§217.2. Definitions. — Inbound Citations

(1) A national bank or Federal savings association that is a subsidiary of a Category III banking organization, as defined pursuant to 12 CFR 252.5 or 12 CFR 238.10, as applicable;

(g) Total capital means the total of a bank's Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital under the risk-based capital guidelines provided by the bank's primary federal supervisor. For a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter), total capital means the bank's Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter and calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter). For an insured branch of a foreign bank organized under the laws of a country that subscribes to the principles of the Basel Capital Accord, “total capital” means total Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital as calculated under the standards of that country. For an insured branch of a foreign bank organized under the laws of a country that does not subscribe to the principles of the Basel Capital Accord (Accord), “total capital” means total Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital as calculated under the provisions of the Accord.

(1) Tier 1 and tier 2 capital included in a member bank's risk-based capital (as defined in § 217.2 of Regulation Q); and

(c) Common equity tier 1 capital means the amount of capital as defined in § 217.2 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2).

(B) With respect to an advanced approaches bank or, if applicable, a bank that is a Category III Board-regulated institution (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter), the supplementary leverage ratio.

(iii) For qualifying community banking organizations (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that are subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter), tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter and calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter) plus allowances for loan and lease losses or adjusted allowance for credit losses, as applicable.

(4) 1, 2018, a global systemically important BHC (as defined in § 217.2) is subject to limitations on distributions and discretionary bonus payments in accordance with the lower of the maximum payout amount as determined under § 217.11(a)(2)(iii) and the maximum leverage payout amount as determined under § 217.11(a)(2)(vi).

(a) Terms that are set forth in § 217.2 and used in this subpart have the definitions assigned thereto in § 217.2.

(ii) A guarantee that meets all of the requirements of an eligible guarantee in § 217.2 except for paragraph (3) of the definition; or

(2) A Board-regulated institution must treat an investment in a separate account (as defined in § 217.2), as if it were an equity exposure to an investment fund as provided in § 217.154.

(iii) Equity exposures, excluding significant investments in the capital of an unconsolidated institution in the form of common stock and exposures to an investment firm that would meet the definition of a traditional securitization were it not for the Board's application of paragraph (8) of that definition in § 217.2 and has greater than immaterial leverage, to the extent that the aggregate adjusted carrying value of the exposures does not exceed 10 percent of the Board-regulated institution's total capital.

(A) To compute the aggregate adjusted carrying value of a Board-regulated institution's equity exposures for purposes of this section, the Board-regulated institution may exclude equity exposures described in paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3)(i), and (b)(3)(ii) of this section, the equity exposure in a hedge pair with the smaller adjusted carrying value, and a proportion of each equity exposure to an investment fund equal to the proportion of the assets of the investment fund that are not equity exposures or that meet the criterion of paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section. If a Board-regulated institution does not know the actual holdings of the investment fund, the Board-regulated institution may calculate the proportion of the assets of the fund that are not equity exposures based on the terms of the prospectus, partnership agreement, or similar contract that defines the fund's permissible investments. If the sum of the investment limits for all exposure classes within the fund exceeds 100 percent, the Board-regulated institution must assume for purposes of this section that the investment fund invests to the maximum extent possible in equity exposures.

(B) When determining which of a Board-regulated institution's equity exposures qualifies for a 100 percent risk weight under this section, a Board-regulated institution first must include equity exposures to unconsolidated small business investment companies or held through consolidated small business investment companies described in section 302 of the Small Business Investment Act, then must include publicly traded equity exposures (including those held indirectly through investment funds), and then must include non-publicly traded equity exposures (including those held indirectly through investment funds).

(a) Terms set forth in § 217.2 and used in this subpart have the definitions assigned thereto in § 217.2.

(a) A Board-regulated institution must calculate a total specific risk add-on for each portfolio of debt and equity positions for which the Board-regulated institution's VaR-based measure does not capture all material aspects of specific risk and for all securitization positions that are not modeled under § 217.209. A Board-regulated institution must calculate each specific risk add-on in accordance with the requirements of this section. Notwithstanding any other definition or requirement in this subpart, a position that would have qualified as a debt position or an equity position but for the fact that it qualifies as a correlation trading position under paragraph (2) of the definition of correlation trading position in § 217.2, shall be considered a debt position or an equity position, respectively, for purposes of this section 210 of this subpart.

