Basel Committee on
Banking Supervision
Committee on
Payments and Market
Infrastructures
Board of the International
Organization of Securities
Commissions

Consultative report
Review of margining
practices
October 2021

Deadline For Comments Extended Until 26 January

This publication is available on the BIS website (www.bis.org) and the IOSCO website (www.iosco.org).

©

Bank for International Settlements and International Organization of Securities Commissions 2021.
All rights reserved. Brief excerpts may be reproduced or translated provided the source is stated.

ISBN 978-92-9259-515-9 (online)iReview of margining practices
Contents
Executive summary .................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Questions for consultation ................................................................................................................................................... 51

Context ................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
1.1 March 2020 market turmoil ............................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 Margining practices .............................................................................................................................................. 7
1.2.1

Initial margin.......................................................................................................................................... 7

1.2.2

Variation margin .................................................................................................................................. 8

1.2.3

Centrally cleared markets ................................................................................................................. 8

1.2.4

Non-centrally cleared markets ....................................................................................................... 9

1.3 Review of margining practices........................................................................................................................ 102Size and composition of margin calls ................................................................................................................... 10
2.1 Variation margin ................................................................................................................................................... 11
2.2 Initial margin ..........................................................................................................................................................13
2.3 Excess collateral at CCPs ................................................................................................................................... 19

3

Drivers of IM calls ..........................................................................................................................................................20
3.1 Trading activity...................................................................................................................................................... 22
3.2 CCP models ............................................................................................................................................................ 23
3.2.1

Models types and choices by CCPs ............................................................................................ 23

3.2.2

APC tools............................................................................................................................................... 24

3.2.3

Assessing reactivity of IM models ............................................................................................... 25

3.2.4

Margin exceedances ......................................................................................................................... 26

3.3 SIMM model...........................................................................................................................................................27
4

Transparency of margining practices .................................................................................................................... 28
4.1 CCPs’ perspective ................................................................................................................................................. 28
4.2 Intermediaries’ perspective .............................................................................................................................. 28
4.3 Clients’ perspective ............................................................................................................................................. 30

5Preparedness of market participants..................................................................................................................... 31
5.1 Intermediaries preparedness ........................................................................................................................... 31
5.2 Clients’ preparedness ......................................................................................................................................... 34

6

Impact on the system .................................................................................................................................................. 35

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reporti

7

Key findings and next steps ...................................................................................................................................... 38
7.1 Increasing transparency in centrally cleared markets ........................................................................... 38
7.2 Enhancing liquidity preparedness of market participants as well as liquidity disclosures ..... 38
7.3 Identifying data gaps in regulatory reporting .......................................................................................... 39
7.4 Streamlining VM processes in centrally and non-centrally cleared markets ............................... 39
7.5 Evaluating the responsiveness of centrally cleared IM models to market stresses with afocus on impacts and implications for CCP resources and the wider financial system ........... 39
7.6 Evaluating the responsiveness of non-centrally cleared IM models to market stresses ......... 40

References ................................................................................................................................................................................. 41
Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Annex A: Illustrative timeline of events in Q1 2020 .................................................................................................. 43
Annex B: Overview of the surveys .................................................................................................................................... 44
Annex C: Additional figures ................................................................................................................................................ 47
Annex D: Additional interconnectedness maps ......................................................................................................... 53
Annex E: Members of the senior and working groups on margin...................................................................... 55

ii

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

Executive summary
Regulatory and market context
The Covid-19 market turmoil of March 2020 was the most significant test of the resilience of financial
markets since the Great Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008. Financial markets generally proved resilient, with nowidespread concerns about counterparty credit risk.
In part, this reflects global financial regulatory reforms following the GFC. Reforms were put inplace expressly to increase the role of central counterparties (CCPs) through mandating and incentivising
centrally cleared derivatives activity, simplifying counterparty credit exposures and increasing transparency
to regulatory authorities. Reflecting the resulting increase in the systemic importance of CCPs, in 2012 theCommittee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) 1 and the International Organization of
Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published the Principles for financial market infrastructures (PFMI) –developed further with additional guidance published in 2016 and 2017 – to help enhance the robustnessof CCPs and ensure strong risk management standards.
In non-centrally cleared markets, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and IOSCO
developed a framework that established minimum standards for margin requirements for non-centrally
cleared derivatives (though not non-centrally cleared securities). These reforms were designed to reduce
systemic risk in non-centrally cleared derivatives markets and to help promote central clearing.
During the March 2020 period of high market volatility, large increases in aggregate margin
requirements were seen in both the centrally and non-centrally cleared markets. The Covid-19 pandemic
and its market impact thus presented a real-world test of derivatives and securities markets’ operations in
the context of the broader liquidity pressures of March 2020.
This consultative report presents analysis undertaken by an ad hoc group established by the
BCBS, CPMI and IOSCO – as part of the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB’s) work programme on non-bankfinancial intermediation (NBFI) – examining whether and, if so, to what extent, margin calls were
unexpectedly large in centrally and non-centrally cleared derivatives and securities markets. This reportconsiders both initial margin (IM) and variation margin (VM), centrally and non-centrally cleared markets(including clearing member-client dynamics), margin practice transparency, predictability and volatility. It
also considers the liquidity management preparedness of market participants to meet margin calls andthe availability of each jurisdiction´s regulatory data.
This work follows the publication in November 2020 of the FSB’s Holistic review of the March
market turmoil, which – among other things – called for further work to examine “whether market
participants were fully prepared for the margin calls they experienced, their ability to liquidate assets tomeet margin calls under stressed conditions, and the role of margining practices both in centrally cleared
and bilateral markets in amplifying funding strains”. 2
To support this work, four detailed surveys were issued to: (i) CCPs; (ii) clearing members andbroker-dealers (“intermediaries”); (iii) other market participants active in global centrally and non-centrally
cleared derivatives and securities markets (“clients”); and (iv) regulatory authorities. These surveys wereused to collect quantitative and qualitative data across major entity types most affected by centrally andnon-centrally cleared margin dynamics, and were supplemented by public information where possible.
Information gathered through the CCP survey covers the vast majority of CCPs and is therefore a
1

The Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS) changed its name to the Committee on Payments and Market
Infrastructures (CPMI) in September 2014. References to reports published before that date use the Committee’s old name.

2

The terms non-centrally cleared, bilaterally cleared, and uncleared are often used interchangeably to refer to products notcleared through a CCP. This report uses the term “non-centrally cleared” for such products and ”centrally cleared” for products
cleared at CCPs.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report1reasonable indication of the overall market, while the coverage of responses to the other surveys is more
limited and represents only a sample of market participants or jurisdictions.

