Prudential Regulators Propose Leverage Ratio Rule

FDIC Federal Reserve OCC Capital Requirements

On August 20, the Federal Reserve Board, the OCC, and the FDIC proposed a rule to strengthen the leverage ratio standards for the largest U.S. banking organizations. The proposed rule is the same as that approved last month by the FDIC and the OCC. The rule would require bank holding companies with more than $700 billion in consolidated total assets or $10 trillion in assets under custody to maintain a tier 1 capital leverage buffer of at least 2% above the minimum supplementary leverage ratio requirement of 3%, for a total of 5%. Failure to exceed the 5% ratio would subject covered companies to restrictions on discretionary bonus payments and capital distributions. The proposed rule also would require insured depository institutions of covered holding companies to meet a 6% supplementary leverage ratio to be considered “well capitalized” for prompt corrective action purposes. The proposal suggests a phase-in period for the rule with an effective date of January 1, 2018. Comments on the proposal are due by October 21, 2013.