16-12-2025BIS Working Paper 1318
Auction-based liquidity saving mechanisms
Pagos e infraestructuras de mercadoProject Titus
This paper introduces a novel liquidity-saving mechanism (LSM) for real-time gross settlement (RTGS) systems based on an auction framework. Unlike conventional queue-based LSMs that optimise payment netting given pre-committed liquidity, the proposed mechanism reverses the process by eliciting bids from participants to establish mutually beneficial liquidity-sharing arrangements. These arrangements are supported through side payments from liquidity receivers to liquidity providers, ensuring incentive alignment. The mechanism is evaluated using agent-based simulations calibrated with transaction data from four RTGS systems: BCRP-RTGS (Peru), SAMOS and SADC-RTGS (South Africa), and SIC (Switzerland).