Size, composition and drivers of margin calls
Given the rapid increases in market volatility experienced in March 2020, there was a broad based andrapid increase in margin calls across the financial system. The size of the aggregate changes in stocks andflows of margin differed across markets and CCPs.
Daily CCP VM calls were large, and significantly higher than average flows observed between
January and February 2020, increasing from around $25 billion to a peak of $140 billion as based upon
our survey results. These flows were a direct result of significant shifts in market volatility during the period(VM flows are directly determined by the realised mark-to-market changes in portfolios). Furthermore,while centrally cleared VM calls were predominantly made on an end-of-day (EoD) basis, there weresignificant intraday VM calls during the most stressful period in March. Most of these were made on predefined schedules, with some notable ad hoc calls on peak days.
The total IM requirement across CCPs increased by roughly $300 billion over March 2020, with afurther increase in excess collateral of $115 billion, resulting in an overall increase in collateral prepositioned at CCPs of $415 billion (a roughly 40% increase relative to the average in February 2020).
Slightly less than half of this collateral was held in cash. Market volatility and model reactions to volatility
were responsible for the majority of the peak increase in IM requirements, with changes in volumes andrisk positions playing a smaller role – particularly for over-the-counter (OTC) interest rate swaps andexchange traded derivatives (ETD) which comprise the largest proportion of overall IM.
There was significant dispersion in the size of IM increases across, and within, asset classes. Pricevolatility and the reaction of CCP margin models to this volatility appear to have driven much of thisdispersion, with the largest IM changes in markets that saw the largest volatility spikes. In addition to this,remaining differences may have been due to differing CCP model implementation, product features or
portfolio composition. In particular, there is a diversity of model choices across CCPs and asset classes,with individual CCPs’ choices leading to differing reactions to underlying market volatility.
In contrast, IM requirements on non-centrally cleared products remained relatively stable during
the stress period, as calculated for a given portfolio under the Standard IM Model (SIMM) approach. Thisis likely to be an intended consequence of the conservative design of SIMM, though it suggests IM
requirements on non-centrally cleared transactions may be less reactive to increases in market volatility
and provides perhaps a useful counterfactual to the experience in centrally cleared markets given thesimilar levels of volatility faced in key underlying markets.

Transparency of margin practices
The evidence collected suggests transparency around IM models differ across CCPs and jurisdictions. CCPs
generally note that they provide a variety of tools and information to aid with the prediction of stressed
margin calls, though the capabilities of these tools differ across CCPs. Most CCPs provide tools that allow
clearing members and clients to calculate margin requirements for existing portfolios as well as changes
to portfolios that participants expect to make, while some CCPs provide additional functionality allowing
participants to calculate margin requirements under “what if” scenarios. While these tools were considered
useful during the March period, some clearing members and clients suggested a range of potential
improvements related to transparency, disclosure and functionality of these tools that would help themovercome the challenges of anticipating margin changes.

2

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportPreparedness of market participants
In general, intermediaries indicated they were relatively unaffected by changes in margin, and made few,
if any, changes to counterparty margin call policies and procedures. Some indicated that they did makematerial changes to credit limits applied to counterparty positions or the credit limits imposed on thosepositions. The majority of intermediaries reported that they did not experience or observe material issues
when converting high-quality liquid assets into cash during the Covid-19 period, though a number madematerial changes to their liquidity resources and/or cash management/liquid asset investment strategies.
Cash in the form of central bank reserves and sovereign debt were the main liquidity sources used byintermediaries to cover margin outflows, and coinciding with central bank interventions, central bankreserves became a more important source of liquidity both in absolute and relative terms.
More than half of surveyed clients reported no significant increases in liquidity demand frommargin for both cleared and non-centrally cleared derivatives, although some faced liquidity needs
materially greater than anticipated. Clients also varied in their level of preparedness for margin calls. Fireselling of assets by clients was generally avoided, partly due to the intervention of central banks to support
funding markets. Cash was key in funding the increased liquidity demand for the majority of clientssurveyed; cash collateral posted to CCPs increased on both a relative and absolute basis during March.
However, clients also increasingly used repo and asset sales to meet direct margin payments during thesame period. While most clients stated that their intermediaries fulfilled their contractual obligations, somenoted that margin unpredictability did increase during periods of peak market stress.
Attempts to map the interconnectedness between how sources of liquidity demand and supply
for firms interact with key nodes in the financial system have highlighted data gaps. These gaps would
need to be filled in order for authorities to gather a fuller picture of NBFI sector liquidity preparedness andintermediaries’ provision of liquidity to clients.

Next steps
Drawing on the findings in this report, the BCBS, CPMI and IOSCO are consulting on six potential areas forfurther work, which may inform policy considerations:
1.

Increasing transparency in centrally cleared markets. Further international work is proposed
to explore consistent metrics and disclosures concerning procyclicality, responsiveness tovolatility and model performance. This work should also consider good practices with respect tothe provision of tools and simulators. Additional international work could also consider the rolethat disclosure of modelling choices by individual CCPs could have in enhancing understandingof, and comparisons among, CCP model behaviour. This further work should include explorationof improvements to existing expectations for disclosures both to clearing members and the
public.

2.

Enhancing liquidity preparedness of market participants as well as liquidity disclosures.
Additional international work could identify ways to further enhance liquidity preparedness,
including appropriate liquidity measures in the NBFI sector, and elucidate ways that clearing
members can encourage and facilitate greater liquidity preparedness of clients. Work could
include analysis related to NBFI sector liquidity arrangements and intermediaries’ provision ofliquidity to clients to facilitate the fulfilment of margin obligations, and the effectiveness of thosearrangements during periods of extreme stress/volatility.

3.

Identifying data gaps in regulatory reporting. Further international work is proposed to
identify gaps in current regulatory data at the jurisdictional level, which could provide a morecomprehensive picture of the preparedness of market participants for margin requirements. This
work could consider what additional regulatory disclosures or data points could provide

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report3authorities with a fuller picture of NBFI sector preparedness and intermediaries’ provision ofliquidity to clients.
4.

Streamlining VM processes in centrally and non-centrally cleared markets. Further
international work is proposed to consider ways to foster market participants’ preparedness forthe large VM calls that can occur during market stress through efficient collection anddistribution of VM and other means. Additional work is also proposed to identify good practices
for VM collection and distribution by CCPs.

5.

Evaluating the responsiveness of centrally cleared IM models to market stresses with afocus on impacts and implications for CCP resources and the wider financial system. Further
international work is proposed to understand the degree and nature of CCP margin models’
responsiveness to volatility and other market stresses and to explore appropriate ways toanalyse, compare and set baseline expectations as to procyclicality in various settings. Additional
work could also review IM levels in non-stress times in the light of this responsiveness, including
a review of the effectiveness of tools that lessen the procyclicality of margin models and theconsistency of their use, as well as the role of clearing members’ practices when passing on CCP
margin calls to clients in dampening or amplifying the procyclicality of margin.

6.

Evaluating the responsiveness of non-centrally cleared IM models to market stresses.
Further international work could look into the timeliness of mechanisms for taking into accountstress periods in the calibration of internal models, as well as the timely remediation of IM
shortfalls and the level of disclosure regarding the performance of non-centrally cleared IM
models.

The BCBS, CPMI and IOSCO welcome comments and feedback on this report by 12 January 2022.
Following consultation on the questions and issues raised in this consultative report, a final report settingout how any issues that are identified are to be addressed will be produced.

4

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportQuestions for consultation
The BCBS, CPMI and IOSCO are inviting comments on this consultative report and the questions set out
below. Comments should be sent to the BCBS Secretariat (baselcommittee@bis.org), the CPMI Secretariat(cpmi@bis.org) and the IOSCO Secretariat (consultation-04-2021@iosco.org) by 12 January 2022.
Comments will be published on the BCBS, CPMI and IOSCO websites unless respondents expressly request
otherwise.
1.

Does the report accurately describe the key market events of the Covid-related period of stressfrom February to April 2020 and its effects on the magnitude and frequency of the calculationand payment of margin in centrally and non-centrally cleared markets? If not, in what ways are
the descriptions not fully representative of the events? Are there any other important events oreffects missing? If so, please provide any information or data that are relevant to the missing
events or effects to the extent feasible.

2.

Does the report draw appropriate conclusions from the presented observations and analysis of
the various aspects of centrally and non-centrally cleared margin during the 2020 stress period?
If not, in what cases do you feel the conclusions are not justified by the included analysis? Are
there any areas or specific topics of analysis you consider to be missing? If so, please provide
any information or data that are relevant to the extent feasible. Please set out your views acrossthe following sections:a.

