Title 12—Banks and Banking--Volume 1
PART 48—RETAIL FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS
§ 48.1   Authority, purpose, and scope.
(a) Authority —(1) National banks. A national bank may offer or enter into retail foreign exchange transactions. A national bank offering or entering into retail foreign exchange transactions must comply with the requirements of this part.
(2) Federal savings associations. A Federal savings association may offer or enter into retail foreign exchange transactions. A Federal savings association offering or entering into retail foreign exchange transactions must comply with the requirements of this part as if each reference to a national bank were a reference to a Federal savings association.
(b) Purpose. This part establishes rules applicable to retail foreign exchange transactions engaged in by national banks and applies on or after the effective date.
(c) Scope. Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, this part applies to national banks.
(d) International applicability. Sections 48.3 and 48.5 to 48.16 do not apply to retail foreign exchange transactions between a foreign branch of a national bank and a non-U.S. customer. With respect to those transactions, the foreign branch remains subject to any disclosure, recordkeeping, capital, margin, reporting, business conduct, documentation, and other requirements of foreign law applicable to the branch.
§ 48.2   Definitions.
In addition to the definitions in this section, for purposes of this part, the following terms have the same meaning as in the Commodity Exchange Act: “Affiliated person of a futures commission merchant”; “associated person”; “contract of sale”; “commodity”; “eligible contract participant”; “futures commission merchant”; “future delivery”; “option”; “security”; and “security futures product”.
Affiliate has the same meaning as in section 2(k) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841(k)).
Commodity Exchange Act means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq. ).
Federal savings association means a Federal savings association or Federal savings bank chartered under section 5 of the Home Owners' Loan Act (12 U.S.C. 1464) or an operating subsidiary thereof.
Forex means foreign exchange.
Identified banking product has the same meaning as in section 401(b) of the Legal Certainty for Bank Products Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 27(b)).
Institution-affiliated party or IAP has the same meaning as in section 3(u)(1), (2), or (3) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(u)(1), (2), or (3)).
Introducing broker means any person that solicits or accepts orders from a retail forex customer in connection with retail forex transactions.
National bank means:
(1) A national bank;
(2) A Federal branch or agency of a foreign bank, each as defined in 12 U.S.C. 3101; and
(3) An operating subsidiary of a national bank or an operating subsidiary of a Federal branch or agency of a foreign bank.
Related person, when used in reference to a retail forex counterparty, means:
(1) Any general partner, officer, director, or owner of 10 percent or more of the capital stock of the retail forex counterparty;
(2) An associated person or employee of the retail forex counterparty, if the retail forex counterparty is not a national bank;
(3) An IAP of the retail forex counterparty, if the retail forex counterparty is a national bank; and
(4) A relative or spouse of any of the foregoing persons, or a relative of such spouse, who shares the same home as any of the foregoing persons.
Retail foreign exchange dealer means any person other than a retail forex customer that is, or that offers to be, the counterparty to a retail forex transaction, except for a person described in item (aa), (bb), (cc)(AA), (dd), or (ff) of section 2(c)(2)(B)(i)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 2(c)(2)(B)(i)(II)).
Retail forex account means the account of a retail forex customer, established with a national bank, in which retail forex transactions with the national bank as counterparty are undertaken, or the account of a retail forex customer that is established in order to enter into such transactions.
Retail forex account agreement means the contractual agreement between a national bank and a retail forex customer that contains the terms governing the customer's retail forex account with the national bank.
Retail forex business means engaging in one or more retail forex transactions with the intent to derive income from those transactions, either directly or indirectly.
Retail forex counterparty includes, as appropriate:
(1) A national bank;
(2) A retail foreign exchange dealer;
(3) A futures commission merchant; and
(4) An affiliated person of a futures commission merchant.
Retail forex customer means a customer that is not an eligible contract participant, acting on his, her, or its own behalf and engaging in retail forex transactions.
Retail forex obligation means an obligation of a retail forex customer with respect to a retail forex transaction, including trading losses, fees, spreads, charges, and commissions.
Retail forex proprietary account means: A retail forex account carried on the books of a national bank for one of the following persons; a retail forex account of which 10 percent or more is owned by one of the following persons; or a retail forex account of which an aggregate of 10 percent or more of which is owned by more than one of the following persons:
(1) The national bank;
(2) An officer, director, or owner of 10 percent or more of the capital stock of the national bank; or
(3) An employee of the national bank, whose duties include:
(i) The management of the national bank's business;
(ii) The handling of the national bank's retail forex transactions;
(iii) The keeping of records, including without limitation the software used to make or maintain those records, pertaining to the national bank's retail forex transactions; or
(iv) The signing or co-signing of checks or drafts on behalf of the national bank;
(4) A spouse or minor dependent living in the same household as any of the foregoing persons; or
(5) An affiliate of the national bank.
