Updated 2026
Financial Institutions (FIG) Interview Guide
Comprehensive Financial Institutions (FIG) guide for investment banking interview preparation
2
Lesson Levels
20
Flashcards
20
Quiz Questions
Lesson Outline
Master the unique valuation and regulatory considerations for banks, insurance companies, and asset managers.
- 1. The FIG Landscape
- 2. Commercial Banking: The Balance Sheet as a Business
- The Business Model
- The Income Statement Structure
- Key Metrics
- Impact of Interest Rates & Yield Curve
- 3. Insurance: Managing Risk and Float
- Life vs. Property & Casualty (P&C)
- The Concept of "Float"
- Key Metrics
- 4. Asset Management: A Fee-Based Model
- Revenue Drivers
- Valuation
- 5. Fintech & Specialty Finance
- Business Models
- 6. Valuation Methodology: Why DDM?
- Why Unlevered DCF Fails for Banks
- The Dividend Discount Model (DDM)
- 7. Regulatory Capital: The "Buffer"
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Flashcards
Preview: 6 of 20 flashcards
Why is the Unlevered DCF methodology considered inappropriate for valuing commercial banks?
Technical
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Financial Institutions
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Question 1 of 4
Which valuation multiple is most appropriate for a capital-intensive commercial bank?
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Upgrade to DiamondAbout This Financial Institutions (FIG) Interview Guide
Master the unique valuation and regulatory considerations for banks, insurance companies, and asset managers. Includes structured lessons, interactive flashcards, and practice quizzes to help you master Financial Institutions (FIG) for investment banking interviews.
This guide is part of the Industry Verticals section of our interview preparation platform. Each guide includes structured lessons at basic and advanced levels, interactive flashcards for active recall, and practice quizzes to test your understanding.
Structured Lessons
Basic and advanced content levels
20 Flashcards
Active recall for interview prep
20 Quiz Questions
Test your understanding
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Thanks for starting up IB Vine. Couldn't have landed my offer without your help!
User Story
I honestly think you're doing gods work since IB Vine democratizes the whole interview process and helps a lot of students ace their interviews.
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I found this website really helpful, which also helps me better prepare for the technical interview in IBD position and get an offer.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
Check out IB Vine, specifically the 'IB Vine Select' questions. Once you can get a handle of those, it seems like you are in a spot where you're applying the concepts rather than simply memorizing them
Analyst
I've used IB Vine for my recruitment, and I could not imagine the journey without it. Thank you for creating a phenomenal resource.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
Beyond the 400 questions guide, try to understand a deeper level and the underlying concepts of the questions being asked. Use ibvine, it really helps.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
IB Vine has excellent questions, especially multistep ones. In my experience I've gotten grilled on accretion/dilution, bond math, and merger model questions. IB Vine has great practice for all of those.
User Story
As a nontraditional transfer student who has been rendered unavailable to many resources at my university (Leadership positions at clubs, immediately behind the recruiting cycle, etc.) IB Vine has been an absolute game changer in my IB prep.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
From my experience interviewing FT for IB, it’s not enough to just know the 400 questions anymore (it’s a good starting point) but to look at even more advanced questions. Would recommend IB Vine.
Seen on Twitter
heard all the new kids use IB Vine now. the questions on IB Vine helped me get the concepts down when I had to recruit and make a lot of BB/MM interviews easier than I expected for techs
User Story
Just got off the phone with a kid who interned at a Dallas PE firm. He mentioned that IBvine.io helped him secure that internship as well as his Summer Analyst offer, especially since he came from a non-target with no resources.
Analyst
The IB Vine technical prep is beyond helpful, it's so much more fun quizzing myself every now and then vs. reading through the guides again.
Analyst
I personally found that the 'IB Vine Select' collection had some of the exact questions I was asked in my Qatalyst interviews.
Analyst
Thanks for starting up IB Vine. Couldn't have landed my offer without your help!
User Story
I honestly think you're doing gods work since IB Vine democratizes the whole interview process and helps a lot of students ace their interviews.
Analyst
I found this website really helpful, which also helps me better prepare for the technical interview in IBD position and get an offer.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
Check out IB Vine, specifically the 'IB Vine Select' questions. Once you can get a handle of those, it seems like you are in a spot where you're applying the concepts rather than simply memorizing them
Analyst
I've used IB Vine for my recruitment, and I could not imagine the journey without it. Thank you for creating a phenomenal resource.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
Beyond the 400 questions guide, try to understand a deeper level and the underlying concepts of the questions being asked. Use ibvine, it really helps.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
IB Vine has excellent questions, especially multistep ones. In my experience I've gotten grilled on accretion/dilution, bond math, and merger model questions. IB Vine has great practice for all of those.
User Story
As a nontraditional transfer student who has been rendered unavailable to many resources at my university (Leadership positions at clubs, immediately behind the recruiting cycle, etc.) IB Vine has been an absolute game changer in my IB prep.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
From my experience interviewing FT for IB, it’s not enough to just know the 400 questions anymore (it’s a good starting point) but to look at even more advanced questions. Would recommend IB Vine.
Seen on Twitter
heard all the new kids use IB Vine now. the questions on IB Vine helped me get the concepts down when I had to recruit and make a lot of BB/MM interviews easier than I expected for techs
User Story
Just got off the phone with a kid who interned at a Dallas PE firm. He mentioned that IBvine.io helped him secure that internship as well as his Summer Analyst offer, especially since he came from a non-target with no resources.
Analyst
The IB Vine technical prep is beyond helpful, it's so much more fun quizzing myself every now and then vs. reading through the guides again.
Analyst
I personally found that the 'IB Vine Select' collection had some of the exact questions I was asked in my Qatalyst interviews.
Analyst
Thanks for starting up IB Vine. Couldn't have landed my offer without your help!
User Story
I honestly think you're doing gods work since IB Vine democratizes the whole interview process and helps a lot of students ace their interviews.
Analyst
I found this website really helpful, which also helps me better prepare for the technical interview in IBD position and get an offer.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
Check out IB Vine, specifically the 'IB Vine Select' questions. Once you can get a handle of those, it seems like you are in a spot where you're applying the concepts rather than simply memorizing them
Analyst
I've used IB Vine for my recruitment, and I could not imagine the journey without it. Thank you for creating a phenomenal resource.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
Beyond the 400 questions guide, try to understand a deeper level and the underlying concepts of the questions being asked. Use ibvine, it really helps.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
IB Vine has excellent questions, especially multistep ones. In my experience I've gotten grilled on accretion/dilution, bond math, and merger model questions. IB Vine has great practice for all of those.
User Story
As a nontraditional transfer student who has been rendered unavailable to many resources at my university (Leadership positions at clubs, immediately behind the recruiting cycle, etc.) IB Vine has been an absolute game changer in my IB prep.
Seen on WallStreetOasis
From my experience interviewing FT for IB, it’s not enough to just know the 400 questions anymore (it’s a good starting point) but to look at even more advanced questions. Would recommend IB Vine.
Seen on Twitter
heard all the new kids use IB Vine now. the questions on IB Vine helped me get the concepts down when I had to recruit and make a lot of BB/MM interviews easier than I expected for techs
User Story
Just got off the phone with a kid who interned at a Dallas PE firm. He mentioned that IBvine.io helped him secure that internship as well as his Summer Analyst offer, especially since he came from a non-target with no resources.
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