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Treasury issues statement on U.S.-UK Financial Regulatory Working Group biannual meeting
On September 29, the Department of Treasury issued a statement on the U.S.-UK Financial Regulatory Working Group, comprised of officials from both countries, and its meeting to discuss key themes including: (i) economic stability; (ii) banking issues; (iii) non-bank sector developments; (iv) climate-related financial risks; (v) international engagement; and (vi) digital finance.
In their meeting, participants discussed international banking regulations, specifically Basel III, emphasizing the importance of consistent global implementation. They also acknowledged ongoing work by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and Basel Committee on Banking Supervision regarding lessons learned from events in March 2023, with a focus on bank resolution. In addition, the group deliberated on the urgency of strengthening resilience within the non-bank financial intermediation (NBFI) sector. Topics included national reforms related to money-market funds, forthcoming work by the FSB to address vulnerabilities linked to leverage in the NBFI sector, and the value of globally implementing reforms in this sector to maintain financial stability. Among other topics, the group also noted progress in climate-related financial risks and sustainable finance mandates.
The group emphasized the importance of international cooperation and agreed to meet again in 2024 to continue their dialogue. Established in 2018, this biannual dialogue aims to enhance financial stability, investor protection, market efficiency, and capital formation in both countries.
Fed vice chair calls for higher capital for large banks
On July 10, Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision Michael S. Barr delivered remarks at the Bipartisan Policy Center outlining proposed updates to capital standards. As part of his holistic review of capital standards for large banks, Barr concluded that the existing approach to capital requirements—including risk-based requirements, stress testing, risk-based capital buffers, and leverage requirements and buffers—was sound. He stated that the changes he proposes are intended to build on the existing foundation. Barr’s proposed updates include: (i) updating risk-based requirement standards to better reflect credit, trading, and operational risk, consistent with international standards adopted by the Basel Committee; (ii) evolving the stress test to capture a wider range of risks; and (iii) improving the measurement of systemic indicators under the global systemically important bank surcharge. Barr stated that at this time he was not recommending changes to the enhanced supplementary leverage ratio.
Barr also proposed implementing changes to the risk-based capital requirements, referred to as the “Basel III endgame,” which are intended to ensure that the U.S. minimum capital requirements require banks to hold adequate capital against their risk-taking. These proposed changes include: (i) with respect to a firm’s lending activities, the proposed rules would terminate the practice of relying on banks’ own individual estimates of their own risk and would instead adopt a more transparent and consistent approach; (ii) regarding a firm’s trading activities, the proposed rules would adjust the way that the firm measures market risk, better aligning market risk capital requirements with market risk exposure and providing supervisors with improved tools; and (iii) for operational losses, such as trading losses or litigation expenses, the proposed rules would replace an internal modeled operational risk requirement with a standardized measure.
Barr recommended that these enhanced capital rules apply only to banks and bank holding companies with $100 billion or more in assets. He emphasized that the proposed changes would not be fully effective for some years due to the notice and comment rulemaking process, and that any final rule would provide for an appropriate transition.
Agencies push to implement Basel III
On September 9, the FDIC, OCC, and Federal Reserve Board reaffirmed their commitment to implementing enhanced regulatory capital requirements that align with Basel III standards issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in 2017. The agencies announced they are currently developing—and will issue “as soon as possible”—a joint proposed rule on new capital standards for large banking organizations. The agencies noted that community banks are subject to different capital requirements and will not be affected by the proposal.
OCC issues Comptroller’s Handbook booklet updating interest rate risk
On March 26, the OCC issued Bulletin 2020-26 announcing the revision of the Interest Rate Risk booklet of the Comptroller’s Handbook, which replaces the June 1997 version of the same name. The revised booklet “incorporates and reflects applicable statutes and regulations, guidance, and examination procedures,” and expands model risk and model risk management discussions, “including developing, reviewing, and stress testing model assumptions.” The revised booklet also provides guidelines “consistent with the Pillar 2 supervisory approach outlined in the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book.”
