Curaçao has a well developed banking system, various non-banking financial intermediaries and a postal checking system supervised by the Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen (Central Bank). The Central Bank was established in 1828 and is the oldest Central Bank in the Americas. The banking system provides both local and international services in an environment of confidentiality, while ensuring security and stability.

Curaçao banks, trust offices, and other financial institutions have the resources and technical capabilities to accommodate all the requirements of its international clientele. The commercial banks are well equipped to provide both local and international services.

The following type of institutions are currently subject to the supervision of the Central Bank: all commercial banks, specialized credit institutions, savings banks, savings and credit funds, credit unions and pension funds. Also all life insurance and general insurance companies.

The monetary unit of Curaçao is the Netherlands Antillean Guilder (ANG). The Central Government stipulates the currency and issues coins, while the Central Bank issues banknotes and places these and coins into circulation. There is a fixed exchange rate of ANG 1.79 to the U.S. dollar.

The about ten onshore banks and over sixty offshore banks offer a wide range of international banking services for individual, institutional- and corporate clients.

Commercial banks are permitted to provide foreign exchange freely for current transactions without prior approval of the Central Bank. Capital payments are subject to foreign exchange regulations. Within certain limits, depending on the nature of the underlying capital transaction, the commercial banks are permitted to provide foreign exchange without prior approval. For all other cases, exchange licenses can be requested at the Central Bank. There is an exchange remittance tax of 1.3% on sales of foreign exchange. Purchases of foreign exchange by resident companies with non-resident status for exchange regulation purposes are exempt from exchange tax.