Global and US financial services regulators are increasing their warnings on the impending end to the use of the London Interbank Offering Rate (LIBOR) as a reference rate in financial contracts and the risk to the global financial system if there is inadequate preparation by financial institutions. Most LIBOR settings are ending this year, with … Continue Reading
On 7 June 2021, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee) issued a press release following its meeting on 4 June 2021. During this meeting the Basel Committee took stock of COVID-19 risks to the banking system and discussed policy and supervisory initiatives. In terms of crypto-assets the press release notes that the Basel … Continue Reading
On 31 May 2021, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) issued a consultative document regarding targets for addressing the four challenges of cross-border payments – cost, speed, transparency and access. The FSB explains that these targets are a foundational step in the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments. The consultative document: (i) describes the principles, and … Continue Reading
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have jointly proposed overturning the Trump Administration’s “True Lender” final rule (the “True Lender Rule”), as published by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”) on October 30, 2020 and effective December 29, 2020. The Congressional Review Act (the “CRA”) gives Congress a limited period … Continue Reading
On April 21, 2021, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed Bill 38 into law allowing Wyoming to recognize decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) as limited liability companies. The bill was sponsored by Wyoming’s Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology and takes effect July 1, 2021. Generally, a DAO is an organization controlled by … Continue Reading
Following up on our past posts on the transition away from the use of the London Interbank Offering Rate (“LIBOR”) as a reference rate, recently, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB) issued a letter setting forth guidance for FRB examiners to assist in their assessment of the progress of FRB-supervised firms … Continue Reading
On 16 April 2021, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee) published its work programme for 2021-22. The work programme focuses on three key themes: COVID-19 resilience and recovery. This includes ongoing monitoring and assessment of risks and vulnerabilities to the global banking system. Horizon scanning and mitigation of medium-term risks and trends. This … Continue Reading
The National Defense Authorization Act became law on January 1, 2021, after the U.S. Congress overrode a presidential veto. Division F of the Act is the “Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020” (AMLA). In her latest The New York Law Journal column, “ AML Act of 2020: Topics of interest for international banks,” Kathleen Scott, Senior … Continue Reading
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted crypto-focused Protego Trust Company, a Washington state trust company, conditional approval to convert to a national trust bank earlier this month, marking only the second time that a federal bank charter has been approved for a crypto firm – and the first since the January … Continue Reading
In 2020, several federal regulatory changes affected banking organizations, such as the finalization of the long-awaited Federal Reserve Board “control” regulations and the revision of the “covered funds” prong of the Volcker Rule. But, what is ahead for 2021 in the regulatory sphere for banking organizations? In her latest New York Law Journal column, “International … Continue Reading
On December 18, 2020, the US Department of the Treasury (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency), Federal Reserve Board and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) jointly announced a 53-page proposed rule that would require banks to notify their regulators within 36 hours of a “computer-security incident” that rises to the level of a “notification … Continue Reading
When banks and certain other financial institutions open accounts for entities, among other anti-money laundering (AML) customer identification requirements, they must obtain beneficial ownership information on individuals owning 25% or more of the entity and a person with significant control over the entity such as a president or chief executive officer. We have published several … Continue Reading
Having only days previously made statements that such a deal was unlikely and warning their citizens to prepare for a no deal Brexit, the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) announced on 24 December 2020 that they had reached an agreement in principle on trade and co-operation. More than 1200 pages long, the … Continue Reading
As we discussed in our October blogpost “Advances in New York City PACE programs,” the New York City Department of Finance (“NYCDOF”) has published for comment proposed rules that would establish criteria and program guidelines for the New York City Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy (“C-PACE”) Program. The proposed rules establish eligibility criteria for obtaining … Continue Reading
On 18 November 2020, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) published its 2020 Resolution Report. In relation to banks the report notes that global systemically important banks (G-SIBs) are estimated to already meet the final 2022 minimum external total loss absorbing capacity (TLAC) requirement. While disclosure of external TLAC levels by G-SIBs has improved over the … Continue Reading
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (collectively, the “Banking Agencies”) issued a statement (“Statement”) on November 6, 2020, regarding the upcoming discontinuation of LIBOR as a reference rate. Referencing a recent statement on the LIBOR transition issued by … Continue Reading
On 11 November 2020, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) issued a press release confirming the 2020 list of global systemically important banks (G-SIBs). The list of G-SIBs is based on end-2019 data and the updated assessment methodology published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in July 2013. The overall number of G-SIBs remains 30. … Continue Reading
When the use of LIBOR as a reference rate in financial contracts is phased out at the end of 2021, those contracts currently utilizing LIBOR may face costly litigation, renegotiation and market disruption. On October 28, 2020, New York State Senate Bill S9070 (“S9070”) was introduced and is intended to possibly pre-empt much of that … Continue Reading
Introduction On October 23, 2020, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (“ISDA”) released the ISDA IBOR Fallbacks Protocol (“Protocol”) and a Supplement to the 2006 ISDA Definitions (“Supplement”). While the Supplement amends definitions to the 2006 ISDA Definitions, it only amends definitions for new contracts. The Protocol gives participants an opportunity to amend existing contracts. … Continue Reading
The New York City Department of Finance (“NYCDOF”) has published for comment proposed rules which would establish criteria and program guidelines for the New York City Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy (“C-PACE”) Program. The proposed rules establish eligibility criteria for obtaining C-PACE loans for the purpose of retrofitting or renovating properties for energy efficiency or … Continue Reading
In 2015, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York stunned markets when it issued an opinion in Madden v. Midland Funding, LLC that ignored the “valid-when-made” principle of usury law that had been in place for decades. That decision impugned much of the secondary consumer debt market, including credit card … Continue Reading
On 25 September 2020, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee) issued a press statement following its meeting on 14, 18 and 25 September 2020 to take stock of COVID-19 risks to the global banking system and related vulnerabilities. Key points in the press statement include: The Basel Committee reiterates its previous guidance that … Continue Reading
On September 15, 2020, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the US anti-money laundering (AML) agency, published a final rule that completes the circle of all banking organizations being treated the same for purposes of AML compliance requirements for banks. The final rule covers banks that do not have a Federal functional regulator, such as … Continue Reading
On August 31, 2020, in response to requests by the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC), the US Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued revised no-action letters to swap dealers and other market participants relating to the transition from use of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) as a reference rates in transactions. These letters supersede … Continue Reading
