This paper describes the evolution of bank fees in Italy between 2008 and 2021, distinguishing between fee types, bank categories and bank characteristics.
The growth in fee income observed since the global financial crisis involved all categories of banks, but the share of gross income generated by fees varies broadly across banks. Econometric analysis shows that the share of gross income and total assets accounted for by fees is greater for banks with higher operating expenses and lower capital levels. There is no systematic relationship between greater reliance on fees as a source of income and bank business models that are more focused on household lending.
