From the introduction of the editors:

Karl Michael Beyer and Lars Braeutigam explain the financial entities and instruments of shadow banking and show that this system played a major role in the global financial crisis of 2008. One important aspect frequently overseen in the analysis of the shadow banking system is its close relations to offshore jurisdictions. Beyer and Braeutigam describe some main offshore links of shadow banking, especially by analysing offshore financial centres. They illustrate how the shadow banking system has benefited in its development from offshore jurisdictions and conclude that differences in the regulation of financial entities contributed significantly to the global financial crisis. Offshore jurisdictions therefore should be analysed in depth with regard to both shadow banks and financial regulation.