Full Form of NBFC – Non-Banking Financial Companies

The full form of NBFC is Non-Banking Financial Companies. NBFC refers to non-banking financial companies responsible for offering various services similar to that of the banking companies like providing loans/advances to businesses and others, hire-purchase, leasing, and acquisition of various securities such as shares, debentures, bonds, stocks, etc., issued by the government authorities or local authorities or any other marketable securities of similar nature. Still, these companies do not have banking licenses, so they differ from banks in certain aspects.

Role

  • NBFC plays a significant role in building the nation and financial inclusion as it provides funds/Loans to those sections of the unbanked society, especially small enterprises.It is a major source of funding for new start-ups and entrepreneurs, especially where the government focuses on promoting entrepreneurship so one can replace those job seekers with job creators.They play a pivotal role in infrastructure development, employment generation, transport development, creation of wealth opportunities, financial support to the financially vulnerable sections of society, etc.

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History

Officially, non-banking financial companies classify under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010, which is the financial reform legislation passed in 2010 in response to the financial crisis that occurred in 2008. As per the act, NBFCs are the companies that predominantly engage in financial activities in case their more than 85% consolidated assets or annual gross revenues are financial. Therefore, a wide range of companies came into this category, which offers services like that of the banks like Mortgage lending companies, insurance companies, private equity funds, Investment banksInvestment BanksInvestment banking is a specialized banking stream that facilitates the business entities, government and other organizations in generating capital through debts and equity, reorganization, mergers and acquisition, etc.read more, money market fundsMoney Market FundsA money market fund is a form of short-term debt security or open-ended mutual fund with a shorter maturity, offering good returns at high liquidity and low credit risk. The instruments it invests in include US Treasury bills, bank debt funds, and corporate commercial papers that could be taxable or free from tax.read more, hedge fundsHedge FundsA hedge fund is an aggressively invested portfolio made through pooling of various investors and institutional investor’s fund. It supports various assets providing high returns in exchange for higher risk through multiple risk management and hedging techniques.read more, peer-to-peer lenders, etc.

Objectives

The various objectives of non-banking financial companies are:

  • The NBFCs aim to create more job opportunities in the country by lending loans to private industries and SMEs, increasing business, raising the workforce’s demand, and creating employment.They also help mobilize funds by the rotation of resources, distribution of assets, and income regulation, thereby shaping economic development.It strengthens the financial marketFinancial MarketThe term “financial market” refers to the marketplace where activities such as the creation and trading of various financial assets such as bonds, stocks, commodities, currencies, and derivatives take place. It provides a platform for sellers and buyers to interact and trade at a price determined by market forces.read more by providing funds to small-sized enterprises that fulfill the liquidity requirements of NBFCs.

Types of NBFC

The two types of non-banking financial companies are:

  • Deposit Accepting: These are the NBFCs that accept deposits from the public, including companies like loan companies, investment companies, asset financeAsset FinanceAsset financing is defined as a loan taken out by an organization using balance sheet assets as collateral, such as land and buildings, vehicles, machinery, trade receivables, and short-term investments. The asset’s value is divided into regular payment intervals of the asset’s unpaid portion plus interest.read more companies, etc.Non-deposit Accepting: These are the NBFCs that do not accept deposits from the public, and it is allowed only to lend the money to the public and take the repayment against such loans.

Functions of NBFC

The functions of non-banking financial companies are as follows:

  • Providing loans/advances to businesses and other persons.Acquisition of various types of securities, such as shares, debenturesDebenturesDebentures refer to long-term debt instruments issued by a government or corporation to meet its financial requirements. In return, investors are compensated with an interest income for being a creditor to the issuer.read more, bondsBondsBonds refer to the debt instruments issued by governments or corporations to acquire investors’ funds for a certain period.read more, stocks, etc., issued by government authorities, local authorities, or any other type of marketable securities.It offers various other services to its customers besides giving loans like currency exchange, underwriting, money market instrumentsMoney Market InstrumentsThe money market is a financial market wherein short-term assets and open-ended funds are traded between institutions and traders.read more, retirement planning, merger activities, etc.

Examples of NBFC

There are various examples of Non-Banking Financial Companies in the present world. Fidelity Investments, a multinational financial service company based in Boston, Massachusetts, is an example of a non-banking financial company, one of the world’s largest asset managers. It provides fund distribution, retirement services, investment advice, cryptocurrency, and insurance facilities, manages mutual funds, and operates a brokerage firm. All the other companies, like mortgage lenders, insurance companies, private equity funds, investment banks, money market funds, hedge funds, P2P lenders, etc., are examples of the NBFC.

NBFC vs Banks

NBFC and banks differ from each other on various parameters, and some of the differences are as follows:

  • Non-banking financial companies cannot accept demand deposits from the public. It can accept only deposits payable at the end of the tenure, whereas banks can accept all types of deposits from the public, both payable on demand and at the end of the tenure.An NBFC cannot engage in payments by its customer to the third party on their behalf, whereas banks can permit their customer to pay by way of issuing checkbooks.The deposits carried by NBFC don’t have insurance, whereas the deposits with banks carry insurance.

Advantages

  • NBFC can help in wealth management for stocks and shares.They usually provide credit, such as loans and credit facilities.They also can issue Commercial papersCommercial PapersCommercial Paper is a money market instrument that is used to obtain short-term funding and is often issued by investment-grade banks and corporations in the form of a promissory note.read more, Certificates of DepositCertificates Of DepositA certificate of deposit (CD) is an investment instrument mostly issued by banks, requiring investors to lock in funds for a fixed term to earn high returns. CDs essentially require investors to set aside their savings and leave them untouched for a fixed period.read more, bankers’ agreements, etc.NBFC can substitute the bank in case the banks are not helpful.

Disadvantages

  • Non-banking financial companies are not allowed to take deposits payable in demand.The restrictions around NBFC are more stringent when compared to the bank.Only those NBFCs registered under the appropriate Act and authorized may accept the deposits from the public.The deposits received from the public are not insured. Hence, there is less security for the deposits compared to the banks.It is not allowed to make payments or do settlements for its customers.It cannot issue the cheques drawn on it.

Conclusion

An NBFC is a non-banking financial company that does not hold a banking license but works like a bank as it provides all of the services similar to the services provided by the banks. Although these companies do not have a banking license, they are required to follow banking regulations.

This article has been a guide to the Full Form of NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Companies). Here, we discuss the types, functions, and examples of NBFC, and their differences. You may refer to the following articles to learn more about finance: –

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