Retail forex transaction means an agreement, contract, or transaction in foreign currency, other than an identified banking product or a part of an identified banking product, that is offered or entered into by a national bank with a person that is not an eligible contract participant and that is:
(1) A contract of sale of a commodity for future delivery or an option on such a contract;
(2) An option, other than an option executed or traded on a national securities exchange registered pursuant to section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78(f)(a)); or
(3) Offered or entered into on a leveraged or margined basis, or financed by a national bank, its affiliate, or any person acting in concert with the national bank or its affiliate on a similar basis, other than:
(i) A security that is not a security futures product as defined in section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a(47)); or
(ii) A contract of sale that:
(A) Results in actual delivery within two days; or
(B) Creates an enforceable obligation to deliver between a seller and buyer that have the ability to deliver and accept delivery, respectively, in connection with their line of business; or
(iii) An agreement, contract, or transaction that the OCC determines is not functionally or economically similar to:
(A) A contract of sale of a commodity for future delivery or an option on such a contract; or
(B) An option, other than an option executed or traded on a national securities exchange registered pursuant to section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78(f)(a)).
§ 48.3   Prohibited transactions.
(a) Fraudulent conduct prohibited. No national bank or its IAPs may, directly or indirectly, in or in connection with any retail forex transaction:
(1) Cheat or defraud or attempt to cheat or defraud any person;
(2) Willfully make or cause to be made to any person any false report or statement or cause to be entered for any person any false record; or
(3) Willfully deceive or attempt to deceive any person by any means whatsoever.
(b) Acting as counterparty and exercising discretion prohibited. If a national bank can cause retail forex transactions to be effected for a retail forex customer without the retail forex customer's specific authorization, then neither the national bank nor its affiliates may act as the counterparty for any retail forex transaction with that retail forex customer.
§ 48.4   Supervisory non-objection.
(a) Supervisory non-objection required. Before commencing a retail forex business, a national bank must provide the OCC with prior notice and obtain from the OCC a written supervisory non-objection.
(b) Requirements for obtaining supervisory non-objection. (1) In order to obtain a written supervisory non-objection, a national bank must:
(i) Establish to the satisfaction of the OCC that the national bank has established and implemented written policies, procedures, and risk measurement and management systems and controls for the purpose of ensuring that it conducts retail forex transactions in a safe and sound manner and in compliance with this part; and
(ii) Provide such other information as the OCC may require.
(2) The information provided under paragraph (b)(1) of this section must include, without limitation, information regarding:
(i) Customer due diligence, including without limitation credit evaluations, customer appropriateness, and “know your customer” documentation;
(ii) New product approvals;
(iii) The haircuts that the national bank will apply to noncash margin as provided in § 48.9(b)(2); and
(iv) Conflicts of interest.
(c) Treatment of existing retail forex businesses. A national bank that is engaged in a retail forex business on July 15, 2011 or September 12, 2011 for Federal savings associations, may continue to do so for up to six months, subject to an extension of time by the OCC, if it requests the supervisory non-objection required by paragraph (a) of this section within 30 days of July 15, 2011 or September 12, 2011 for Federal savings associations, and submits the information required to be submitted under paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) Compliance with the Commodity Exchange Act. A national bank that is engaged in a retail forex business on July 15, 2011 or September 12, 2011 for Federal savings associations and complies with paragraph (c) of this section will be deemed, during the six-month or extended period described in paragraph (c) of this section, to be acting pursuant to a rule or regulation described in section 2(c)(2)(E)(ii)(I) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 2(c)(2)(E)(ii)(I)).
§ 48.5   Application and closing out of offsetting long and short positions.
(a) Application of purchases and sales. Any national bank that—
(1) Engages in a retail forex transaction involving the purchase of any currency for the account of any retail forex customer when the account of such retail forex customer at the time of such purchase has an open retail forex transaction for the sale of the same currency;
(2) Engages in a retail forex transaction involving the sale of any currency for the account of any retail forex customer when the account of such retail forex customer at the time of such sale has an open retail forex transaction for the purchase of the same currency;
(3) Purchases a put or call option involving foreign currency for the account of any retail forex customer when the account of such retail forex customer at the time of such purchase has a short put or call option position with the same underlying currency, strike price, and expiration date as that purchased; or
(4) Sells a put or call option involving foreign currency for the account of any retail forex customer when the account of such retail forex customer at the time of such sale has a long put or call option position with the same underlying currency, strike price, and expiration date as that sold must:
(i) Immediately apply such purchase or sale against such previously held opposite transaction; and
(ii) Promptly furnish such retail forex customer with a statement showing the financial result of the transactions involved and the name of any introducing broker to the account.
(b) Close-out against oldest open position. In all instances in which the short or long position in a customer's retail forex account immediately prior to an offsetting purchase or sale is greater than the quantity purchased or sold, the national bank must apply such offsetting purchase or sale to the oldest portion of the previously held short or long position.
(c) Transactions to be applied as directed by customer. Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, to the extent the national bank allows retail forex customers to use other methods of offsetting retail forex transactions, the offsetting transaction must be applied as directed by a retail forex customer's specific instructions. These instructions may not be made by the national bank or an IAP of the national bank.
§ 48.6   Disclosure.