(1) The specific risk add-on for an individual debt or securitization position that represents sold credit protection is capped at the notional amount of the credit derivative contract. The specific risk add-on for an individual debt or securitization position that represents purchased credit protection is capped at the current fair value of the transaction plus the absolute value of the present value of all remaining payments to the protection seller under the transaction. This sum is equal to the value of the protection leg of the transaction.

(2) For debt, equity, or securitization positions that are derivatives with linear payoffs, a Board-regulated institution must assign a specific risk-weighting factor to the fair value of the effective notional amount of the underlying instrument or index portfolio, except for a securitization position for which the Board-regulated institution directly calculates a specific risk add-on using the SFA in paragraph (b)(2)(vii)(B) of this section. A swap must be included as an effective notional position in the underlying instrument or portfolio, with the receiving side treated as a long position and the paying side treated as a short position. For debt, equity, or securitization positions that are derivatives with nonlinear payoffs, a Board-regulated institution must risk weight the fair value of the effective notional amount of the underlying instrument or portfolio multiplied by the derivative's delta.

(3) For debt, equity, or securitization positions, a Board-regulated institution may net long and short positions (including derivatives) in identical issues or identical indices. A Board-regulated institution may also net positions in depositary receipts against an opposite position in an identical equity in different markets, provided that the Board-regulated institution includes the costs of conversion.

(4) A set of transactions consisting of either a debt position and its credit derivative hedge or a securitization position and its credit derivative hedge has a specific risk add-on of zero if:

(i) The debt or securitization position is fully hedged by a total return swap (or similar instrument where there is a matching of swap payments and changes in fair value of the debt or securitization position);

(ii) There is an exact match between the reference obligation of the swap and the debt or securitization position;

(iii) There is an exact match between the currency of the swap and the debt or securitization position; and

(iv) There is either an exact match between the maturity date of the swap and the maturity date of the debt or securitization position; or, in cases where a total return swap references a portfolio of positions with different maturity dates, the total return swap maturity date must match the maturity date of the underlying asset in that portfolio that has the latest maturity date.

(5) The specific risk add-on for a set of transactions consisting of either a debt position and its credit derivative hedge or a securitization position and its credit derivative hedge that does not meet the criteria of paragraph (a)(4) of this section is equal to 20.0 percent of the capital requirement for the side of the transaction with the higher specific risk add-on when:

(i) The credit risk of the position is fully hedged by a credit default swap or similar instrument;

(ii) There is an exact match between the reference obligation of the credit derivative hedge and the debt or securitization position;

(iii) There is an exact match between the currency of the credit derivative hedge and the debt or securitization position; and

(iv) There is either an exact match between the maturity date of the credit derivative hedge and the maturity date of the debt or securitization position; or, in the case where the credit derivative hedge has a standard maturity date:

(A) The maturity date of the credit derivative hedge is within 30 business days of the maturity date of the debt or securitization position; or

(B) For purchased credit protection, the maturity date of the credit derivative hedge is later than the maturity date of the debt or securitization position, but is no later than the standard maturity date for that instrument that immediately follows the maturity date of the debt or securitization position. The maturity date of the credit derivative hedge may not exceed the maturity date of the debt or securitization position by more than 90 calendar days.

(6) The specific risk add-on for a set of transactions consisting of either a debt position and its credit derivative hedge or a securitization position and its credit derivative hedge that does not meet the criteria of either paragraph (a)(4) or (a)(5) of this section, but in which all or substantially all of the price risk has been hedged, is equal to the specific risk add-on for the side of the transaction with the higher specific risk add-on.

(A) If the Board-regulated institution is a Category III Board-regulated institution or Category IV Board-regulated institution, during the first reporting period after the Board-regulated institution meets the definition of a Category III Board-regulated institution or Category IV Board-regulated institution in § 217.2; or

(a) In order to recognize certain exposures as cleared transactions pursuant to paragraphs (1)(ii), (iii) or (iv) of the definition of “cleared transaction” in § 217.2, the exposures must meet the applicable requirements set forth in this paragraph (a).

