Startup-focused lender Silicon Valley Bank Financial Group became the largest bank to fail since the 2008 financial crisis, in a sudden collapse that roiled global markets, left billions of dollars belonging to companies and investors stranded.
Silicon Valley Bank, the nation’s 16th largest bank, collapsed on Friday, forcing a government takeover and calling into question the fate of almost $175 billion in customer deposits. Signature Bank, the 29th-largest bank in the U.S., also closed its doors, suggesting the financial panic had spread.
Many bank stocks plummeted in early trading. First Republic Bank dropped 65% before trading was halted; Western Alliance Bancorp fell almost 60%. Charles Schwab, the eight-largest U.S. bank, dropped nearly 10%.