The Monetary Authority of Macao[2] (, AMCM) is the currency board and the de facto central bank of Macau. The regulatory institution was established on December 20, 1999, upon the transfer of sovereignty over Macau from Portugal to the People's Republic of China as the Macau Special Administrative Region.
History
It was formerly known as the "Monetary and Foreign Exchange Authority of Macao" (, AMCM), which was established on 1 July 1989.
According to Decree-law No. 14/96/M of 11 March, the Monetary Authority of Macao carries the following major statutory duties:
- To advise and assist the Chief Executive in formulating and applying monetary, financial, exchange rate and insurance policies;
- To guide, co-ordinate and oversee the monetary, financial, foreign exchange and insurance markets, ensure their smooth operation and supervise the actions of those operating within them according to the terms established in the regulatory statutes governing each respective area;
- To monitor internal monetary stability and the external solvency of the local currency, ensuring its full convertibility;