nation.

In India, the Reserve Bank of India plays the role of a central bank, which came into existence, after passing an act in parliament in 1934. The bank is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The following are the main functions of the Central Banks:

• It has the power to control, direct, and supervise commercial banks. Also helps them at the time of need.
• It employs various measures to control the credit operations of the commercial banks.
• It’s the banker and advisor to the government of the country.
• It acts as a manager of foreign exchange reserves.
• It collects and publishes information relating to the banking and financial sector.
• It’s authorized to issue currency notes except coins and notes of small magnitude.
• It oversees the credit and monetary policy of the nation.

Definition of Commercial Banks:

The entities that provide banking and financial services to a large number of people are known as Commercial Banks. They act as a mediator between the borrowers and savers. Also, Commercial Banks receive deposits from the general public and lends it at high interest to individuals and organizations. In this way, the mobilization of savings takes place, and the economic cycle goes on smoothly.

In earlier times, people used to deposit money in post offices for saving purposes, when the requirement of the banking system was felt. The people want an establishment where they can deposit their savings and withdraw them at the time of need. At present, there are more than 600 commercial banks in India, which include public sector banks, private sector banks, scheduled banks, non-scheduled banks, nationalized banks, etc.

The essential functions of a Commercial Bank are:

• It accepts deposits from the general public, firms, institutions, and organizations. Further, it gives the facility to withdraw money on demand. Banks pay interest on deposits at various rates on different deposits.
• The lends money to the public, institutions, and organizations in the form of long term and short term loans for a particular period and charges interest on the amount lent. Moreover, it provides overdraft and cash credit facilities to the customer.
• It performs agency functions like collections of bills of exchange and promissory notes, trading of shares and debentures, payment to third parties on standing instructions of the customer, etc.
• It provides the facility of safekeeping of valuables like jewelry and documents.
• Collects, transfers, and makes payment of funds on behalf of the customer.
• It provides the facility of ATM card, Debit Card, Credit Card, Cheques, etc., to its account holders.

Differences in Central Banks:

• Work for the public welfare and economic development of a country. A central bank is governed by the government of a country.
• Controls and regulates the entry banking system of a country.
• Do not deal directly with the public. It issues guidelines to commercial banks for the economic development of the country.
• Issues currency and control the supply of money in the Market.
• Acts as a state-owned institution.
• Act as a custodian of foreign exchange in the country.
• Act as a banker to the Government.
• Controls credit creations in the economy thus act as a clearinghouse of other banks.

Differences in Commercial Banks:

• Operates for Profit Motive. The Majority of Stake is held by the government as well as the private sector.
• Operates under the direct control and supervision of the central bank. In India, all the commercial banks work under the guidelines issued by RBI.
• Deals directly with the Public. It serves the financial requirement of the public by providing short and medium terms loans and depositing and securing money that can be drawn on demand.
• Does not Issue currency, but only adds to the approval of the central bank.
• Acts as a state or privately owned institution.
• Perform foreign exchange business only on the approval of the central bank.
• Acts as agents of the central bank.
• Acts as a clearinghouse only as an agent of the central bank.

Comparison of Central and Commercial Banks:

The Basis for Comparison	CENTRAL BANKS	COMMERCIAL BANKS
Meaning	The bank which looks after the monetary system of the country is known as Central Bank.	The establishment, which provides banking services to the public is known as Commercial Bank.
What is it?	It is a banker to the banks and the government of the country.	It is the banker to the citizens of the nation.
Governing Statute	Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.	Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Ownership’s	Public	Public or Private
Profit motive	It does not exist for making a profit for its owners	It exists for making a profit for its owners.
Monetary Authority	It is the supreme monetary authority with wide powers.	No such authority.
Objective	Public welfare and economic development.	Earning Profits
Money supply	Ultimate source of money supply in the economy.	No such function is performed by it.
Right to print and issue currency notes	Yes	No
Deals with	General Public	Banks and Governments
How many banks are there?	Only one	Many

Main Key Differences between Central and Commercial Banks:

The following are the differences between the central and commercial banks:

• The bank, which monitors, regulates, and controls the financial system of the economy knows as Central Bank. The financial institution which receives deposits from people and advances them money is known as Commercial Bank.
• Also, Central Bank is the banker to banks, government, and the financial institution, whereas Commercial Bank is the banker to the citizens.
• The Central Bank is the supreme monetary authority of the country. As against this, the commercial bank does not have such authority and powers.
• Central Bank of India i.e. the Reserve Bank of India is governed by RBI Act, 1934. Conversely, the Commercial Bank is regulating by the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• The Central Bank is a publicly own institution while the Commercial Bank can be a publicly or privately owned institution.
• The Central Bank does not exist for making a profit, whereas a commercial bank operates for making a profit for its owners.
• Also, Central Bank is the fundamental source of money supply in the economy. While the commercial bank does not perform such a function on the contrary.
• There is only one Central Bank in every country, but the Commercial Banks are many which serve the whole country.
• The Central Bank does not deal with the general public, but Commercial Bank does.
• The Central Bank has got the authority to print and issue the notes. Also, on the other hand, the commercial bank does not have such authority.
• Bank main purpose of the Central Bank is a public welfare and economic development. In contrast Commercial Bank, which runs for-profit motive.