Fed announces an end date to its Bank Term Funding Program

Bank Regulatory Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Act

On January 24, the Federal Reserve announced that its program created to protect liquidity following a period of financial stress last spring, named the Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP), will stop making loans on March 11. The Fed was granted the authority to provide more liquidity to depository institutions under Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act, whereby the Fed can lend to banks and nonbanks in emergencies and for one year at a time. The Spring 2023 banking issues led to liquidity concerns, which the Fed sought to stabilize with the BTFP. According to the term sheet, the rate for term advances will be the “one-year overnight index swap rate plus 10 basis points” as long as the rate is not lower than the IORB rate that same day. In return, the borrower financial institutions pledge their debt and securities as collateral. The Fed notes that advances can still be requested under the BTFP until March 11. However, the interest rate applicable to new BTFP loans between now and March 11 will be no lower than the interest rate on reserve balances (IORB).