No matter which country you do business in, the banking regulations are unique to each locale and it's no different for banks in Venezuela. When you use another country's banking system, it's imperative to know how the laws there will affect your company. Banking in Venezuela offers its own unique challenges and opportunities. For instance, Venezuelan banks experience a large government role in daily operations. This involvement makes interpreting the laws and regulations correctly much more integral than banking in other countries, where they operate in more of a free market manner.

In order to understand the regulations for Venezuela banks, it's important to know the basics of the economy and the banking system. From this knowledge base, you can begin to understand how the laws apply to the overall system. The best outlets for banking regulations information are the banks themselves and the governmental bodies that control them. However, before you begin the process there are few items to consider, such as:

1. Review the basics of the banks of Venezuela.

2. Examine the legislation information on the websites of the Venezuela banking system.

3. Keep up-to-date on the latest currency laws and international banking in Venezuela.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Study the basic and historical Venezuela banking information

If you want to navigate the regulatory structure of any banking system, you need to start with the basics. For instance, even Venezuelans are wary of investing large amounts of money in the system because of the prominent role that government plays in the industry. These investors are wary of the government taking control or freezing their assets.

I recommend: Study the Venezuelan information at the U.S. Library of Congress. Review the regulatory library available at the Venezuelan Council for Investment Promotion.

Assess the banks in Venezuela laws and regulations websites

With the excessive government involvement in Venezuelan commercial banks, the central banking institutions wield most all the control over the entire system. The central bank controls all the monetary policy and a large amount of the deposits within the country.

I recommend: Examine the legislation section at the Banco Central de Venezuela for latest regulatory information. Review the documents available at the International Monetary Fund concerning the República Bolivariana de Venezuela, which issues regulatory rulings for the Venezuelan banking system.

Understand how currency laws and international banking relate to Venezuelan banks

The Venezuelan banks use the Bolivar Fuerte as their primary currency and the laws made in regards to the currency will affect all your company's assets in these banks. Determining the best way to apply currency conversion to your bank accounts can help keep your banking balance intact. If there is any confusion on the currency or any other regulatory issue, it's best to contact an international bank in Venezuela for assistance. These banks are better equipped to handle questions from American companies.

I recommend: Evaluate the currency information at the Bolivar Fuerte website. Contact the officials at HSBC for any regulatory or currency questions.

Access to commercial banks in Venezuela is an important consideration for business owners growing or starting their company in the Latin American market. Although Venezuela is one of the richest countries in Latin America, strict government regulations and political and economic instability make banking in Venezuela and investing for foreigners not as simple as in some other countries. Typically, a business or investor visa and company incorporation is required before opening a commercial business bank account.

Consider domestic banking for your current and future development of global business interest in Venezuela. Banking in the capital city of Caracas offers a number of bank branches in the city and around the country. The number of international banks in Venezuela is relatively small; however, a foreign presence is growing in the area. Banks in Venezuela mainly conduct business in Spanish. English services are not always readily or widely available. By understanding Venezuelan banking rules and the economy, you can successfully manage your financial investments as you conduct business.

Review the following criteria when banking in Venezuela:

1. Compare at least three different banks in Venezuela before opening a business or personal account.

2. Obtain the required visa and incorporate your company before seeking to open an account with Venezuelan commercial banks.

3. Search out services offered by global banks in Venezuela.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for investment opportunities with commercial banks in Venezuela

Government websites, business reports and finance websites can give you an understanding of banking history in Venezuela. Investigate banking trends and areas of financial concerns before investing your money.

I recommend: Banco Central de Venezuela has information on exchange rates, interest rates, currency and monetary policies. The Venezuelan Council for Investment Promotion, CONAPRI, offers a step-by-step guide to investing in Venezuela.

Match your business needs with services offered by Venezuelan banks

There are a number of banks with options for foreign currency exchange and investing. Many banks offer online access to bank accounts and banking by phone.

I recommend: Global banking leader HSBC operates a representative bank in Venezuela. Banks and other financial institutions may have websites in English but provide services only in Spanish. Find the rate of exchange between Venezuelan currency, the bolivar, and those of other countries using the currency converter from Economist.com.

Choose American banks for easy access to your funds

International banking in Venezuela offers a secure location to open and access accounts outside the country. Contact each bank individually, as governmental regulations may limit the services they offer.

I recommend: Stanford Bank provides international investment services with locations throughout Latin America and several locations in Venezuela. Choose a bank with a long history in the area, such as Citibank Venezuela, offering international access to your funds.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're not fluent in Spanish, the use of an interpreter can help avoid problems when banking in Venezuela.
• •  Choose a stable bank and carefully monitor current news and conditions in the area to get the most out of Venezuelan commercial banks.

Venezuelan banks are more susceptible to sudden changes in news and trends due to a high national involvement in the banking system. The government of Venezuela recently nationalized the largest bank in the country, Santander. With nationalization comes increased risk for foreign investors. Most countries try to strike a balance that encourages foreign investment but still maintains a regulatory structure run by the government. Venezuela is at the extreme of this spectrum, with the government dictating a majority of the market conditions in the banking industry.

Because of the closed nature of banking in Venezuela, your primary sources for news and trends are international publications and agencies. As is the case everywhere, the economic conditions in Venezuela dictate the viability of the banks. Therefore, you need to factor in economic conditions when evaluating the Venezuela banks. However, before you begin the process, there are a few items to consider:

1. Examine the online publications for banks in Venezuela news and trends.

2. Utilize the Venezuela banking system reports available on the Internet.

3. Use international rating services for Venezuela banking information.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Review the banks of Venezuela online news resources

In order to find the most relevant source for international banking in Venezuela news, explore news portal websites that gather this information in one place. Regional banking publications provide news on Venezuela as well as other neighboring countries. Lastly, international publications like the World Bank and U.S. government offer a worldview on Venezuelan banks that can benefit foreign investors.

I recommend: Evaluate the information available at banking news portal EIN News. Assess the banking articles from the Business News Americas website. Examine the Venezuelan economic report at The World Bank.

Employ the local Venezuelan commercial banks reports and publications

Because of the emphasis on governmental control of the banks in Venezuela, the Venezuelan news outlets within the country are an excellent resource for information. Venezuelan banking associations, the Central Bank of Venezuela, and analytic websites provide different sources of news and trends within the industry.

I recommend: Study the periodic banking publications from the Central Bank of Venezuela. Use the data available at Venezuelan Analysis to help spot banking trends in Venezuela. Become a member of the Venezuelan American Association for news that influences U.S. investment opportunities.

Use the analyses from rating agencies to identify trends in commercial banks in Venezuela trends

The purpose of rating agencies is to report on the relative strength of a country's or company's debt. These data can help you spot trends in the Venezuelan economy or banking system.

I recommend: Subscribe to the ratings services of Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investor Service.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Due to the nationalistic attitude, Venezuela banking websites and the banks themselves don't cater to foreign speaking clientele as some other countries do in the region. Therefore, be sure you have someone on staff that can read and speak Spanish fluently before investing in Venezuela banks.