(a) Risk disclosure statement required. No national bank may open or maintain open an account that will engage in retail forex transactions for a retail forex customer unless the national bank has furnished the retail forex customer with a separate written disclosure statement containing only the language set forth in paragraph (d) of this section and the disclosures required by paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section.
(b) Acknowledgment of risk disclosure statement required. The national bank must receive from the retail forex customer a written acknowledgment signed and dated by the customer that the customer received and understood the written disclosure statement required by paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) Placement of risk disclosure statement. The disclosure statement may be attached to other documents as the initial page(s) of such documents and as the only material on such page(s).
(d) Content of risk disclosure statement. The language set forth in the written disclosure statement required by paragraph (a) of this section is as follows:
Retail forex transactions involve the leveraged trading of contracts denominated in foreign currency with [name of entity] as your counterparty. Because of the leverage and the other risks disclosed here, you can rapidly lose all of the funds or property you pledge to [name of entity] as margin for retail forex trading. You may lose more than you pledge as margin.
If your margin falls below the required amount, and you fail to provide the required additional margin, [name of entity] is required to liquidate your retail forex transactions. [Name of entity] cannot apply your retail forex losses to any of your assets or liabilities at [name of entity] other than funds or property that you have pledged as margin for retail forex transactions. However, if you lose more money than you have pledged as margin, [name of entity] may seek to recover that deficiency in an appropriate forum, such as a court of law.
You should be aware of and carefully consider the following points before determining whether retail forex trading is appropriate for you.
(1) Trading is not on a regulated market or exchange—[name of entity] is your trading counterparty and has conflicting interests. The retail forex transaction you are entering into is not conducted on an interbank market nor is it conducted on a futures exchange subject to regulation as a designated contract market by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The foreign currency trades you transact are trades with [name of entity] as the counterparty. When you sell, [name of entity] is the buyer. When you buy, [name of entity] is the seller. As a result, when you lose money trading, [name of entity] is making money on such trades, in addition to any fees, commissions, or spreads [name of entity] may charge.
(2) An electronic trading platform for retail foreign currency transactions is not an exchange. It is an electronic connection for accessing [name of entity]. The terms of availability of such a platform are governed only by your contract with [name of entity]. Any trading platform that you may use to enter into off-exchange foreign currency transactions is only connected to [name of entity]. You are accessing that trading platform only to transact with [name of entity]. You are not trading with any other entities or customers of [name of entity] by accessing such platform. The availability and operation of any such platform, including the consequences of the unavailability of the trading platform for any reason, is governed only by the terms of your account agreement with [name of entity].
(3) You may be able to offset or liquidate any trading positions only through [name of national bank] because the transactions are not made on an exchange or regulated contract market, and [name of entity] may set its own prices. Your ability to close your transactions or offset positions is limited to what [name of entity] will offer to you, as there is no other market for these transactions. [Name of entity] may offer any prices it wishes, including prices derived from outside sources or not in its discretion. [Name of entity] may establish its prices by offering spreads from third-party prices, but it is under no obligation to do so or to continue to do so. [Name of entity] may offer different prices to different customers at any point in time on its own terms. The terms of your account agreement alone govern the obligations [name of entity] has to you to offer prices and offer offset or liquidating transactions in your account and make any payments to you. The prices offered by [name of entity] may or may not reflect prices available elsewhere at any exchange, interbank, or other market for foreign currency.
(4) Paid solicitors may have undisclosed conflicts. [Name of entity] may compensate introducing brokers for introducing your account in ways that are not disclosed to you. Such paid solicitors are not required to have, and may not have, any special expertise in trading and may have conflicts of interest based on the method by which they are compensated. You should thoroughly investigate the manner in which all such solicitors are compensated and be very cautious in granting any person or entity authority to trade on your behalf. You should always consider obtaining dated written confirmation of any information you are relying on from [name of entity] in making any trading or account decisions.
(5) Retail forex transactions are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(6) Retail forex transactions are not a deposit in, or guaranteed by, [name of entity].
(7) Retail forex transactions are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of all amounts invested.
Finally, you should thoroughly investigate any statements by [name of entity] that minimize the importance of, or contradict, any of the terms of this risk disclosure. These statements may indicate sales fraud.
This brief statement cannot, of course, disclose all the risks and other aspects of trading off-exchange foreign currency with [name of entity].
I hereby acknowledge that I have received and understood this risk disclosure statement.
(e)(1) Disclosure of profitable accounts ratio. Immediately following the language set forth in paragraph (d) of this section, the statement required by paragraph (a) of this section must include, for each of the most recent four calendar quarters during which the national bank maintained retail forex customer accounts:
(i) The total number of retail forex customer accounts maintained by the national bank over which the national bank does not exercise investment discretion;
(ii) The percentage of such accounts that were profitable for retail forex customer accounts during the quarter; and
(iii) The percentage of such accounts that were not profitable for retail forex customer accounts during the quarter.