The drivers of margin calls during the period of market stress covered by the report.

b.

The current level of transparency in margin practices by CCPs and intermediaries.

c.

The preparedness of intermediaries and clients for meeting the increased margin calls seen
during the period of market stress covered by the report.

d.

The relationship between margin demands and other liquidity demands during the period
February–April 2020.

3.

Do you agree with the proposals for further international work regarding good practices, metrics
and disclosures concerning procyclicality in CCP IM models? Are there other aspects of CCP IM
where additional disclosures should be prioritised for further work?

4.

Does the report identify appropriate aspects of transparency in centrally and non-centrally
cleared markets for further international work, including identifying data gaps, enhancing
disclosures to clearing members and increasing margin model transparency?
a.

What specific areas of transparency would be most helpful? What (if any) are the barriers toproviding those points of transparency?

b.

Should any other areas of increased transparency be considered?

5.

Do you agree with the proposals for further international work to enhance liquidity preparedness
in the NBFI sector, including the development of appropriate liquidity metrics and disclosures,
analysis of liquidity provision robustness and expanded information sharing between
intermediaries and clients? Have the proposals identified all key aspects of NBFI sector liquidity
preparedness which should be included?

6.

Do you agree with the proposals for further international work to evaluate data gaps inregulatory reporting by banks and non-banks? Are there particular data gaps you would identify
as being of material importance? If so, please provide any supporting information and data to
the extent feasible.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

5

6

7.

Does the report identify appropriate proposals for further international work on streamlining VM
processes in centrally and non-centrally cleared markets? Should any other aspects of VM
processes be included in this work?

8.

Does the report identify appropriate proposals for further international work on the degree andnature of the responsiveness of CCP IM models to market stress? Should any other aspects of
CCP margin models be included in this initiative?

9.

Do you agree with the proposals in the report to evaluate the degree and nature of
responsiveness of non-centrally cleared IM models to market stresses, remediation of IM
shortfalls and the level of disclosure of non-centrally cleared IM model performance? Should anyother aspects of non-centrally cleared IM models be included in this initiative?

10.

Are there any other important aspects not covered by the report which should also be prioritisedfor further international work or policy development?

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

1Context

1.1

March 2020 market turmoil

The Covid-19 market turmoil of March 2020 was the most significant test of the resilience of derivatives
and securities markets since the Great Financial Crisis (GFC). Business activity worldwide dropped abruptly
and financial assets declined quickly in price. 3 Equity markets in many countries recorded the greatest
single-week decline since the GFC during the week ending 28 February 2020. 4 The high volatility
and market stresses it led to, including liquidity stresses, had substantial effects on the global financial
markets – resulting, in some cases, in the so-called ”dash for cash”. 5
In March 2020, financial markets proved resilient. Sharp price decreases in equities and otherassets, and high volatility, did not result in widespread concerns about counterparty credit risk. However,during the March 2020 period of high volatility, there were dramatic increases in margin requirements inboth the centrally and non-centrally cleared markets. The Covid-19 pandemic and its market impact thus
presented a real-world test of the derivatives and securities markets’ operation in the context of thebroader liquidity pressures of March 2020.
In light of the market turmoil and economic contraction resulting from the onset of Covid-19,
central banks and regulatory authorities worldwide infused their economies with cash and support invarious forms. Central banks and other public authorities undertook monetary support measures, 6 fiscal
support measures 7 and other measures. 8 As a result of the unprecedented policy actions the period ofstress was relatively short-lived.

1.2

Margining practices

Margin is collateral and funds that are collected to protect against future or current risk exposures resulting
from market price changes or in the event of a counterparty default. Two main categories of margin, initialand variation margin, are used in both centrally and non-centrally cleared markets to cover different
aspects of risk exposure.

1.2.1

Initial margin

Initial margin (IM) is collected to cover potential changes in the value of each participant’s position – thepotential future exposure (PFE) – over an appropriate closeout period, in the event a participant holding
the position defaults. IM is typically comprised of a “core” IM component, which is associated with market
risk and “add-ons”, which refers to margin designed to cover other risks (eg liquidity or concentration risk).

3

Annex A summarises some of the key events in March 2020.

4

At one point in March, the major US, European and UK equity indices had fallen over 30% below their recent peaks.

5

While this report focuses on the liquidity effects of margin calls during the March 2020 market turmoil it must be acknowledgedthat margins were not the sole or predominant cause of the overall dash-for-cash. Other work by the FSB, IOSCO, central banks
and others – both concluded and ongoing – examine liquidity pressures and potential liquidity reforms associated with otheraspects of the global financial markets that experienced financial stress in March 2020.

6

Examples include central bank quantitative easing, lowering interest rates paid by the central bank on its own liabilities andbuying more government bonds. Actions were taken by all central banks of the five largest economies: the Board of Governorsof the Federal Reserve System; the European Central Bank; the People’s Bank of China; the Bank of Japan; and the Bank ofEngland.

7

Examples include central banks and other authorities establishing loan programmes and even cash payments to household.

8

Such as easing of regulatory requirements to extend credit to firms adversely affected by the crisis or supporting the debt
security markets.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report7Typically, it is possible to cover IM with both cash and non-cash collateral (often highly liquid assets suchas sovereign bonds).

1.2.2

Variation margin

Variation margin (VM) represents funds that are collected to extinguish current exposures resulting fromchanges in market prices. In derivatives markets VM is typically collected and paid out in cash. 9 VM iscalculated and called regularly by “marking-to-market” open positions. This process involves establishinga fair market price for a given position, calculating whether each position has made a loss (or a profit) andpaying (or receiving – for derivatives positions) VM sums to (or from) the central counterparty (CCP) or
bilateral counterparty. VM payments are typically made at least once daily but can be made more
frequently intraday (ITD).

1.2.3

Centrally cleared markets

For centrally cleared transactions, a CCP interposes itself between counterparties to a trade, becoming thebuyer to every seller and the seller to every buyer and thereby ensuring the performance of open contracts.
CCPs have a broad set of tools to manage risk, process default events and ensure their continued operation
during times of market stress.
The post-GFC reforms explicitly sought to increase the role of CCPs through mandating andincentivising central clearing of OTC derivatives activity, and – by design – the reforms have greatly
increased the systemic importance of CCPs. 10 The reform process therefore included work on enhancing
the robustness of CCPs, most notably through the publication in 2012 by the Committee on Payments andMarket Infrastructures (CPMI) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) of
Principles for financial market infrastructures (PFMI). 11 The PFMI were developed further with the
publication in 2017 of additional guidance on the principles and key considerations in the PFMI regarding
financial risk management for CCPs (PFMI further guidance). 12
CCPs typically collect margin at least once a day based on end-of-day positions (EoD margin).
However, CCPs can call for collateral outside the traditional EoD schedule. These ITD calls are typicallyscheduled according to timetables known by a CCP’s membership, but can include ad hoc ITD calls atother times.
Although the tendency of IM (and other risk-sensitive protections) to increase as volatility
increases is expected and typical, the PFMI include guidance on how CCPs should manage theprocyclicality of their margin arrangements. 13 Both the PFMI and the 2017 PFMI further guidance consider
the practices which CCPs should follow when changing their margin requirements during a time of market
stress to avoid crystallisation of this risk. The latter states that CCPs “should develop appropriate methods

9

Given the short settlement cycle, often securities CCPs collect VM but do not pay it out as final settlement is at the price trade
was executed at rather than the current market value; instead any VM collected is returned as part of the settlement process.

