Target2 balances of Eurozone countries 2019
The Target2 balance in Germany amounted to approximately 861.48 billion euros as of December 2019. Target2 is an interbank payment system that allows for the real-time processing of cross-border transfers throughout the European Union. Target2 is one of the largest payment systems in the world.
If an Austrian importer, for example, places an order with a company in Germany, payments to and from the accounts of the buyer and the seller are channeled via central banks. This would mean that the Austrian exporter's bank gets a credit with the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, which in turn has a claim on the ECB. The German importer's bank owes its local central bank, leaving the Deutsche Bundesbank with a debit at the ECB.
If an Austrian importer, for example, places an order with a company in Germany, payments to and from the accounts of the buyer and the seller are channeled via central banks. This would mean that the Austrian exporter's bank gets a credit with the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, which in turn has a claim on the ECB. The German importer's bank owes its local central bank, leaving the Deutsche Bundesbank with a debit at the ECB.