(2) The national bank's statement of profitable trades must include the following legend: “Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.” Each national bank must provide, upon request, to any retail forex customer or prospective retail forex customer the total number of retail forex accounts maintained by the national bank for which the national bank does not exercise investment discretion, the percentage of such accounts that were profitable, and the percentage of such accounts that were not profitable for each calendar quarter during the most recent five-year period during which the national bank maintained such accounts.
(f) Disclosure of fees and other charges. Immediately following the language required by paragraph (e) of this section, the statement required by paragraph (a) of this section must include:
(1) The amount of any fee, charge, spread, or commission that the national bank may impose on the retail forex customer in connection with a retail forex account or retail forex transaction;
(2) An explanation of how the national bank will determine the amount of such fees, charges, spreads, or commissions; and
(3) The circumstances under which the national bank may impose such fees, charges, spreads, or commissions.
(g) Future disclosure requirements. If, with regard to a retail forex customer, the national bank changes any fee, charge, or commission required to be disclosed under paragraph (f) of this section, then the national bank must mail or deliver to the retail forex customer a notice of the changes at least 15 days prior to the effective date of the change.
(h) Form of disclosure requirements. The disclosures required by this section must be clear and conspicuous and designed to call attention to the nature and significance of the information provided.
(i) Other disclosure requirements unaffected. This section does not relieve a national bank from any other disclosure obligation it may have under applicable law.
§ 48.7   Recordkeeping.
(a) General rule. A national bank engaging in retail forex transactions must keep full, complete, and systematic records, together with all pertinent data and memoranda, pertaining to its retail forex business, including the following 6 types of records:
(1) Retail forex account records. For each retail forex account:
(i) The name and address of the person for whom the account is carried or introduced and the principal occupation or business of the person;
(ii) The name of any other person guaranteeing the account or exercising trading control with respect to the account;
(iii) The establishment or termination of the account;
(iv) A means to identify the person that has solicited and is responsible for the account;
(v) The funds in the account, net of any commissions and fees;
(vi) The account's net profits and losses on open trades;
(vii) The funds in the account plus or minus the net profits and losses on open trades, adjusted for the net option value in the case of open options positions;
(viii) Financial ledger records that show all charges against and credits to the account, including deposits, withdrawals, and transfers, and charges or credits resulting from losses or gains on closed transactions; and
(ix) A list of all retail forex transactions executed for the account, with the details specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(2) Retail forex transaction records. For each retail forex transaction:
(i) The date and time the national bank received the order;
(ii) The price at which the national bank placed the order, or, in the case of an option, the premium that the retail forex customer paid;
(iii) The customer account identification information;
(iv) The currency pair;
(v) The size or quantity of the order;
(vi) Whether the order was a buy or sell order;
(vii) The type of order, if the order was not a market order;
(viii) The size and price at which the order is executed, or in the case of an option, the amount of the premium paid for each option purchased, or the amount credited for each option sold;
(ix) For options, whether the option is a put or call, expiration date, quantity, underlying contract for future delivery or underlying physical, strike price, and details of the purchase price of the option, including premium, mark-up, commission, and fees; and
(x) For futures, the delivery date; and
(xi) If the order was made on a trading platform:
(A) The price quoted on the trading platform when the order was placed, or, in the case of an option, the premium quoted;
(B) The date and time the order was transmitted to the trading platform; and
(C) The date and time the order was executed.
(3) Price changes on a trading platform. If a trading platform is used, daily logs showing each price change on the platform, the time of the change to the nearest second, and the trading volume at that time and price.
(4) Methods or algorithms. Any method or algorithm used to determine the bid or asked price for any retail forex transaction or the prices at which customer orders are executed, including, but not limited to, any markups, fees, commissions or other items which affect the profitability or risk of loss of a retail forex customer's transaction.
(5) Daily records which show for each business day complete details of:
(i) All retail forex transactions that are futures transactions executed on that day, including the date, price, quantity, market, currency pair, delivery date, and the person for whom such transaction was made;
(ii) All retail forex transactions that are option transactions executed on that day, including the date, whether the transaction involved a put or call, the expiration date, quantity, currency pair, delivery date, strike price, details of the purchase price of the option, including premium, mark-up, commission and fees, and the person for whom the transaction was made; and
(iii) All other retail forex transactions executed on that day for such account, including the date, price, quantity, currency and the person for whom such transaction was made.
(6) Other records. Written acknowledgments of receipt of the risk disclosure statement required by § 48.6(b), offset instructions pursuant to § 48.5(c), records required under paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section, trading cards, signature cards, street books, journals, ledgers, payment records, copies of statements of purchase, and all other records, data, and memoranda that have been prepared in the course of the national bank's retail forex business.
(b) Ratio of profitable accounts. (1) With respect to its active retail forex customer accounts over which it did not exercise investment discretion and that are not retail forex proprietary accounts open for any period of time during the quarter, a national bank must prepare and maintain on a quarterly basis (calendar quarter):
(i) A calculation of the percentage of such accounts that were profitable;
(ii) A calculation of the percentage of such accounts that were not profitable; and
(iii) Data supporting the calculations described in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section.