10

BCBS-CPMI-FSB-IOSCO (2018).

11

CPSS-IOSCO (2012).

12

CPMI-IOSCO (2017).

13

CPSS-IOSCO (2012), paragraph 3.6.10, p 53 states that CCPs “[…]should appropriately address procyclicality in its margin
arrangements. In this context, procyclicality typically refers to changes in risk management practices that are positively
correlated with market, business, or credit cycle fluctuations and that may cause or exacerbate financial instability”.

8

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportor tools for mitigating the potential for destabilising, procyclical changes arising from its margin system”. 14,
15, 16

In response, CCPs have developed various approaches to mitigating the risk of procyclicality intheir margin models. Some CCPs use explicit anti-procyclicality (APC) controls and frameworks and somejurisdictions mandate use of APC measures. Other CCPs do not do so in explicit frameworks but, in otherways, have built measures or controls on procyclicality into their models.

1.2.4

Non-centrally cleared markets

For non-centrally cleared transactions, each party must manage its exposure to its counterparties on abilateral basis. In the wake of the GFC, the BCBS and IOSCO developed a framework that establishes
minimum standards for margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives. 17 These minimum
standards for margin requirements were established with the goals of both reducing systemic risks andpromoting more central clearing. 18 There is a phased approach to implementation of these standards; asof March 2020 all financial firms and systemically important non-financial entities were to: (i) exchange
VM on contracts entered into after 1 March 2017; and (ii) exchange IM if both counterparties belong togroups whose aggregate month-end average notional amount of non-centrally cleared derivatives
exceeds €0.75 trillion. 19, 20 There is no equivalent regulatory margin requirement for non-centrally cleared
securities. Margin that is required to be paid under the BCBS-IOSCO framework is known as regulatory
VM and IM. 21
The BCBS and IOSCO identified two main benefits associated with the introduction of margin
requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives:•

Reduction of systemic risk: margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives would be
expected to reduce contagion and spillover effects by ensuring that collateral is available to offset
losses caused by the default of a derivatives counterparty.

14

CPMI-IOSCO (2017) at paragraph 5.2.43 , p 36 and in the cover note respectively state “…in a period of rising price volatility or
credit risk of participants, a CCP may require additional IM for a given portfolio beyond the amount required by the current
margin model” and “[t]o the extent practicable and prudent, a CCP should adopt forward looking and relatively stable andconservative margin changes as changes in risk management requirements or practices that are positively correlated with themarket, business or credit cycle fluctuations and may cause or exacerbate financial instability.”

15

CPSS-IOSCO (2012), p54. See also CPMI-IOSCO (2017), pp 7–8 (further guidance on procyclical changes, including requirement
to conduct periodic assessment of any destabilising procyclical changes). The PFMIs also state that an FMI (such as a CCP)
should define stable and conservative collateral haircuts, calibrated to include periods of stressed market conditions. The PFMI
provide that CCPs’ margin system components be designed to ensure that margin levels are “commensurate with the risks andparticular attributes of each product, portfolio, and market” that the CCP serves. CPMI-IOSCO (2017), paragraph 5.1.2, p 27.

16

CPMI-IOSCO (2017), paragraph 5.2.43, p 36.

17

BCBS-IOSCO (2020). This supersedes the July 2019 version.

18

See BCBS-IOSCO (2020), pp2–4 for a discussion of these goals and the liquidity impact that would result from derivatives
counterparties’ need to provide liquid high-quality collateral to meet IM requirements.

19

See BCBS-IOSCO (2019) for the standards for margin requirements as of March 2020.

20

In April 2020, the BCBS and IOSCO extended by one year the final two implementation phases in order to provide additional
operational capacity for firms to respond to the immediate impact of Covid-19 and at the same time, facilitate covered entities
to act diligently to comply with the standards for margin requirements by the revised deadline. With this extension, the final
implementation phase will take place on 1 September 2022, at which point covered entities with an aggregate average notionalamount (AANA) of non-centrally cleared derivatives greater than €8 billion will be subject to the requirements. As anintermediate step, from 1 September 2021 covered entities with an AANA of non-centrally cleared derivatives greater than €50
billion will be subject to the requirements. For further details see BCBS-IOSCO (2020).

21Counterparties can choose to adopt similar risk management arrangements for other transactions; under these circumstances
the equivalent of IM is referred to as discretionary IM or independent amounts.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report9•Promotion of central clearing: by reflecting the potentially higher risk associated with noncentrally cleared derivatives, margin requirements for these products are generally at a higher
level than for centrally cleared products.

For non-centrally cleared derivatives, the Standard IM Model (SIMM) is a common methodology
used to calculate IM. Developed by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA), 22 the SIMM
model is used by most banks implementing the BCBS-IOSCO rules and generally responds less rapidly
than CCP models to changes in market conditions such as price volatility by design. 23

1.3

Review of margining practices

In November 2020 the FSB published a report titled Holistic review of the March market turmoil. One of
the areas for further work identified in that report was “whether market participants were fully prepared
for the margin calls they experienced, and their ability to liquidate assets to meet margin calls understressed conditions, and the role of margining practices both in centrally cleared and bilateral markets in
amplifying strains”. 24
To carry out this work the BCBS, CPMI and IOSCO established an ad hoc group. This group was
tasked with examining, based on relevant data and information, the margin calls during March and April
2020 and their impacts on market participants in derivatives and securities (cash) markets. The scopeincludes both IM and VM and covers:•

margin in centrally and non-centrally cleared markets during the March market turmoil, including
clearing member-client dynamics;•

margin practice transparency, predictability and volatility during the March market turmoil acrossvarious markets, jurisdictions and margining models; and•liquidity management preparedness of market participants (especially non-banks) to meetmargin calls (including the ability of firms to use or transform high quality liquid assets in meeting
margin calls).

This consultative report presents the analysis undertaken by the group. To support this work, four
detailed surveys were issued: (i) a survey of central counterparties (CCP survey); (ii) a survey of clearing
members/broker-dealers (intermediaries survey); (iii) a survey of other market participants active in global
cleared and non-centrally cleared derivative and securities markets (client survey); and (iv) a survey of/datacollection from regulatory authorities (authorities survey). As part of the information collection, the ad hocgroup held three industry roundtables with representatives from client sectors. While the coverage of
responses to the CCP survey give a reasonable indication of the overall market, responses to theintermediaries, client and authorities surveys represent only a sample of market participants or jurisdictions(for further details see Annex B).
Following the consultation, it is anticipated that a final report will be produced setting out how
any issues that are identified are to be addressed .

2

Size and composition of margin calls

Given the rapid increases in market volatility experienced in March 2020, there was a broad based andrapid increase in margin across the financial system. The size of the aggregate changes in the levels and22

ISDA (2013).

23

See Glasserman, P and Q Wu (2018).

24

FSB (2020), p42.

10

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportflows of margin and experiences across markets and CCPs varied. This section draws on the survey results
and other available information to describe the size and composition of margin calls across centrally andnon-centrally cleared markets, across asset classes and across types of market participants.

