Which service is typically provided by wholesale banks rather than retail banks?

• A. Large corporate loans
• B. Currency conversion
• C. Savings accounts
• D. Personal loans

Answer: (B)

Wholesale banks focus on services for businesses and institutions, especially cross-border and large-value needs. Currency conversion is a key part of that because multinational companies must pay suppliers, repatriate profits, and hedge currency risk across many currencies. Wholesale banks provide the FX desks, liquidity, and hedging tools to handle these large, complex currency transactions efficiently. In contrast, savings accounts and personal loans are typical retail offerings aimed at individual consumers, while large corporate loans are also a wholesale activity—but the distinctive, routinely provided service that centers on managing multiple currencies and interacting with wholesale FX markets makes currency conversion the best fit for wholesale banking.