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7/25/24, 10:11 AM

FRB: Press Release -- Interim rule and request for comment on collateral for securities borrowing -- December 5, 2000

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 5, 2000

AGENCIES ISSUE INTERIM CAPITAL RULE FOR COLLATERAL
IN SECURITIES BORROWINGS
The federal bank regulatory agencies today issued and requested public comment on an
interim rule revising the risk-based capital treatment of cash collateral posted in connection
with certain securities borrowing transactions. The agencies are also requesting comment on
the capital treatment of securities borrowing transactions where securities are posted as
collateral. The rule applies only to those banking organizations with significant trading
activities that are subject to capital treatment under the market risk rules.
The interim rule, published in the Federal Register by the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency, provides a capital treatment for U.S. banking organizations
that is more in line with the capital treatment applied to their domestic and foreign
competitors.
The interim rule is effective January 4, 2001. U.S. banking organizations may apply the
provisions of this interim rule beginning December 5, 2000. Comments on the rule are due
by January 19, 2001.
Neither the Basel Accord nor the risk-based capital guidelines adopted by the three agencies
specifically address securities borrowing transactions. The Accord is an international
framework for assessing the capital adequacy of depository institutions by risk weighting
their assets and off-balance sheet exposures and serves as a basis for the banking agencies'
risk-based capital guidelines. In recent years, U.S. banking organizations have experienced
rapid growth in securities borrowing transactions, which are used for various purposes,
including short sales and securities fails (securities sold but not made available for delivery
on the settlement date), and in conjunction with option and arbitrage positions.
The agencies recognize that securities borrowing is a long-established financial activity that
historically has resulted in an exceedingly low level of losses. The interim rule recognizes
this low risk and effectively lowers the capital requirement associated with these
transactions. The interim rule is attached. (32 KB PDF)

Media Contacts:
Federal Reserve: Dave Skidmore (202) 452-2955
https://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/boardacts/2000/20001205/default.htm

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FDIC:
OCC:

FRB: Press Release -- Interim rule and request for comment on collateral for securities borrowing -- December 5, 2000

Phil Battey (202) 898-6993
Sam Eskenazi (202) 874-5770

2000 Banking and consumer regulatory policy
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Last update: December 5, 2000

https://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/boardacts/2000/20001205/default.htm

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