2.1

Variation margin

CCPs reported that daily CCP VM calls increased from around $25 billion in February 2020 to a peak of$140 billion on 9 March 2020 – an increase of approximately 460%. This increase affected all asset classes 25
and both house and client accounts (Figure 1). As the Covid-19 pandemic affected jurisdictions andmarkets, CCP VM calls exhibited a succession of peaks exceeding $100 billion. 26 In absolute terms, VM
calls at ETD and equity securities CCPs were responsible for more than two thirds of the global VM peakin the centrally cleared market. 27, 28 VM calls on equity securities jumped the most: by 2,000% comparedwith their February average; however, the size of the calls was much smaller on an absolute basis comparedwith other asset classes. While VM calls from CCPs increased for both house and client accounts, theaggregate increase in centrally cleared VM was proportionately larger for client accounts. This may be due
to house positions being, on average, relatively less exposed to directional movements than client
positions, and thus less sensitive to changes in volatility levels, as seen in March 2020.
CCP variation margin paid
In billions of US dollars
By asset class

Figure 1
By account type

EoD = end-of-day; ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps and foreign exchange.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

25

For the purposes of this report, the asset classes for centrally cleared products are divided up into equity securities (eg equity
stocks, exchange traded funds, index funds, mutual funds), debt securities (eg government bonds, corporate bonds, agency
bonds, mortgage-backed securities, repo, securities lending), ETD (eg options, futures, listed commodity derivatives), OTC credit
default swaps (CDS), OTC interest rate swaps (IRS) and foreign exchange (FX).

26

See Annex A. The peak CCP VM calls in March 2020 occurred on the 9th ($140 billion), 12th ($111 billion), 13th ($106 billion), 16th($119 billion), 18th ($128 billion) and 20th ($110 billion).

27

The amount of potential hedging by participants across product cleared within a particular CCP is often highly dependent on
the set of products cleared by the CCP.

28

Definitions of VM for debt and equity securities CCPs may be different from those of derivatives CCPs. In some cases these CCPs
have included settlement margin, which represents simply the amount paid when contracts are settled rather than representingchanges in profit and loss as for derivatives CCPs, as part of reported VM. This affects the comparability of VM trends between
derivatives and securities CCPs.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report11Though centrally cleared VM calls were predominantly made on an EoD basis during the period,
there were significant peaks in ITD VM calls during the most stressful periods in March; CCPs reported
making very limited use of ad hoc margin calls (Figure 2, left-hand panel). CCPs have different practices
when calculating and passing through intraday margin calls – some commonly hold ITD margin collateralthrough the day, passing the VM component back to members only during the next EoD cycle, whileothers ”pass-through” some or all ITD VM payments from VM payers to VM receivers within the ITD cycle.
Moreover, some CCPs have scheduled ITD cycles while others collect ITD on an ad hoc basis. The peak ITD
VM call of $70 billion was made on 9 March 2020 and coincided with the peak EoD VM call of $84 billion.
Maximum ad hoc VM calls were around $5 billion, far lower than the peaks of EoD and ITD VM calls.
Breakdown of variation margin paid

Figure 2

CCP variation margin calls1

Breakdown of variation margin calls paid byintermediaries
USD bnPer cent

EoD = end-of-day.
1
Differences between the total VM shown and the sum of the EoD, intra-day and ad-hoc VM calls may be due to total VM levels netting
payments across individual calls This chart only includes CCPs where there was adequate information for an accurate EoD call breakdown.
Sources: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs; survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

Based on the available data the increases in both centrally cleared and non-centrally cleared VM
were substantial. 29 While the intermediaries survey only covers a sample of intermediaries, the survey
results suggest that although VM for non-centrally cleared positions seems to generally exceed that for
centrally cleared positions, in mid-March VM for centrally cleared positions exceeded that for non-centrally
cleared positions (Figure 2, right-hand panel). Though based on the limited margin data available from
authorities (covering mainly US and euro area clients), most “client” sectors 30 suffered valuation losses on
their centrally cleared derivative portfolios, which resulted in more centrally cleared VM paid than received
for client portfolios on an aggregate basis. This was the case especially for the investment fund and the”bank-clients” 31 sectors (Figure 3). While in aggregate insurance companies ended up being cumulative
net receivers of VM over the period, their VM payments did show significant volatility: they received VM
calls until around mid-March 2020 but had to pay most of this VM back after mid-March, when markets(especially interest rates) reversed direction. Similar VM dynamics were observed for pension funds, while
VM of hedge funds typically moved in the opposite direction to those of insurance companies and pension
funds.
29

The increases in centrally cleared VM were substantial for most client groups, though they differed in magnitude across client
sectors. However, most authorities were unable or unwilling to provide sectoral non-centrally cleared VM data for NBFI clients,
indicating a potential data gap.

30

Insurance, pension funds, hedge funds, investments, banks and other financial institutions (OFIs).

31

These are defined as any banks that clear as a client and not as a clearing member.

12

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportCentrally cleared variation margin flows of client sectors in selected jurisdictions1
Cumulative flows2

USD bnFigure 3

Absolute value of flows, normalised3

Average of 3–17 Feb 2020 = 100

OFIs = other financial institutions.
1South African Reserve Bank only provided data for insurance corporations and banks. 2 Increases indicate variation margin (VM) received,
while decreases indicate VM paid. Aggregation at a sector level nets out VM paid and received within the sector 3 Absolute value of flows
by sectors, 10-day moving average normalised with respect to the 3–17 February 2020 average.
Source: Survey of/data collection from regulatory authorities (submissions from European Central Bank; Commodity Futures Trading
Commission; South African Reserve Bank).

Data on the gross values of centrally cleared VM flows show that the increase in VM volatility was
substantial and differed across sectors. The right-hand panel of Figure 3 shows the combined absolutevalue of centrally cleared VM payment and receipt flows for each sector, normalised using the earlyFebruary average. The largest relative increase in centrally cleared VM was faced by hedge funds, whosegross VM payments and receipts increased by more than 10 times. On the other hand, gross centrally
cleared VM only doubled for the ”bank-clients” sector.

2.2

Initial margin

When volatility increases, IM levels normally adjust upwards. This is because IM is designed to coverpotential future exposures in the event of a participant default, and when volatility increases so does thelikelihood of large potential future exposures. Total IM required, reported by CCPs, increased byapproximately $300 billion (40%) between end-February and mid-March 2020. Both house and client
accounts saw similar percentage increases in centrally cleared IM, though the size of the increase differedby asset class (Figure 4). The increase of required IM for CCPs clearing ETDs – which account for 46% of
total required IM, was 62%. This accounted for roughly two thirds of the total increase of required IM for
all asset classes. IM collected by CCPs clearing cash equities increased by the most in relative terms(>300%). CCPs clearing over-the-counter interest rate swaps (OTC IRS) and FX products saw the smallest
relative increase, roughly around 20%.
These differences across asset classes may be partially explained by differences in the size ofshock experienced in each asset class. Some ETD products, such as equity contracts saw unprecedented
shocks to market prices and increases in volatility (eg VIX – a forward-looking measure of equity market
volatility – increased by 400% from February to mid-March). Other ETD products – such as metals andagriculture – saw relatively mild shocks relative to historical precedents. Although the volatility of IRS rates
in March was not large by historical standards, the per cent increase in volatility in March 2020 was thelargest in history. 32 Other factors beyond volatility can also have an effect on changes in IM paid, including
32

For example, as measured by SRVIX.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report13the risk characteristics of portfolios held at CCP (eg directional vs non-directional portfolios), changes in
portfolio size and composition over time, and characteristics of individual margin models. A few of thesefactors are considered in more detail in Section 3.
Central counterparty initial margin required
By account typeFigure 4
USD bnBy asset classes, normalised

2 Feb 2020 = 100

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS + FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps
and foreign exchange.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

