Nostro Accounts in UAE. What You Should Know!
A Nostro account is a bank account in which the bank has a foreign bank account. Because the account is in a foreign country, the currency will be different. Nastro is a Latin word that means "ours" and is used to facilitate foreign exchange and international business transactions, particularly in foreign currency. Vostro account, on the other hand, signifies "Your Account."
The currency of the Nostro account will be the local currency of the country in which it is opened. This account is used to facilitate international transactions involving foreign exchange trading. Individual users are unable to open this account; however, banks and major companies can open and access it.This service is designed for businesses who do foreign transactions on a regular basis.
Therefore in today’s blog, Dhanguard will extensively discuss the Nostro Account in the United Arab Emirates. So without any further ado, let's learn!
Management Of Nostro Account
Large organizations and banks are in charge of Nostro accounts. These organizations are involved in international trade. Banks usually transact business in foreign currencies. They will carry out the transactions without converting their currencies into foreign currency. Nostro accounts, on the other hand, are bank accounts in which international banks hold their accounts in local currency.
A bank in the UAE, or a bank from any other nation, can open a Nostro account in any other country. It must have a convertible currency, such as US dollars, Indian rupees, UAE dirhams, Euros, and so on. If a convertible currency is not available, the bank should approach a third-party to conduct transactions on its behalf. Banking institutions should keep track of transactions in which funds are transferred between accounts.
Read more :-How to open the first Corporate Business Bank Account
How does a Nostro Account Operate?
A Nostro account is a way for banks to keep track of funds that are held in currencies other than the account's own. This account, which is used for foreign exchange and trading, is maintained and controlled by a bank in a foreign currency.
Nostro Account can be well explained with the help of the following illustration-
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Bank ABC has an account in Bank XYZ's home currency. The account is known as Nostro by bank ABC, and it will be treated as a Vostro account by bank XYZ.
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During the process of opening a Nostro account, the bank will choose a foreign bank with which it has an existing relationship. Because this is an established relationship, the transactions and operations process will be healthy.
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The foreign bank will operate as a facilitator bank, and after the bank establishes a relationship with the facilitator bank, the foreign bank will assist the bank in doing commercial transactions in home currency.
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The foreign bank will conduct business transactions through its network with the central bank. If a foreign bank does not have access to the central bank's payment clearing system, it can obtain payment facilitation from another bank in the same country.
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Banks will use Nostro accounts for making purchases or transactions in countries where they will not have a physical presence. Instead, it will delegate the transactions to an already formed bank in the non-domestic country.
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A Nostro account is one in which Bank Z deposits funds in Bank Y to facilitate international trade settlements and foreign exchange operations. Bank Y will utilize the Vostro account as a reference to hold Bank Z funds. The Nostro account will be entirely in foreign currency, whereas the Vostro account will be entirely in the currency of the home nation.
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Typically, banks in the United States and other European countries will hold a Vostro account for the foreign bank. The monies will be held in the currency of the country where they were deposited.
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Let's look at an example of a payment made with a Nostro account to better comprehend this. Assume Bank XYZ in the UAE enters into a foreign exchange arrangement with Bank ABC in Sweden to purchase pounds. Bank ABC should transfer pounds from the Nostro account to Bank XYZ during the settlement term. Simultaneously, Bank XYZ in the UAE should deposit Dirhams into Bank ABC's Nostro account.
What is the Difference between a Vostro Account & Nostro Account?
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A Nostro account is a term used by Bank A to refer to its account with Bank B, which is held in the local currency of the nation in which Bank B is based. It's just a record indicating Bank A's funds are stored in Bank B in order to simplify foreign currency operations and trade settlement.
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A Vostro account, on the other hand, is a reference that Bank B uses to keep track of Bank A's funds. A Nostro account is denominated in foreign currencies from the perspective of Bank A, whereas a Vostro account is denominated in the local currency.
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Vostro accounts are frequently held by banks in the United Arab Emirates on behalf of other international banks, and the funds are held in the home currency of the country where they are on deposit.
Conclusion
The central banks of developing countries will impose restrictions on the purchase and selling of currencies, with the goal of regulating imports, exports, and exchange rates. Because there is little or no foreign exchange business in many countries, banks will not open accounts there. When a bank wishes to make a payment in a country where there is no Nostro account, it will enlist the assistance of its correspondent bank. Thus we hope this blog provided you with insightful information. For more information on other related aspects, feel free to check out our website as well.