(1) The offsetting transaction must be identified by the CCP as a transaction for the clearing member client.

(2) The collateral supporting the transaction must be held in a manner that prevents the Board-regulated institution from facing any loss due to an event of default, including from a liquidation, receivership, insolvency, or similar proceeding of either the clearing member or the clearing member's other clients. Omnibus accounts established under 17 CFR parts 190 and 300 satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (a).

(3) The Board-regulated institution must conduct sufficient legal review to conclude with a well-founded basis (and maintain sufficient written documentation of that legal review) that in the event of a legal challenge (including one resulting from a default or receivership, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding) the relevant court and administrative authorities would find the arrangements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section to be legal, valid, binding and enforceable under the law of the relevant jurisdictions.

(4) The offsetting transaction with a clearing member must be transferable under the transaction documents and applicable laws in the relevant jurisdiction(s) to another clearing member should the clearing member default, become insolvent, or enter receivership, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceedings.

(ii) A guarantee that meets all criteria as set forth in the definition of “eligible guarantee” in § 217.2, except for the criteria in paragraph (3) of that definition; or

(2) Notwithstanding §§ 217.2 and 217.10, a bank holding company or covered savings and loan holding company that is organized as a legal entity other than a stock corporation and has issued capital instruments that do not qualify as common equity tier 1 capital under § 217.20 by virtue of the requirements set forth in this section may treat those capital instruments as common equity tier 1 capital until July 1, 2016.

(2) A Board-regulated institution must treat an investment in a separate account (as defined in § 217.2) as if it were an equity exposure to an investment fund as provided in § 217.53.

(iii) Equity exposures, excluding significant investments in the capital of an unconsolidated financial institution in the form of common stock and exposures to an investment firm that would meet the definition of a traditional securitization were it not for the application of paragraph (8) of that definition in § 217.2 and has greater than immaterial leverage, to the extent that the aggregate adjusted carrying value of the exposures does not exceed 10 percent of the Board-regulated institution's total capital.

(A) To compute the aggregate adjusted carrying value of a Board-regulated institution's equity exposures for purposes of this section, the Board-regulated institution may exclude equity exposures described in paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3)(i), and (b)(3)(ii) of this section, the equity exposure in a hedge pair with the smaller adjusted carrying value, and a proportion of each equity exposure to an investment fund equal to the proportion of the assets of the investment fund that are not equity exposures or that meet the criterion of paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section. If a Board-regulated institution does not know the actual holdings of the investment fund, the Board-regulated institution may calculate the proportion of the assets of the fund that are not equity exposures based on the terms of the prospectus, partnership agreement, or similar contract that defines the fund's permissible investments. If the sum of the investment limits for all exposure classes within the fund exceeds 100 percent, the Board-regulated institution must assume for purposes of this section that the investment fund invests to the maximum extent possible in equity exposures.

(B) When determining which of a Board-regulated institution's equity exposures qualify for a 100 percent risk weight under this paragraph (b), a Board-regulated institution first must include equity exposures to unconsolidated small business investment companies or held through consolidated small business investment companies described in section 302 of the Small Business Investment Act, then must include publicly traded equity exposures (including those held indirectly through investment funds), and then must include non-publicly traded equity exposures (including those held indirectly through investment funds).

(a) Terms that are set forth in § 217.2 and used in this subpart have the definitions assigned thereto in § 217.2.

(B) For each insured depository institution that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter), whose Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter and calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter) or total assets change as a result of the transaction, the total assets and Tier 1 capital of the institution on a pro forma basis; and

(d) For purposes of this section, a financial holding company that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) calculates its Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter) in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter.

(3) For purposes of this paragraph (c), a financial holding company that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) calculates its Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter) in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter.

