Netting Eligibility for Financial Institutions
Final rule.
CFR Part: "12 CFR Part 231"
RIN Number: "RIN 7100-AF 48"
Citation: "86 FR 11618"
Document Number: "Regulation EE; Docket No. R-1661"
Page Number: "11618"
"Rules and Regulations"
Agency: "
SUMMARY:
   DATES: The final rule is effective
   FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background Sections 401-407 of FDICIA /1/ provide certainty that netting contracts will be enforced, even in the event of the insolvency of one of the parties. These netting provisions apply to bilateral netting contracts between two financial institutions and multilateral netting contracts among members of a clearing organization. /2/ FDICIA defines "financial institution" as a broker or dealer, a depository institution, a futures commission merchant, or any other institution as determined by the Board.
   FOOTNOTE 1 Public Law 102-242; 105 Stat. 2236, 2372-3; 12 U.S.C. 4401-4407. END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 2 FDICIA section 402(2) generally defines "clearing organization" to include entities that provide clearing, netting, and settlement services to their members and in which all members of the entity are themselves financial institutions or clearing organizations. However, certain entities qualify as clearing organizations under FDICIA section 402(2)--and are therefore eligible for the multilateral netting protections under FDICIA section 404--without regard to whether all of their members qualify as financial institutions or clearing organizations. Specifically, an entity automatically qualifies as a clearing organization if it is (1) registered with the
Regulation EE expands the FDICIA definition of "financial institution"--and therefore expands FDICIA's netting protections--using an activities-based test that includes a qualitative component and a quantitative component. The qualitative component requires that the person "represent, orally or in writing, that it will engage in financial contracts as a counterparty on both sides of one or more financial markets." /3/ A person that makes this representation demonstrates that it is willing to engage in transactions on both sides of the market and is, in effect, holding itself out as a market intermediary. /4/ The quantitative component requires that the person have either (1) one or more financial contracts of a total gross dollar value of at least
   FOOTNOTE 3 12 CFR 231.3(a). Regulation EE generally defines the term "financial contract" by reference to the term "qualified financial contract" under section 11(e)(8)(D) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. 1821(e)(8)(D). 12 CFR 231.2(c). END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 4 59 FR 4780, 4782 (
   FOOTNOTE 5 Id. END FOOTNOTE
On
   FOOTNOTE 6 84 FR 18741 (
II. Public Comments
The Board received five responsive comments from private-sector financial institutions, industry associations, and an international organization. Commenters supported the proposed revisions to Regulation EE and, in some cases, suggested additional revisions. Several commenters suggested that the Board extend the financial institution definition to additional categories of entities. One commenter suggested that the Board make two minor clarifications related to the proposed changes to the activities-based test.
A. Qualification as a Financial Institution Based on Type of Entity
The Board is amending Regulation EE to include in the definition of financial institution the entities identified in the proposal. Additionally, the Board is including two other categories of entities, as well as the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), in the definition of financial institution.
The Board proposed to define the following entities as financial institutions: Swap dealers and security-based swap dealers; /7/ major swap participants (MSPs) and major security-based swap participants (MSBSPs); /8/ nonbank financial companies that the
   FOOTNOTE 7 See 7 U.S.C. 6s (swap dealer registration requirement) and 17 CFR 1.3 (swap dealer definition and de minimis thresholds); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10 (security-based swap dealer registration requirement) and 17 CFR 240.3a71-1 and 240.3a71-2 (security-based swap dealer definition and de minimis thresholds). END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 8 See 7 U.S.C. 6s (MSP registration requirement) and 15 U.S.C. 78o-10 (MSBSP registration requirement). END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 9 12 U.S.C. 5323. END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 10 See 7 U.S.C. 7a-1(a) and (h). END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 11 See 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b) and (k). END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 12 12 U.S.C. 5463. END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 13 12 U.S.C. 3101. As described in the proposal, the Board believes that foreign banks qualify as financial institutions under FDICIA's statutory definition. END FOOTNOTE
The Board believes that adding these entities to the definition of financial institution would promote the purposes of FDICIA's netting provisions--namely to reduce systemic risk and increase efficiency in the financial markets. The Board recognizes that
The Board is also amending Regulation EE to define qualifying central counterparties (QCCPs), foreign central banks, and the BIS as financial institutions.
1. QCCPs
In the preamble to the proposed rule, the Board requested comment on whether it should include in the definition of financial institution an entity that is a QCCP under the Board's Regulation Q. /14/ One industry association supported this addition.
