[expat_panama]

imho that's understandable w/ a commercial bank considering all the check processing/accounting services they furnish. What I'm baffled about is how just over the boarder in Switzerland the gov't bonds have been sold at negative interest for some years now. That has got to be some kind of forced market distortion, like maybe certain businesses are required by law to buy 'em or something.

[Chgogal]

It is not normal to get negative interest rates from a bank. YOU are telling me YOU would put $100 in a bank and and be OK with your account being worth only $99 a year later? IMHO no one would be banking.