(D) For each insured depository institution that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) whose Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter and calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter) or total assets change as a result of the transaction, the total assets and Tier 1 capital of the institution on a pro forma basis;

(B) For each insured depository institution that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) whose Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter and calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter) or total assets change as a result of the transaction, the total assets and Tier 1 capital of the institution on a pro forma basis;

(iv) For purposes of this paragraph (b)(4), a financial holding company that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) calculates its Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter) in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter.

(6) A qualifying central counterparty under 12 CFR 217.2;

(3) Prior to calculating the adjusted market value pursuant to paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, with regard to a transaction that meets the definition of “repo-style transaction” in § 217.2 of this chapter, the covered company would first multiply the applicable collateral haircuts in table 1 to § 217.132 of this chapter by the square root of 1/2.

(A) As calculated for each transaction, in the case of a securities financing transaction between the covered company and the counterparty that is not subject to a bilateral netting agreement or does not meet the definition of “repo-style transaction” in § 217.2 of this chapter; or

(B) For each insured depository institution that is a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter) that is subject to the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter), whose Tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter and calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter) or total assets change as a result of the transaction, the total assets and Tier 1 capital of the institution on a pro forma basis;

(ii) The company's tier 1 capital (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter and calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter).

For purposes of this subpart:

(3) Prior to calculating the adjusted market value pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section, with regard to a transaction that meets the definition of “repo-style transaction” in § 217.2 of the Board's Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2), the covered foreign entity would first multiply the applicable collateral haircuts in Table 1 to § 217.132 of the Board's Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.132) by the square root of 1/2.

(A) As calculated for each transaction, in the case of a securities financing transaction between the covered foreign entity and the counterparty that is not subject to a bilateral netting agreement or does not meet the definition of “repo-style transaction” in § 217.2 of the Board's Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2); or

For purposes of this subpart:

(3) Prior to calculating the adjusted market value pursuant to paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, with regard to a transaction that meets the definition of “repo-style transaction” in § 217.2 of the Board's Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2), the covered company would first multiply the applicable collateral haircuts in Table 1 to § 217.132 of the Board's Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.132) by the square root of 1/2.

(A) As calculated for each transaction, in the case of a securities financing transaction between the covered company and the counterparty that is not subject to a bilateral netting agreement or does not meet the definition of “repo-style transaction” in § 217.2 of the Board's Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2); or

For purposes of this subpart:

(B) To determine under the definition of “financial institution” in § 217.2 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2) whether a company is a financial institution based on its activities.

(1) An FDIC-supervised institution that is a subsidiary of a Category III banking organization, as defined pursuant to 12 CFR 252.5 or 12 CFR 238.10, as applicable;

(A) For purposes of paragraph (g)(3)(iv), the term regulated financial company means—

(1) A bank holding company, as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1841;

(2) A covered savings and loan holding company, as defined in 12 CFR 217.2;

(3) A national bank;

(4) A bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System and is incorporated by special law of any State, or organized under the general laws of any State, or of the United States, including a Morris Plan bank, or other incorporated banking institution engaged in a similar business;

(5) An insured depository institution, as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(c)(2);

(6) A nonbank financial company subject to a determination under 12 U.S.C. 5323(a)(1) or (b)(1);

(7) A U.S. intermediate holding company formed by a foreign banking organization in compliance with 12 CFR 252.153;

(8) An Edge Act corporation organized under section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 611-631);

(9) Corporations having an agreement or undertaking with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 601-604a);

(10) A supervised securities holding company, as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1850a(a)(5);

(11) A broker or dealer that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under 15 U.S.C. 78o(b);

(12) A futures commission merchant, as defined in 7 U.S.C. 1a(28);

(13) A swap dealer, as defined in 7 U.S.C. 1a(49);

(14) A security-based swap dealer, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(71);

(15) A Federal Home Loan Bank, as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1422(1)(A);

(16) A Farm Credit System Institution chartered and subject to the provisions of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.); or

(17) A small business investment company, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 662(3).

(6) A high volatility commercial real estate (HVCRE) exposure;

(6) A high volatility commercial real estate (HVCRE) exposure;

(6) A high volatility commercial real estate (HVCRE) exposure;

(6) A high volatility commercial real estate (HVCRE) exposure;