(2) In calculating whether a retail forex account was profitable or not profitable during the quarter, the national bank must compute the realized and unrealized gains or losses on all retail forex transactions carried in the retail forex account at any time during the quarter, subtract all fees, commissions, and any other charges posted to the retail forex account during the quarter, and add any interest income and other income or rebates credited to the retail forex account during the quarter. All deposits and withdrawals of funds made by the retail forex customer during the quarter must be excluded from the computation of whether the retail forex account was profitable or not profitable during the quarter. Computations that result in a zero or negative number must be considered a retail forex account that was not profitable. Computations that result in a positive number must be considered a retail forex account that was profitable.
(3) A retail forex account must be considered “active” for purposes of paragraph (b)(1) of this section if and only if for the relevant calendar quarter a retail forex transaction was executed in that account or the retail forex account contained an open position resulting from a retail forex transaction.
(c) Records related to violations of law. A national bank engaging in retail forex transactions must make a record of all communications received by the national bank or its IAPs concerning facts giving rise to possible violations of law related to the national bank's retail forex business. The record must contain: The name of the complainant, if provided; the date of the communication; the relevant agreement, contract, or transaction; the substance of the communication; the name of the person that received the communication; and the final disposition of the matter.
(d) Records for noncash margin. A national bank must maintain a record of all noncash margin collected pursuant to § 48.9. The record must show separately for each retail forex customer:
(1) A description of the securities or property received;
(2) The name and address of such retail forex customer;
(3) The dates when the securities or property were received;
(4) The identity of the depositories or other places where such securities or property are segregated or held, if applicable;
(5) The dates in which the national bank placed or removed such securities or property into or from such depositories; and
(6) The dates of return of such securities or property to such retail forex customer, or other disposition thereof, together with the facts and circumstances of such other disposition.
(e) Order Tickets. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, immediately upon the receipt of a retail forex transaction order, a national bank must prepare an order ticket for the order (whether unfulfilled, executed, or canceled). The order ticket must include:
(i) Account identification (account or customer name with which the retail forex transaction was effected);
(ii) Order number;
(iii) Type of order (market order, limit order, or subject to special instructions);
(iv) Date and time, to the nearest minute, that the retail forex transaction order was received (as evidenced by time-stamp or other timing device);
(v) Time, to the nearest minute, that the retail forex transaction order was executed; and
(vi) Price at which the retail forex transaction was executed.
(2) Post-execution allocation of bunched orders. Specific identifiers for retail forex accounts included in bunched orders need not be recorded at time of order placement or upon report of execution as required under paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the following requirements are met:
(i) The national bank placing and directing the allocation of an order eligible for post-execution allocation has been granted written investment discretion with regard to participating customer accounts and makes the following information available to retail forex customers upon request:
(A) The general nature of the post-execution allocation methodology the national bank will use;
(B) Whether the national bank has any interest in accounts that may be included with customer accounts in bunched orders eligible for post-execution allocation; and
(C) Summary or composite data sufficient for that customer to compare the customer's results with those of other comparable customers and, if applicable, any account in which the national bank has an interest.
(ii) Post-execution allocations are made as soon as practicable after the entire transaction is executed;
(iii) Post-execution allocations are fair and equitable, with no account or group of accounts receiving consistently favorable or unfavorable treatment; and
(iv) The post-execution allocation methodology is sufficiently objective and specific to permit the OCC to verify the fairness of the allocations using that methodology.
(f) Record of monthly statements and confirmations. A national bank must retain a copy of each monthly statement and confirmation required by § 48.10.
(g) Form of record and manner of maintenance. The records required by this section must clearly and accurately reflect the information required and provide an adequate basis for the audit of the information. A national bank must create and maintain audio recordings of oral orders and oral offset instructions. Record maintenance may include the use of automated or electronic records provided that the records are easily retrievable and readily available for inspection.
(h) Length of maintenance. A national bank must keep each record required by this section for at least five years from the date the record is created.
§ 48.8   Capital requirements.
A national bank offering or entering into retail forex transactions must be well capitalized as defined by 12 CFR part 6.
§ 48.9   Margin requirements.
(a) Margin required. A national bank engaging, or offering to engage, in retail forex transactions must collect from each retail forex customer an amount of margin not less than:
(1) Two percent of the notional value of the retail forex transaction for major currency pairs and 5 percent of the notional value of the retail forex transaction for all other currency pairs;
(2) For short options, 2 percent for major currency pairs and 5 percent for all other currency pairs of the notional value of the retail forex transaction, plus the premium received by the retail forex customer; or
(3) For long options, the full premium charged and received by the national bank.
(b)(1) Form of margin. Margin collected under paragraph (a) of this section or pledged by a retail forex customer for retail forex transactions must be in the form of cash or the following financial instruments:
(i) Obligations of the United States and obligations fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States;
(ii) General obligations of any State or of any political subdivision thereof;
(iii) General obligations issued or guaranteed by any enterprise, as defined in 12 U.S.C. 4502(10);
(iv) Certificates of deposit issued by an insured depository institution, as defined in section 3(c)(2) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(c)(2));
(v) Commercial paper;
(vi) Corporate notes or bonds;
(vii) General obligations of a sovereign nation;
(viii) Interests in money market mutual funds; and
(ix) Such other financial instruments as the OCC deems appropriate.