The majority of the increase in centrally cleared IM requirements was driven by the corecomponent of IM models, rather than margin add-ons (Figure 5). Decomposing changes in total centrally
cleared IM requirements into a “core” model component – which captures changes in portfolios’ market
risk – and the contribution from margin add-ons (which are designed to cover other risks, such as liquidity
and concentration risk) show that only around 10% was driven by margin add-ons (possibly due toincreases in CCP estimates of liquidity or concentration risk). The rest was driven by the core component,
and the majority of that increase was driven by ETD core IM requirements, with some of the benchmark
ETD products often seeing some of the largest volatility increases during the period.
Total required CCP initial margin
In billions of US dollars
Change in total initial margin from 1 February 2020

Figure 5
Total required initial margin1

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps and foreign exchange.
1
While the contribution from core models is shown separately for some asset classes, add-ons are shown as a total across all asset classes.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

14

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportDue to the variety of factors affecting the level of required margin at a CCP, the size and speedof IM increases differed not just across asset classes, but also within asset classes (Figure 6). The dispersionof relative IM changes within CCPs clearing equity and debt securities was widest, while dispersion
between CCPs clearing OTC products was less pronounced. For derivatives CCPs, dispersion for CCPs
clearing ETD products was the largest, with some CCPs seeing no change in IM held and others seeing IM
more than double. CCPs showing the largest increases in IM tended to be relatively small (as measured bytotal IM).
Base-to-peak total initial margin increase per CCP clearing service1
In per centFigure 6

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps
and foreign exchange.
1
The peak percentage change in total centrally cleared IM requirements relative to their February 2020 (pre-stress) average, per CCP clearing
service, per asset class.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

The speed of the increases in IM was fairly uniform across asset classes, at least in terms ofweighted averages. The average largest 5-day increase in IM requirements was fairly uniform across asset
classes – with average peak 5-day increases being around one third. Similarly, average 1-day increases
clustered around 10 per cent (Figure 7). However, there were some differences. The speed of the increasein the OTC segment was lower relative to the other asset classes. Furthermore, some CCPs – albeit thosethat are relatively small – deviated significantly from the mean and increased IM requirements by morethan 150% over 5 days. Some of the largest CCPs also saw significant changes in margin requirementseven over relatively short periods of time – by more than 50% over a 5-day period. Section 3 of this reportconsiders possible factors and reasons for some of these differences.
Peaks in centrally cleared IM calls were more than 20 times larger than the pre-stress average
and were more frequent (Figure 8). Although the peak amount of IM calls was half the comparable peak
VM calls, the difference between normal and stressed periods was more pronounced. This difference ispartly because IM typically does not change substantially during normal times, while VM calls can besizeable even during non-stress times. Furthermore, the liquidity impact of IM can be pronounced because
it reflects a transfer of collateral from participants to CCPs, while CCPs pass on VM received from one setof participants to other participants.
According to data collected from the intermediaries survey, the relative shares of centrally andnon-centrally cleared IM increases indicate a growing proportional contribution of the non-centrally
cleared segment (Figure 9) during the latter stages of the crisis, with a sharp peak around the beginningof April 2020. Moreover, the relatively higher contribution of non-centrally cleared IM continued in April.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report15

Average largest N-day increases in initial margin requirements for all reporting
counterparty clearing services1
In per cent
1 day

Figure 7
5 days10 days

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps
and foreign exchange.
The maximum 1-, 5- and 10-day increase in margin requirements on static portfolios between 2 March and 15 April 2020, per CCP clearing
service, per asset class. The peak increase may be across different dates for the reporting CCPs.
1

Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

Daily CCP margin calls
By asset class; in billions of US dollars
Variation margin flows1

Figure 8
Initial margin flows2

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps
and foreign exchange.
Variation margin flows represent total variation margin paid made on a given date.
margin levels.
1

2

Initial margin flows is the difference of daily initial

Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

16

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportBreakdown of daily margin paid by intermediaries
Initial margin calls

Figure 9Non-centrally cleared margin requirements, normalised1

Per cent

3 Feb 2020 = 100

The Acadia dataset defines variation margin to be the total posted collateral balance in relation to the approximate cumulative fair value(ie mark-to-market) of the underlying portfolios. This “stock” value is different to how variation margin is defined throughout the rest of thisreport, where variation margin is a daily “flow” measure of payments made to meet margin requirements related to changes in fair value ofthe underlying portfolios.
1

Sources: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers; Acadia.

Data provided by Acadia 33 indicates that collateral posted to meet non-centrally cleared margin
calls peaked in mid-March (Figure 9, right-hand panel). VM calls and netted non-centrally cleared
discretionary 34 margin calls far exceeded collateral posted to meet regulatory 35 non-centrally cleared IM
calls during March 2020. Average daily posted gross collateral balances related to regulatory non-centrally
cleared IM calls remained relatively steady between $43 and $51 billion during the period February–April
2020 (Table 1). However, average daily gross collateral balances related to netted non-centrally cleared
discretionary margin calls rose from $233 billion to $320 billion from February to March, an $87 billion(37%) increase month over month. Similarly, average daily gross collateral balances related to
non-centrally cleared VM calls rose from $248 billion to $384 billion, a $136 billion (55%) increase.

Average daily collateral balances1 related to non-centrally cleared margin
requirements
February–April 2020, USD billions

Table 1Month

IM

Netted margin2

VM

February

47.5

232.9

247.8

50.7

320.0

383.6

43.2

291.6

319.1

47.3

284.3

321.4

March
April
February–April

IM = initial margin; VM = variation margin.
1
Values are daily collateral balances, and do not represent daily flows between counterparties. 2 Netted margin calls are related to
combined margin calls netted across discretionary “independent amounts” (economically similar to IM) and VM applicable to discretionary
margin on the same day in the same currency.
Source: Acadia

33

Acadia is a third-party financial market infrastructure provider utilised by many participants in non-centrally cleared derivatives
markets to help process margin calls and related collateral exchanges.

34

Discretionary margin calls are determined bilaterally per commercial relationships and are not subject to non-centrally cleared
margin rules.

35

Regulatory margin calls are those calls required under jurisdictions’ implementation of the minimum standards for non-centrally
cleared margin requirements.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report17

Acadia data also indicates that the overall total, counts and average daily non-centrally cleared
margin call volumes all spiked during March 2020. By all measures, non-centrally cleared margin calls
increased significantly during March 2020 compared to February, especially for non-centrally cleared
netted and VM calls, per Acadia data (Table 1). Notably, the total cumulative value of non-centrally cleared
margin rose from $1.6 trillion equivalent in February 2020 to $5.7 trillion in March, a $4.1 trillion or 249%
increase. In both absolute and relative terms, VM calls rose the most, rising from $0.9 trillion in February
to $3.7 trillion in March, up $2.8 trillion or 310% in total. Additionally, the monthly total count of noncentrally cleared margin calls rose 68% from February to March 2020, while the average daily margin callamount rose 108%.
Data from the authorities survey shows that the volumes of centrally cleared IM posted by theclient sectors increased substantially during the initial market turmoil related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Centrally cleared IM data on the client sectors show client IM increased during March and then stabilisedroughly at the end-of-March levels through April (righthand panel of Figure 10). Overall, the increase wasaround 45%, which is in line with the increase observed from the CCP data. The percentage increase forall the sectors except hedge funds exceeded 40%; hedge funds recorded a much lower increase of around
20% (Figure 10, left-hand panel). Both quantitative and qualitative data indicate that IM increases werevery dependent on CCP and product. These differences may in some cases be due to differences in productcharacteristics and volatility across different asset classes.
Centrally cleared initial margin paid by client sectors in selected jurisdictions (stocks)
Cleared initial margin posted

USD bnCumulative change in initial margin paid

Figure 10
1 Feb 2020 = 100

Source: Survey of/data collection from regulatory authorities (European Central Bank; Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores; Commodity
Futures Trading Commission; South African Reserve Bank submissions).

