Fed agencies issue regulatory capital interim rule

Federal Issues Agency Rule-Making & Guidance OCC Federal Reserve FDIC Mutual Fund Covid-19

On March 19, the OCC, the Fed, and the FDIC announced the release of an interim final rule for the Money Market Mutual Fund Liquidity Facility (MMLF) which revises capital rules for activities with the MMLF. The agencies issued the rule to enable financial institutions to “effectively use” the MMLF following its launch by the Fed on March 18. Pursuant to the Federal Reserve Act, the Fed granted authority to establish the MMLF to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, allowing it to provide “non-recourse loans to eligible institutions” secured by assets those institutions buy from money market mutual funds. The rule will allow financial institutions to participate because activities with the MMLF will “neutralize the regulatory capital effects of participating in the program” on the institution. The rule is effective immediately and there will be a 45-day comment period.