(2) Haircuts. A national bank must establish written policies and procedures that include:
(i) Haircuts for noncash margin collected under this section; and
(ii) Annual evaluation, and, if appropriate, modification, of the haircuts.
(c) Separate margin account. Margin collected by the national bank from a retail forex customer for retail forex transactions or pledged by a retail forex customer for retail forex transactions must be placed into a separate account.
(d) Margin calls; liquidation of position. (1) For each retail forex customer, at least once per day, a national bank must:
(i) Mark the value of the retail forex customer's open retail forex positions to market;
(ii) Mark the value of the margin collected under this section from the retail forex customer to market; and
(iii) Determine whether, based on the marks in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, the national bank has collected margin from the retail forex customer sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this section.
(2) If, pursuant to paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section, the national bank determines that it has not collected margin from the retail forex customer sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this section then, within a reasonable period of time, the national bank must either:
(i) Collect margin from the retail forex customer sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this section; or
(ii) Liquidate the retail forex customer's retail forex transactions.
(e) Set-off prohibited. A national bank may not:
(1) Apply a retail forex customer's retail forex obligations against any funds or other asset of the retail forex customer other than margin in the separate margin account described in paragraph (c) of this section;
(2) Apply a retail forex customer's retail forex obligations to increase the amount owed by the retail forex customer to the national bank under any loan; or
(3) Collect the margin required under this section by use of any right of set-off.
§ 48.10   Required reporting to customers.
(a) Monthly statements. Each national bank must promptly furnish to each retail forex customer, as of the close of the last business day of each month or as of any regular monthly date selected, except for accounts in which there are neither open positions at the end of the statement period nor any changes to the account balance since the prior statement period but, in any event, not less frequently than once every three months, a statement that clearly shows:
(1) For each retail forex customer:
(i) The open retail forex transactions with prices at which acquired;
(ii) The net unrealized profits or losses in all open retail forex transactions marked to the market;
(iii) Any money, securities, or other property in the separate margin account required by § 48.9(c); and
(iv) A detailed accounting of all financial charges and credits to the retail forex customer's retail forex accounts during the monthly reporting period, including: Money, securities, or property received from or disbursed to such customer; realized profits and losses; and fees, charges, spreads, and commissions.
(2) For each retail forex customer engaging in retail forex transactions that are options:
(i) All such options purchased, sold, exercised, or expired during the monthly reporting period, identified by underlying retail forex transaction or underlying currency, strike price, transaction date, and expiration date;
(ii) The open option positions carried for such customer and arising as of the end of the monthly reporting period, identified by underlying retail forex transaction or underlying currency, strike price, transaction date, and expiration date;
(iii) All such option positions marked to the market and the amount each position is in the money, if any;
(iv) Any money, securities, or other property in the separate margin account required by § 48.9(c); and
(v) A detailed accounting of all financial charges and credits to the retail forex customer's retail forex accounts during the monthly reporting period, including: Money, securities, or property received from or disbursed to such customer; realized profits and losses; premiums and mark-ups; and fees, charges, and commissions.
(b) Confirmation statement. Each national bank must, not later than the next business day after any retail forex transaction, send:
(1) To each retail forex customer, a written confirmation of each retail forex transaction caused to be executed by it for the customer, including offsetting transactions executed during the same business day and the rollover of an open retail forex transaction to the next business day;
(2) To each retail forex customer engaging in forex option transactions, a written confirmation of each forex option transaction, containing at least the following information:
(i) The retail forex customer's account identification number;
(ii) A separate listing of the actual amount of the premium, as well as each markup thereon, if applicable, and all other commissions, costs, fees, and other charges incurred in connection with the forex option transaction;
(iii) The strike price;
(iv) The underlying retail forex transaction or underlying currency;
(v) The final exercise date of the forex option purchased or sold; and
(vi) The date that the forex option transaction was executed.
(3) To each retail forex customer engaging in forex option transactions, upon the expiration or exercise of any option, a written confirmation statement thereof, which statement must include the date of such occurrence, a description of the option involved, and, in the case of exercise, the details of the retail forex or physical currency position that resulted therefrom including, if applicable, the final trading date of the retail forex transaction underlying the option.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section, a retail forex transaction that is caused to be executed for a pooled investment vehicle that engages in retail forex transactions need be confirmed only to the operator of such pooled investment vehicle.
(d) Controlled accounts. With respect to any account controlled by any person other than the retail forex customer for whom such account is carried, each national bank must promptly furnish in writing to such other person the information required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.
(e) Introduced accounts. Each statement provided pursuant to the provisions of this section must, if applicable, show that the account for which the national bank was introduced by an introducing broker and the name of the introducing broker.
