US Agencies Finalize Changes to Rule on Supplementary Leverage Ratio

The supplementary leverage ratio is one of many tools used by the federal bank regulatory agencies to determine minimum required capital levels and ensure financial stability in the event of stress in the banking system. It applies only to large or complex internationally active banking organizations. In April 2019, the agencies proposed to implement section 402. The agencies collectively received six comment letters on the proposal (from banking organizations and other interested parties). Some respondents were supportive of the proposal while others raised concerns about the potential effect that implementation of section 402 would have on other aspects of the banking sector. The agencies have considered all the comments received on the proposal and are adopting the proposal as a final rule without modification. 

Section 402 of the EGRRCP Act defines a custodial bank as any depository institution holding company predominantly engaged in custody, safekeeping, and asset-servicing activities, including any insured depository institution subsidiary of such a holding company. As stated in the proposal, a depository institution holding company would be considered predominantly engaged in custody, safekeeping, and asset-servicing activities if the U.S. top-tier depository institution holding company in the organization has a ratio of assets under custody (AUC)-to-total assets of at least 30:1. Such a banking organization would have been termed a “custodial banking organization.” 

Additionally, as per the proposal, a custodial banking organization would exclude deposits placed at a “qualifying central bank” from the denominator of the supplementary leverage ratio. A qualifying central bank would include a Federal Reserve Bank, ECB, or a central bank of a member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) if the member country meets certain criteria. The amount of central bank deposits that could have been excluded from total leverage exposure would have been limited by the amount of deposit liabilities of the custodial banking organization that are linked to fiduciary or custody and safekeeping accounts. 

Related Links

• Press Release
• Final Rule (PDF)
• Proposed Rule, April 2019

Effective Date: April 01, 2020

Keywords: Americas, US, Banking, Supplementary Leverage Ratio, EGRRCP Act, Regulatory Capital, Leverage Ratio, Basel III, US Agencies