   FOOTNOTE 14 12 CFR 217.2. END FOOTNOTE
The Board's Regulation Q establishes criteria for identifying QCCPs. Generally, a Board-supervised institution that clears financial transactions through a QCCP can receive preferential capital treatment for those transactions. /15/ To qualify as a QCCP, an entity based outside
   FOOTNOTE 15 Exposures to a QCCP are risk-weighted at either 2 or 4 percent (see 12 CFR 217.35(b)(3) and (c)(3)), whereas exposures to a CCP that is not a QCCP are risk-weighted based on the risk weight otherwise assignable to the CCP. END FOOTNOTE
As noted above, the Board is amending the definition of financial institution to include DCOs and clearing agencies that are registered with, or have been exempted from registration by, the CFTC or
2. Foreign Central Banks
A private-sector financial institution and an international organization suggested that the Board include foreign central banks in the definition of financial institution. These commenters stated that foreign central banks are systemically important and that extending the financial institution definition to cover foreign central banks would reduce systemic risk and increase efficiency in the financial markets, consistent with the purpose of the proposal.
The Board understands that foreign central banks, like Federal Reserve Banks, may participate in financial markets through various types of transactions that are used to implement monetary policy. The Board believes that including foreign central banks categorically in the definition of financial institution may benefit financial markets that rely on FDICIA and would meet the statutory objectives of reducing systemic risk and increasing efficiency in those financial markets. Furthermore, given that the Board is amending Regulation EE to define Federal Reserve Banks as financial institutions, the Board believes that a parallel addition of foreign central banks would be appropriate. Accordingly, the Board is amending Regulation EE to define foreign central banks as financial institutions.
3. The BIS
Multiple commenters suggested that the Board include the BIS in the definition of financial institution. The BIS's shareholders are central banks and monetary authorities that are members of the BIS. /16/ The BIS engages in financial contracts (e.g., foreign exchange derivatives) to help central banks and other official monetary institutions manage their foreign exchange reserves. /17/ Because the BIS engages in market-facing financial contracts and has characteristics similar to those of the Federal Reserve Banks and foreign central banks, the Board believes that the BIS should receive financial institution status, which is also being extended to the Federal Reserve Banks and foreign central banks. The Board believes that extending financial institution status to the BIS would meet the statutory objectives of reducing systemic risk and increasing efficiency in the financial markets. Accordingly, the Board is amending Regulation EE to define the BIS as a financial institution.
   FOOTNOTE 16 See https://www.bis.org/about/index.htm. END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 17 See https://www.bis.org/banking/finserv.htm. END FOOTNOTE
4. Other Categories of Entities
Two private-sector financial institutions and one international organization requested that the Board add the following categories of entities to the definition of financial institution: (i) Supranational institutions, such as multilateral development banks; (ii) foreign systemically important financial market infrastructures that are subject to the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures /18/ as implemented in their respective jurisdictions, and their operators; (iii) sovereign wealth funds; and (iv) electronic money institutions and payment institutions. The commenters did not provide detailed explanations for why the Board should extend financial institution status to these categories of entities.
   FOOTNOTE 18 See https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d101.htm. END FOOTNOTE
As discussed above, the domestic and global landscape for financial regulation has changed dramatically since the Board promulgated Regulation EE. In particular, several types of entities are now subject to expanded federal supervision and regulation. In subjecting these types of entities to higher levels of regulation and supervision due to their activities, transaction volumes, and risks presented to the financial markets,
The Board is not extending the financial institution definition to include the four categories of entities suggested by commenters. It is not clear the extent to which these types of entities, as categories, are active in financial contract netting such that the smooth functioning of their netting contracts is important for reducing systemic risk within the
As the Board noted in the proposed rule, it has the authority to issue case-by-case determinations for individual entities seeking financial institution status. Further, while the Board is not categorically defining all of the entities described above as financial institutions, individual entities in these categories might independently qualify as financial institutions under Regulation EE's activities-based test.
B. Activities-Based Test
The quantitative component of the activities-based test requires that a person have either (1) one or more financial contracts of a total gross dollar value of at least
   FOOTNOTE 19 12 CFR 231.3(a). The Bankruptcy Code includes a test for identifying "financial participants" that is substantively identical to the quantitative test in Regulation EE. 11 U.S.C. 101(22A). Under the Bankruptcy Code, financial participants that enter into certain types of financial contracts and master netting agreements for those financial contracts are exempt from provisions of the Bankruptcy Code that might otherwise delay or prevent netting related to those contracts. See, e.g., 11 U.S.C. 362(b)(6), (7), (17), and (27) (specifying that the Bankruptcy Code's automatic stay does not prevent a financial participant from exercising a contractual right to, inter alia, "offset or net out any termination value, payment amount, or other transfer obligation arising under or in connection with" certain types of financial contracts and master netting agreements for those financial contracts). END FOOTNOTE
The Board proposed to clarify how the quantitative component of the activities-based test would apply following a consolidation of legal entities. Specifically, the Board proposed that, upon the consolidation of two or more entities, the surviving entity may aggregate the total gross dollar value of notional principal amounts outstanding or the total gross mark-to-market positions of both entities on each calendar day during the previous 15-month period, and such total amounts would be used to determine whether the surviving entity meets the quantitative thresholds of the activities-based test. The Board did not receive any responsive comments on this clarification and is adopting the clarification as proposed.