§ 48.11   Unlawful representations.
(a) No implication or representation of limiting losses. No national bank engaged in retail foreign exchange transactions or its IAPs may imply or represent that it will, with respect to any retail customer forex account, for or on behalf of any person:
(1) Guarantee such person or account against loss;
(2) Limit the loss of such person or account; or
(3) Not call for or attempt to collect margin as established for retail forex customers.
(b) No implication of representation of engaging in prohibited acts. No national bank or its IAPs may in any way imply or represent that it will engage in any of the acts or practices described in paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) No Federal government endorsement. No national bank or its IAPs may represent or imply in any manner whatsoever that any retail forex transaction or retail forex product has been sponsored, recommended, or approved by the OCC, the Federal government, or any agency thereof.
(d) Assuming or sharing of liability from bank error. This section does not prevent a national bank from assuming or sharing in the losses resulting from the national bank's error or mishandling of a retail forex transaction.
(e) Certain guaranties unaffected. This section does not affect any guarantee entered into prior to the effective date of this part, but this section does apply to any extension, modification, or renewal thereof entered into after such date.
§ 48.12   Authorization to trade.
(a) Specific authorization required. No national bank may directly or indirectly effect a retail forex transaction for the account of any retail forex customer unless, before the retail forex transaction occurs, the retail forex customer specifically authorized the national bank to effect the retail forex transaction.
(b) Requirements for specific authorization. A retail forex transaction is “specifically authorized” for purposes of this section if the retail forex customer specifies:
(1) The precise retail forex transaction to be effected;
(2) The exact amount of the foreign currency to be purchased or sold; and
(3) In the case of an option, the identity of the foreign currency or contract that underlies the option.
§ 48.13   Trading and operational standards.
(a) Internal rules, procedures, and controls required. A national bank engaging in retail forex transactions must establish and implement internal policies, procedures, and controls designed, at a minimum, to:
(1) Ensure, to the extent reasonable, that each retail forex transaction that is executable at or near the price that the national bank has quoted to the retail forex customer is entered for execution before any retail forex transaction for:
(i) A proprietary account;
(ii) An account for which a related person may originate orders without the prior specific consent of the account owner, if the related person has gained knowledge of the retail forex customer's order prior to the transmission of an order for a proprietary account;
(iii) An account in which a related person has an interest, if the related person has gained knowledge of the retail forex customer's order prior to the transmission of an order for a proprietary account; or
(iv) An account in which a related person may originate orders without the prior specific consent of the account owner, if the related person has gained knowledge of the retail forex customer's order prior to the transmission of an order for a proprietary account;
(2) Prevent national-bank related persons from placing orders, directly or indirectly, with another person in a manner designed to circumvent the provisions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section; and
(3) Fairly and objectively establish settlement prices for retail forex transactions.
(b) Disclosure of retail forex transactions. No national bank engaging in retail forex transactions may disclose that an order of another person is being held by the national bank, unless the disclosure is necessary to the effective execution of such order or the disclosure is made at the request of the OCC.
(c) Handling of retail forex accounts of related persons of retail forex counterparties. No national bank engaging in retail forex transactions may knowingly handle the retail forex account of an employee of another retail forex counterparty's retail forex business unless the national bank:
(1) Receives written authorization from a person designated by the other retail forex counterparty with responsibility for the surveillance over the account pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section;
(2) Prepares immediately upon receipt of an order for the account a written record of the order, including the account identification and order number, and records thereon to the nearest minute, by time-stamp or other timing device, the date and time the order was received; and
(3) Transmits on a regular basis to the other retail forex counterparty copies of all statements for the account and of all written records prepared upon the receipt of orders for the account pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(d) Related person of national bank establishing account at another retail forex counterparty. No related person of a national bank working in the national bank's retail forex business may have an account, directly or indirectly, with another retail forex counterparty unless the other retail forex counterparty:
(1) Receives written authorization to open and maintain the account from a person designated by the national bank with responsibility for the surveillance over the account pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section; and
(2) Transmits on a regular basis to the national bank copies of all statements for the account and of all written records prepared by the other retail forex counterparty upon receipt of orders for the account pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(e) Prohibited trading practices. No national bank engaging in retail forex transactions may:
(1) Enter into a retail forex transaction, to be executed pursuant to a market or limit order at a price that is not at or near the price at which other retail forex customers, during that same time period, have executed retail forex transactions with the national bank;
(2) Adjust or alter prices for a retail forex transaction after the transaction has been confirmed to the retail forex customer;
(3) Provide to a retail forex customer a new bid price for a retail forex transaction that is higher than its previous bid without providing a new asked price that is also higher than its previous asked price by a similar amount;
(4) Provide to a retail forex customer a new bid price for a retail forex transaction that is lower than its previous bid without providing a new asked price that is also lower than its previous asked price by a similar amount; or
(5) Establish a new position for a retail forex customer (except one that offsets an existing position for that retail forex customer) where the national bank holds outstanding orders of other retail forex customers for the same currency pair at a comparable price.