Financial Stability Board issues letter to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors
On March 18, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) released a letter previously sent to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on March 13, which set forth priorities designed to “reinforce the G20’s objective of strong, sustainable and balanced growth.” Among other things, FSB presented its initial assessment that “crypto-assets do not pose risks to global financial stability at this time” due to their “small size” and “limited use for real economy and financial transaction”; however, FSB stressed that this assessment is subject to change should crypto-assets become more widely used or integrated within the regulated financial system. “Crypto-assets raise a host of issues around consumer and investor protection, as well as their use to shield illicit activity and for money laundering and terrorist financing,” the letter stated. “At the same time, the technologies underlying them have the potential to improve the efficiency and inclusiveness of both the financial system and the economy.” The letter also described priority deliverables FSB planned to implement, such as (i) Basel III banking reforms; (ii) policy to de-risk correspondent banking; (iii) a toolkit on governance measures to address misconduct risk; (iv) evaluations of certain financial reforms; and (v) a financial sector cybersecurity lexicon. The FSB also noted that it would continue to shift away from policy development and instead focus on the transparency and efficiency of its existing programs.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision Issues Consultative Document on Implications of Fintech for the Banking Industry
As waves of innovative financial technology (fintech) continue to reshape the financial services landscape, banking institutions and their supervisors have invested significant effort in analyzing its impact and developing an appropriate response. On August 31, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), the primary global standard setter for the prudential regulation of banks, weighed in. Through the release of a consultative document, Sound Practices: Implications of fintech developments for banks and bank supervisors, the BCBS identified 10 key observations, accompanied by 10 recommendations, for banks and bank supervisors to address the challenges posed by advances in fintech.
The report summarizes the main findings of a BCBS task force established to analyze developments in fintech and their impact on the banking industry. Quantifying the size and growth of fintech is difficult; among other reasons, most jurisdictions have not formally defined “fintech” (notably, the report includes a glossary of terms and acronyms related to the delivery of fintech products and services, and is the first attempt by the BCBS to provide a common definition in this space). Yet the significant number of financial products and services derived from fintech innovations and the trend of rising investment in fintech companies globally warrants attention. As the BCBS acknowledges, while the impact of fintech on banking remains uncertain, “that change could be fast-paced and significant.”
In its report, the BCBS observes that the rise of fintech innovation has resulted in “a battle for the customer relationship and customer data,” the result of which “will be crucial in determining the future role of banks.” To assess the impact of the evolution of fintech products and services, the BCBS identified five stylized scenarios describing the potential impact of fintech on banks. In addition, the BCBS assessed six case studies focused on specific innovations (e.g., big data, cloud computing, innovative payment services, and neo-banks), in order to understand the individual risks and opportunities of a specific fintech development through the different scenarios. The extent to which banks or new fintech entrants will own the customer relationship varied across each scenario. However, in almost every scenario, the position of the incumbent banks will be challenged. The BCBS finds that “a common theme across the various scenarios is that banks will find it increasingly difficult to maintain their current operating models, given technological change and customer expectations.”
In analyzing fintech’s potential impact, the BCBS analyzes previous waves of innovation in banking, such as ATMs, electronic payments, and the Internet. While each of these have changed the face of banking, the BCBS highlights two key differences as it concerns fintech’s potential impact: the current pace of innovation is faster now than in previous decades and the pace of adoption has also increased. As a result, the Committee warns, “the effects of innovation and disruption can happen more quickly than before, implying that incumbents may need to adjust faster.”
The BCBS stated that banking standards and supervisory expectations “should be adaptive to new innovations, while maintaining appropriate prudential standards.” Against this backdrop, the Committee concluded its report with 10 key observations and recommendations for consideration by banks and bank supervisors.
These include:
- The overarching need to ensure safety and soundness and high compliance standards without inhibiting beneficial innovation in the banking sector;
- Key risks for banks related to fintech developments, including strategic/profitability risks, operational, cyber and compliance risks;
- Implications for banks of the use of innovative enabling technologies;
- Implications for banks of the growing use of third parties, via outsourcing and/or partnerships;
- Cross-sectoral cooperation between supervisors and other relevant authorities;
- International cooperation between banking supervisors;
- Adaptation of the supervisory skillset;
- Potential opportunities for supervisors to use innovative technologies ("suptech");
- Relevance of existing regulatory frameworks for new innovative business models; and
- Key features of regulatory initiatives set up to facilitate fintech innovation.
