Finance
ECB's Lagarde receives 140,000 euros from BIS despite payment ban for ECB staff, FT reports
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 23, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 23, 2026
Quick Summary
FT reports Christine Lagarde receives about €140,000 annually from the BIS board despite an ECB staff ban on third‑party pay. The ECB says the president follows different rules under a separate conduct code.
Lagarde Paid €140,000 as BIS Board Member Despite ECB Staff Pay Ban
BIS Remuneration and ECB Policy Context
Feb 23 (Reuters) - European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde receives about 140,000 euros ($165,466) a year as a Bank for International Settlements (BIS) board member despite an ECB ban on third-party payments to staff, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
Internal Staff Reaction
Some ECB employees, using internal message boards, have complained about the apparent double standard in the treatment of the president's remuneration from the BIS, according to the report.
Verification and Source Note
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Currency Conversion Reference
($1 = 0.8461 euros)
Reporting and Editing Credits
(Reporting by Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Key Takeaways
- •FT reports Christine Lagarde receives about €140,000 annually from the BIS board despite an ECB staff ban on third‑party payments.
- •The ECB says the president is governed by a separate conduct code, not the general staff rules.
- •Some ECB employees have criticized the arrangement internally as a double standard.
- •Previous ECB presidents reportedly accepted BIS remuneration, while Fed and BoE leaders decline such pay.
- •Reuters noted it could not immediately verify the FT report at the time of publication.
Frequently Asked Questions about ECB's Lagarde receives 140,000 euros from BIS despite payment ban for ECB staff, FT reports
1What is the main topic?
The FT reports that ECB President Christine Lagarde receives around €140,000 a year from the BIS board despite an ECB ban on third‑party payments for staff. The ECB says the president is covered by a separate conduct code.
2Why is the BIS remuneration controversial?
ECB staff are barred from accepting third‑party payments related to their duties. Some employees view Lagarde’s BIS pay as a double standard, even though the ECB says the president follows different rules.
3Does the ECB ban apply to the president?
According to the ECB, the staff payment ban governs employees, while the president and other high‑level officials follow a separate code of conduct with different provisions.