Client survey respondents were asked to provide the date in each of February, March and April
where they faced their highest margin flows (the sum of VM and IM), the relevant amounts on those peakdates and the percentage attributed to centrally and non-centrally cleared margin requirements.
Responses showed a dispersion across different dates each month. Of those peak days, the amounts werehigher in March than in April and February, and for the firms that faced peak margin around 19 Marchthese amounts were significantly higher. The majority of margin calls (VM and IM) on those days was from
non-centrally cleared contracts.

18

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

2.3

Excess collateral at CCPs

Excess collateral 36 posted at CCPs as a percentage of total required IM increased across most asset classes
during March, then retreated in April (Figure 11). The 7-day moving average of total excess collateralincreased from around 26% to a March peak of 29% of required centrally cleared IM, representing roughly
a $115 billion increase relative to the start of February. The increase in excess collateral occurred even as
participants were required to post more IM. Added to the increase in IM requirements of $300 billion, theoverall increase in IM collateral held by CCPs was $415 billion at the peak. The majority – around $90 billion– of the increase in excess collateral is accounted for by the ETD asset class. This concentration partly
reflects that most excess collateral is posted in the ETD and OTC IRS and FX asset classes. Some of theincrease in collateral may be due to members and clients choosing to maintain a roughly static amount ofexcess collateral as a percentage of requirements for the operational reasons noted in footnote 36, rather
than using excess collateral to meet new collateral demands.
CCP initial margin collateral

Figure 11

Excess collateral1
USD bnCash as a percentage of total initial margin collateral2
Per cent

Excess collateral1, share of required initial margin – 7 day
moving average

Per cent

Change in cash collateral as a percentage of totalcollateral3% pts change from 1 Feb 2020

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps
and foreign exchange.
1
The amount of cash and non-cash collateral posted less requirements. 2 Weighted average cash collateral as a percentage of total initial
margin collateral posted to CCPs. 3 Cash collateral as a percentage of total initial margin collateral posted to CCPs, as a weighted average
per asset class.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.
36

A common practice of members and clients is to post collateral at the CCP that exceeds the portfolio requirement. Thisadditional collateral is often identified as ”excess collateral” and used as buffer for ITD margin calls, reducing the amount ofadditional collateral the member needs to pass to the CCP and the intraday operational burden.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report19Even though CCPs typically do not require IM (or at least all of IM) to be posted in cash, theproportion of collateral held as cash increased across all asset classes, translating to an aggregate increase
from about 37% to about 43% during March-April 2020 (Figure 11, bottom left-hand panel). IM
requirements can be met with a mix of cash and highly liquid non-cash collateral depending on CCP
rulebooks.
Overcollateralisation in the form of excess margin and the amount of collateral posted as cash
are potentially one indicator of the ability of market participants to source liquidity, though perhaps at ahigher cost depending on availability. The left-hand panel of Figure 12 depicts the excess margin for clientand house accounts, both of which saw increases over the course of March–April 2020. The dynamics ofcentrally cleared IM and excess margin are qualitatively similar for both client and house accounts.
The right-hand panel of Figure 12 depicts the degree of overcollateralisation, as measured byaggregate excess margin relative to required IM. The degree of overcollateralisation temporarily dropped
in the most turbulent weeks of March 2020 for client accounts, but remained relatively flat for housepositions. By mid-April 2020, the degree of overcollateralisation returned to end-February 2020 levels forclient accounts, and even to above pre-crisis levels for house accounts. Throughout the entire period, thedegree of overcollateralisation is considerably higher for client than for house accounts.
Increases in excess margin across the stress period, and the higher proportion of collateral posted
in cash, as a whole might suggest an absence of extreme liquidity pressures, though this should also be
considered in the context of timely actions of central banks in the form of targeted extraordinary monetarymeasures to mitigate the early market turmoil. Further analysis is likely to be necessary.
Excess CCP margin
Breakdown across house and client accounts
Excess margin

Figure 12
USD bnRelative to required initial margin

Per cent

Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

3

Drivers of IM calls

An increase in IM requirements following an unprecedented shock is expected and, in many cases, isprudent risk management. The experience in centrally cleared markets notably contrasts with non-centrally
cleared markets where IM requirements stayed broadly flat in large part due to model construction.
As this section details, the overall increase in IM requirements was driven by a number of factors,
including trading activity, changes in volatility (market risk), and models reacting to market stress.
Differences in margin responses across asset classes can largely be explained by differences in volatility in

20

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportthe underlying products cleared in those asset classes, though other factors had some effect. In particular,
it is important to understand the degree to which prudent pre-crisis margin levels driven by CCPs’ antiprocyclicality measures or other tools or actions taken by CCPs helped to dampen the response of IM to
extreme volatility. The size of the reaction to volatility also depends on model design choices and how
conservative margin requirements are in less volatile times. While both centrally and non-centrally cleared
markets saw comparable increases in volatility, the corresponding adjustment in IM requirements for noncentrally cleared derivatives was much smaller, primarily due to the low reactivity of SIMM to volatilitychanges.
Intermediaries reported that out of the listed factors potentially affecting margin calls which theypaid, market volatility was the most important factor across both centrally and non-centrally clearedtransactions (Table 2). 37 Position sizes, the directionality of risk positions and the change in value of posted
collateral were reported to be the next most important factors. Product/asset class traded was also seen
as important for both centrally and non-centrally cleared derivatives. As expected, given lower reactivity,changes in model parameters were seen as a less significant factor for non-centrally cleared derivatives
relative to centrally cleared derivatives and securities.

Factors that affected the size of margin calls paid by intermediaries
Average ranking by total submissions for each factor, most important (13) to least important (1)Table 2Centrally cleared
securities

Centrally cleared
derivatives

Non-centrally cleared
derivatives

Market volatility

11.4

11.6

11.8

Position size/materiality

9.2

10.5

10.8

Transaction volume

9.0

8.5

8.5

Directionality of risk positions

8.9

9.0

10.0

Change in posted collateral value

8.1

8.7

8.9

Products/asset classes traded

7.4

8.7

9.2

Trading strategy

7.2

6.9

7.1

Change in model parameters

7.1

6.9

4.3

Change in haircut applied to posted collateral

5.0

4.3

3.5

Anti-procyclicality tools

4.8

4.7

3.8

Creditworthiness

4.7

4.5

6.0

Entity type/classification

3.9

4.4

4.9

Failure to pay or delay in payment of margin call

2.9

4.0

6.0

Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

Intermediaries were also asked to rank the factors they believe affected the size of margin calls
they received from their own counterparties, ie excluding CCPs (Table 3). Comparing the responses to thetwo survey questions, the four most important factors are generally consistent across margin paid andreceived, with market volatility as the most important factor for both. Trading strategy appears to havebeen a more significant factor for margin received on centrally cleared securities than margin paid byintermediaries on centrally cleared securities; this is consistent with intermediaries generally holding
positions that are, on average, relatively less exposed to directional movements than client positions.

37

The survey asked intermediaries to rank factors from most important to least. For the purposes of this report, these rankings
have been inverted so that the highest number represent the most important factors. For example, if a respondent ranked afactor as 1 in the survey (most important), the rank of 1 was converted to the highest-ranking number (eg 13).