By issuing this guidance, BCBS is prompting global regulators to address technological advancements and novel business models with the same sense of urgency that the banking and fintech industries are employing. It will be incumbent on the financial services industry – traditional and novel business models alike – to work together to inform and shape what those supervisory guidelines will look like.
Comments on BCBS’s consultative document will be accepted through October 31, 2017.
Federal Banking Regulators Issue Proposal to Simplify Capital Requirements to Provide Regulatory Relief to Community Banks
On August 22, the Federal Reserve, FDIC and OCC issued a proposed rule that capital requirements set to take effect in January 2018 would be suspended under a proposed rule for banking organizations not subject to the advanced approaches capital rules, such as community and midsized banks— generally those with less than $250 billion in total assets and fewer than $10 billion in foreign exposure. The federal banking regulators proposed the suspension as they develop a proposal that would simplify capital requirements to reduce regulatory burden. Banks subject to the advance approaches capital rules will still be required to comply with the capital rule requirements taking effect January 1, 2018. The proposal would pause the fully phased-in Basel III requirements regarding the treatment of mortgage servicing assets, certain deferred tax assets, investments in the capital instruments of unconsolidated financial institutions, and minority interests (see FDIC Financial Institution Letter FIL-34-2017). According to a press release issued by the FDIC, “the transitional treatment for those items is scheduled to be replaced with a different treatment on January 1, 2018.” FDIC Vice Chairman Thomas M. Hoenig issued a statement supporting the proposal but pushed for the need to provide additional relief for community banks such as predicating relief based on banking activities and tangible equity rather than asset size.
Comments on the proposed rule are due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Fed Fines New York Bank $3 Million for Violating Regulatory Risk Capital Requirements
On June 26, the Federal Reserve fined a New York-based bank $3 million for unsafe and unsound banking practices after the firm allegedly assigned a lower risk weighting to a portfolio of assets in violation of then-applicable Basel I regulatory risk capital requirements. According to the consent order, between 2010 and 2014, the bank consolidated a portfolio of collateralized loan obligations onto its balance sheet. It allegedly assigned a zero-risk weighting to the assets improperly, and therefore overstated its risk-based capital ratios and set aside less capital than it should have.
FSB Releases Updated Lists of Global Systemically Important Banks and Insurers
On November 21, the Financial Stability Board, in consultation with the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and national authorities, released its updated 2016 list of G-SIBs and 2016 list of G-SIIs. Each of the new 2016 lists comprise the same banks/insurers as those on their respective 2015 list. The Basel Committee also released the following additional information related to its 2016 G-SIB assessment: (i) a list of all the banks in the assessment sample; (ii) the denominators of each indicator used to calculate the banks' scores; (iii) the cutoff score that was used to identify the G-SIBs in the updated list; (iv) the thresholds used to allocate G-SIBs to buckets for the purpose of calculating the specific higher loss absorbency requirements; and (v) links to disclosures of all banks in the assessment sample.
FDIC Vice-Chairman Speaks On Strengthening Global Capital
FDIC Vice-Chairman Thomas M. Hoenig spoke at the 22nd Annual Risk USA Conference in New York on November 9. He delivered prepared remarks on “Strengthening Global Capital: An Opportunity Not To Be Lost.” Hoenig discussed his views on key factors at the core of the debate over what defines adequate capital. Specifically, he discussed the controversy over alternative measurements for judging adequate capital currently being considered by the Basel Committee, which he believes will weaken current standards and ultimately justify lower levels of capital. According to Hoenig, “[m]omentum is developing within the Basel Committee to undermine measures that could increase bank capital levels, and some jurisdictions are threatening to walk away if the measures are thought too strict.” Hoenig recommended that the United States “should avoid joining this race to the bottom.”