The Board also proposed to add language to clarify, consistent with its current understanding, that the "previous 15-month period" described in the activities-based test includes the day on which a person evaluates whether it meets the relevant thresholds in the quantitative component of the activities-based test. Specifically, the Board proposed to add the words "at such time" to proposed [Sec.]
A commenter also requested clarification that satisfying the qualitative component of the activities-based test (which requires that a person "represent[ ], orally or in writing, that it will engage in financial contracts as a counterparty on both sides of one or more financial markets") /20/ does not affect a person's regulatory status for any other purpose. The Board confirms that satisfying the qualitative component of the activities-based test does not affect a person's regulatory status for any other purpose.
   FOOTNOTE 20 12 CFR 231.3(a). Regulation EE generally defines the term "financial contract" by reference to the term "qualified financial contract" under section 11(e)(8)(D) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. 1821(e)(8)(D). 12 CFR 231.2(c). END FOOTNOTE
IV. Regulatory Analysis
A. Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506; 5 CFR part 1320, Appendix A.1), the Board may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid
   FOOTNOTE 21 See 44 U.S.C. 3502(3). END FOOTNOTE
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
In accordance with section 4 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5 U.S.C.
   FOOTNOTE 22 13 CFR 121.201, sector 52 (SBA small entity size standards for finance and insurance entities). END FOOTNOTE
The Board did not receive any comments on its initial regulatory flexibility analysis. The Board certifies that the final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The final rule extends the "financial institution" definition to swap dealers, security-based swap dealers, MSPs, MSBSPs, DCOs, clearing agencies, QCCPs, bridge institutions, Federal Reserve Banks, foreign central banks, and the BIS. /23/
   FOOTNOTE 23 As explained above, the final rule also codifies the Board's existing view that foreign banks are financial institutions. END FOOTNOTE
The Board has previously determined that designated financial market utilities are not small entities; /24/ the CFTC has previously determined that swap dealers, MSPs, and DCOs are not small entities; /25/ and the
   FOOTNOTE 24 79 FR 65543, 65556 (
   FOOTNOTE 25 See, e.g., 81 FR 80563, 80565 (
   FOOTNOTE 26 See, e.g., 81 FR 29959, 30142 (
   FOOTNOTE 27 None of the industry codes in the SBA's small entity size standards necessarily apply to the Federal Reserve Banks per se, but the SBA's size standards for commercial depository institutions are instructive. Generally, the SBA's size standards provide that depository institutions are small entities if they have
Similarly, a bridge financial company would not be a small entity. /28/ Under
   FOOTNOTE 28 A bridge depository institution might be a small entity, but this final rule would not affect the status of bridge depository institutions under FDICIA because (as noted above) such institutions qualify as "financial institutions" under FDICIA's statutory definition. END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 29 12 U.S.C. 5383(b)(2). END FOOTNOTE
   FOOTNOTE 30 See 13 CFR 121.201, sector 52 (
Foreign banks (including bridge banks) are already covered by FDICIA's statutory definition of financial institution. Accordingly, while this final rule clarifies that foreign banks are financial institutions, it will not have any economic impact on foreign banks.
   List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 231 Banks, Banking, Financial institutions, Netting.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board amends Regulation EE, 12 CFR part 231, as follows:
   PART 231--NETTING ELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (REGULATION EE)
   1. The authority citation for part 231 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4402(1)(B) and 4402(9).
   2. In
*****
(c) Bridge institution means a legal entity that has been established by a governmental authority to take over, transfer, or continue operating critical functions and viable operations of an entity in resolution. A bridge institution could include a bridge depository institution or a bridge financial company organized by the
   3. Amend
   a. Revising paragraph (a);
   b. Redesignating paragraphs (b) and (c) as paragraphs (c) and (d);
   c. Adding new paragraphs (b) and (e).
The revision and additions read as follows:
(a) A person qualifies as a financial institution for purposes of sections 401-407 of the Act if it represents, orally or in writing, that it will engage in financial contracts as a counterparty on both sides of one or more financial markets and either--
(1) Had one or more financial contracts of a total gross dollar value of at least
(2) Had total gross mark-to-market positions of at least
(b) After two or more persons consolidate, such as through a merger or acquisition, the surviving person meets the quantitative thresholds under paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) if, on the same, single calendar day during the previous 15-month period, the aggregate financial contracts of the consolidated persons would have met such quantitative thresholds.
*****
(e) A person qualifies as a financial institution for purposes of sections 401-407 of the Act if it is--
(1) A swap dealer or major swap participant registered with the
(2) A security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant registered with the
(3) A derivatives clearing organization registered with the
(4) A clearing agency registered with the
(5) A financial market utility that the
(6) A qualifying central counterparty under 12 CFR 217.2;
(7) A nonbank financial company that the
(8) A foreign bank as defined in section 1(b) of the International Banking Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3101), including a foreign bridge bank;
(9) A bridge institution established for the purpose of resolving a financial institution;
(10) A
(11)
   By order of the
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2021-03596 Filed 2-25-21;
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