§ 48.14   Supervision.
(a) Supervision by the national bank. A national bank engaging in retail forex transactions must diligently supervise the handling by its officers, employees, and agents (or persons occupying a similar status or performing a similar function) of all retail forex accounts carried, operated, or advised by at the national bank and all activities of its officers, employees, and agents (or persons occupying a similar status or performing a similar function) relating to its retail forex business.
(b) Supervision by officers, employees, or agents. An officer, employee, or agent of a national bank must diligently supervise his or her subordinates' handling of all retail forex accounts at the national bank and all the subordinates' activities relating to the national bank's retail forex business.
§ 48.15   Notice of transfers.
(a) Prior notice generally required. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a national bank must provide a retail forex customer with 30 days' prior notice of any assignment of any position or transfer of any account of the retail forex customer. The notice must include a statement that the retail forex customer is not required to accept the proposed assignment or transfer and may direct the national bank to liquidate the positions of the retail forex customer or transfer the account to a retail forex counterparty of the retail forex customer's selection.
(b) Exceptions. The requirements of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to transfers:
(1) Requested by the retail forex customer;
(2) Made by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver or conservator under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act; or
(3) Otherwise authorized by applicable law.
(c) Obligations of transferee national bank. A national bank to which retail forex accounts or positions are assigned or transferred under paragraph (a) of this section must provide to the affected retail forex customers the risk disclosure statements and forms of acknowledgment required by this part and receive the required signed acknowledgments within 60 days of such assignments or transfers. This requirement does not apply if the national bank has clear written evidence that the retail forex customer has received and acknowledged receipt of the required disclosure statements.
§ 48.16   Customer dispute resolution.
(a) Voluntary submission of claims to dispute or settlement procedures. No national bank may enter into any agreement or understanding with a retail forex customer in which the customer agrees, prior to the time a claim or grievance arises, to submit such claim or grievance to any settlement procedure unless the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) Signing the agreement is not a condition for the customer to use the services offered by the national bank.
(2) If the agreement is contained as a clause or clauses of a broader agreement, the customer separately endorses the clause or clauses.
(3) The agreement advises the retail forex customer that, at such time as the customer notifies the national bank that the customer intends to submit a claim to arbitration, or at such time the national bank notifies the customer of its intent to submit a claim to arbitration, the customer will have the opportunity to choose a person qualified in dispute resolution to conduct the proceeding.
(4) The agreement must acknowledge that the national bank will pay any incremental fees that may be assessed in connection with the dispute resolution, unless it is determined in the proceeding that the retail forex customer has acted in bad faith in initiating the proceeding.
(5) The agreement must include the following language printed in large boldface type:
Two forums exist for the resolution of disputes related to retail forex transactions: civil court litigation and arbitration conducted by a private organization. The opportunity to settle disputes by arbitration may in some cases provide benefits to customers, including the ability to obtain an expeditious and final resolution of disputes without incurring substantial cost. Each customer must individually examine the relative merits of arbitration and consent to this arbitration agreement must be voluntary.
By signing this agreement, you: (1) May be waving your right to sue in a court of law; and (2) are agreeing to be bound by arbitration of any claims or counterclaims that you or [name of entity] may submit to arbitration under this agreement. In the event a dispute arises, you will be notified if [name of entity] intends to submit the dispute to arbitration.
You need not sign this agreement to open or maintain a retail forex account with [name of entity].
(b) Election of forum. (1) Within 10 business days after receipt of notice from the retail forex customer that the customer intends to submit a claim to arbitration, the national bank must provide the customer with a list of persons qualified in dispute resolution.
(2) The customer must, within 45 days after receipt of such list, notify the national bank of the person selected. The customer's failure to provide such notice must give the national bank the right to select a person from the list.
(c) Enforceability. A dispute settlement procedure may require parties using the procedure to agree, under applicable state law, submission agreement, or otherwise, to be bound by an award rendered in the procedure if the agreement to submit the claim or grievance to the procedure complies with paragraph (a) of this section or the agreement to submit the claim or grievance to the procedure was made after the claim or grievance arose. Any award so rendered by the procedure will be enforceable in accordance with applicable law.
(d) Time limits for submission of claims. The dispute settlement procedure used by the parties may not include any unreasonably short limitation period foreclosing submission of a customer's claims or grievances or counterclaims.
(e) Counterclaims. A procedure for the settlement of a retail forex customer's claims or grievances against a national bank or employee thereof may permit the submission of a counterclaim in the procedure by a person against whom a claim or grievance is brought if the counterclaim:
(1) Arises out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject of the retail forex customer's claim or grievance; and
(2) Does not require for adjudication the presence of essential witnesses, parties, or third persons over which the settlement process lacks jurisdiction.
§ 48.17   Reservation of authority.
The OCC may modify the disclosure, recordkeeping, capital and margin, reporting, business conduct, documentation, or other standards or requirements under this part for a specific retail forex transaction or a class of retail forex transactions if the OCC determines that the modification is consistent with safety and soundness and the protection of retail forex customers.