How Central Banks Use the Discount Window

In Episode 122 of Monetary Policy Explained with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into the central bank discount window—a tool that lets banks borrow overnight in emergencies. They walk through how the Federal Reserve's discount rate works, why stigma kept banks away from it during the 2008 crisis, and how the Fed redesigned the window after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse in 2023. Lucas explains the difference between primary and secondary credit, why the discount rate is set above the federal funds rate target, and how modern central banks are trying to normalize its use. The hosts also discuss recent data: as of mid-2026, discount window borrowing has averaged about $500 million per night, well below the $150 billion peak during SVB's failure. They debate whether the stigma has truly faded or if banks still fear the reputational hit. A must-listen for anyone curious about the plumbing of monetary policy. #DiscountWindow #CentralBanking #FederalReserve #MonetaryPolicy #BankLiquidity #PrimaryCredit #SecondaryCredit #SiliconValleyBank #BankingCrisis #OvernightLending #Stigma #LenderOfLastResort #FederalFundsRate #BankReserves #FinancialStability #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo