It is the biggest bank failure in the United States since the financial crisis of 2008. The American authorities auctioned off the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a bank close to the tech circles which suddenly found itself in difficulty , Sunday March 12, with the aim of finding a buyer before the Asian markets open on Monday. 

According to the Washington Post, the deadline for submitting bids has been set for Sunday 7:00 p.m. GMT.

Asked by AFP, the Deposit Guarantee Agency (FDIC), which initiated the sale, declined to comment. 

The elected Democrat in the House of Representatives Josh Harder confirmed the auction to the Axios news site, believing that the limit could be pushed back to give potential buyers time to study SVB's accounts.  

>> See also: How to explain the setbacks of the Silicon Valley Bank?

Avoid contagion to the rest of the banking system 

“We want to make sure that the problems that affect one bank do not create contagion for others that are solid,” US Finance Minister Janet Yellen said on Sunday in an interview with CBS, before several media reports. Americans mention the auction process.  

“I am sure (the FDIC) is considering a wide range of solutions, which includes an acquisition” by another bank, said the Treasury Secretary. 

An emanation of the US government, the FDIC took control of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday, on the verge of implosion under the effect of massive withdrawals from its customers. 

The race against time initiated by the American authorities recalls the weekend of September 13 and 14, 2008. 

They had then failed to find a buyer for the Lehman Brothers bank, pushing it to file for bankruptcy on Monday, with dramatic consequences for the financial sector and the entire economy. 

If the big banks have so far been spared, several American establishments of medium or regional size unscrewed on the stock market on Friday, fled by worried investors. 

This is particularly the case of the Californian First Republic, which dropped nearly 30% in two sessions, Thursday and Friday, or Signature Bank, cut by a third of its value since Wednesday evening. 

The two institutions, like SVB, have a large proportion of companies in their client portfolio, whose deposits often exceed the maximum amount insured by the FDIC, or $250,000 per depositor, which could lead them to withdraw their funds. 

Some 96% of deposits housed at SVB are not covered, according to data published by the institution. 

Impact on the technology sector 

In addition to the stability of the banking system, many are concerned about the repercussions of the SVB bankruptcy on the technology sector, American but also beyond. 

SVB boasted of having "nearly half" technology and life sciences companies financed by American investors as clients. 

In the event of failure to find a buyer, to avoid panic among customers of other banks and send a strong signal, the American authorities plan to guarantee all of SVB's deposits, according to the Washington Post. 

They amounted to around 170 billion dollars, according to a document published Wednesday by the establishment, but colossal withdrawals have taken place since. 

Some $42 billion in withdrawal orders were placed on Thursday alone, but not all of them could be honored. 

On Sunday, UK Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said the fall of SVB posed a "serious risk" to his country's tech sector. 

Janet Yellen ruled out a bailout of SVB on Sunday via an injection of public money. 

"During the financial crisis (of 2008), investors in large systemic banks", whose fall the authorities believe would pose a risk to the entire financial system, "were rescued" by the American government, a-t- she called back.

"We're not going to do it again." 

The turmoil of the SVB saga has also spread in the middle of cryptocurrencies. 

The digital currency USDC, said to be "stable" because theoretically pegged to the dollar, has thus fallen since Friday after its creator, Circle, announced that it had left 3.3 billion dollars in the coffers of SVB. 

Several other "stablecoins", supposed to protect cryptocurrency investors against the legendary volatility of this industry, have also stalled, such as the Dai or the USDD. 

With AFP

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