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report21Factors that affected the size of margin received by intermediaries
Average ranking by total submissions for each factor, most important (13) to least important (1)Table 3Centrally cleared
securities

Centrally cleared
derivatives

Non-centrally cleared
derivatives

Market volatility

11.1

11.6

11.7

Position size/materiality

9.4

10.3

10.7

Directionality of risk positions

8.9

9.2

10.2

Transaction volume

8.9

8.6

8.6

Trading strategy

8.0

7.5

7.3

Change in posted collateral value

7.8

8.7

9.1

Products/asset classes traded

7.5

9.0

9.1

Change in model parameters

6.4

6.4

4.3

Anti-procyclicality tools

5.1

5.3

3.8

Creditworthiness

4.7

4.7

5.7

Change in haircut applied to posted collateral

4.3

4.0

4.3

Entity type/classification

4.2

4.3

4.6

Failure to pay or delay in payment of margin call

2.8

4.5

5.8

Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

Client survey respondents and industry roundtable participants stated that while centrally cleared
IM requirements generally rose quickly in March, non-centrally cleared IM calls showed more dispersion
in terms of reactivity. Qualitative evidence from the client survey indicates that there was significant
variability in the rate of IM increases across CCPs.

3.1

Trading activity

To decompose the impact of trading activity and changes in IM models CCPs were asked to provide theoutput of a “static portfolio” analysis. This analysis uses open positions as of the beginning of March 2020and calculates the margin requirement over time based on a hypothetical assumption that this portfolio
was held each day. Comparing the evolution of IM requirements on these static portfolios to actual IM
changes, provides a sense of the relative importance of the two factors. Some caveats should be borne inmind. These comparisons are done at the aggregate level, and therefore even with similar trends between
actual and static portfolios it is possible that a subset of portfolios were reducing risk over time butbalanced off against a separate set of portfolios which were increasing risk.
This analysis suggests that underlying volatility and models’ reactions thereto, rather thanportfolio changes, were responsible for the majority of the peak increase in centrally cleared IM
requirements (Figure 13). Changes in the IM for the static portfolios show similar increases to those actuallyseen in March, indicating that, on an aggregate basis, portfolio changes did not seem to have a major
effect on aggregate IM changes during this initial period, apart from in early March where volumes did
contribute to the overall IM increase. The static portfolio analysis also suggests that there may have beena reduction in risk positions after mid-March as might be expected, with the hypothetical margin
requirement on the static portfolio larger than the actual IM required for some asset classes.

22

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportEvolution of CCP initial margin requirements on static portfolios1
Index, 2 March 2020 = 100
ETD

Figure 13
OTC

Total

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC = over-the-counter.
1
All reporting CCPs across all asset classes are included in the right panel. Data have been interpolated. Data from three CCPs has been
excluded due to incompleteness or insufficient quality.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

3.2

CCP models

3.2.1

Models types and choices by CCPs

CCPs report a wide range of model types and calibration choices for key IM model parameters. These
choices can reflect differences in regulation and market standards across asset classes and jurisdictions, aswell as the markets and products cleared. There were differences in modelling choices made across key
model parameters by CCPs clearing products in the same asset class. These differences are observed acrossa number of components, including the confidence level of the model, whether the model is based onvalue-at-risk or expected shortfall calculations (Figure 14), the lookback period, the margin period of risk
(MPOR), 38 and any implemented anti-procyclicality measures.
Model choices can lead to differences in how IM requirements respond to changes in volatility.
This will be visible in the size and speed of changes to IM during stress. However, model parameters cannot
be considered in isolation but rather in terms of how they interact on a collective basis. For example, a lackof conservatism in one model parameter could be offset by a more conservative approach elsewhere.
Beginning with the MPOR, CCPs reported a number of choices, particularly for services clearing
ETD and cash equities. In particular, MPOR for ETD varied from 1 to 5 days, while MPOR for cash equities
varied from 2 to ten days. Respondents also reported differences in MPOR for all other classes, thoughacross a smaller range. Differences in choice of MPOR may in some cases be driven by the dispersion inliquidity of underlying products, including within an asset class. In other cases the differences may be due
to local regulatory margin requirements, differences in risk appetite across CCPs or whether the positions
represent house or client activity.
The confidence level employed by CCPs varies across and within asset classes, with some CCPs ineach asset class choosing to target confidence intervals beyond the minimum prescribed by regulation.
Both ETD and cash equities asset classes had confidence levels of 99–99.87% employed, though for ETD
the vast majority of CCPs used the 99% standard. Narrower ranges were generally seen in other asset
38

The MPOR traditionally represents a CCP’s estimate for the length of time required to liquidate, auction or hedge the positionof a defaulted member, with less liquid products associated with a longer MPOR.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report23

classes, but none were uniform, even in cases where the number of CCPs in an asset class was small. As
with other parameters, confidence levels need to be looked at in combination with other parameters inmargin models to assess the aggregate level of conservativeness.
Features of CCP margin models
Number of clearing services
Model typeFigure 14

Share of the number of clearing services

Lookback periods1

Number of days

ES = expected shortfall; ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS = over-the-counterinterest rate swaps; OTC FX = over-the-counter foreign exchange; VaR = value-at-risk.
1
Stress periods are not incorporated in the lookback period ranges indicated above as these were not consistently provided by survey
respondents.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

Lookback periods varied widely within and across asset classes (Figure 14, right-hand panel). The
lowest maximum and minimum lookback period were reported in the cash equities asset class. The highest
maximum and minimum lookback period were reported for OTC CDS, which also reported the widest
range.
A majority of clearing services in the survey (79%) stated they had not contemplated, or
implemented, any changes to margin methodologies or ITD call processes since the Covid-19 market
events. Of the remainder who had implemented, or planned to implement, changes, the nature of thechanges was diverse. Some areas under consideration included: incorporating the stressed market
component into the IM model; daily (instead of monthly) volatility parameter updates; the addition of ITD
volatility margin collection; and the expansion of eligible collateral for margin calls.

3.2.2

APC tools

While approximately 50% of CCPs reported that they do not have formal APC frameworks, many of thosesame CCPs state that they do use measures they consider to be APC tools (such as 10-year lookback
periods, volatility floors or use of discretion). This includes the tools used by CCPs, as well as the actions
CCPs would take in the event that models were not performing as intended.
While not always a regulatory requirement, around 40% of CCPs in our sample reported their”risk appetite for APC”. This was typically expressed as an upper bound for increases in IM over a time
period measured in days. Any measures used to mitigate further increases in cases where thresholds werebreached were not disclosed and are likely to differ across CCPs. Where risk thresholds were reported
there was some commonality, but also some differences in the tolerances observed. CCPs reported
tolerances from a 25% increase in IM over 5 days, to up to 80% over the same time period. These

24

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportdifferences could be due to the different products being cleared at different CCPs, or different portfolio
compositions.
The majority of CCPs reported using at least one APC tool in their margin models, thus sometimes
exceeding regulatory requirements in some jurisdictions. Where APC regulatory requirements exist, suchas the European Market Infrastructure Regulation in the EU, there are often several APC options available
to a CCP. Given this flexibility, the choices of individual CCPs often differed. Some CCPs in jurisdictions
without prescriptive APC requirements also reported employing APC tools in their margin models. The
widest variety of tools was seen in the ETD and cash equities asset classes (Table 4). ETD clearing services
saw the widest variety of multiple-tool approaches, in part due to the higher number of ETD CCPs relative
to other groups. A higher proportion of clearing services for cash securities than for other asset classes
reported they did not utilise APC tools.
CCP’s anti-procyclicality tools by asset class
Proportion of clearing services reporting details of anti-procyclicality tools within each asset
class
APC tools
Floor
Stressed period
Other
Multiple tools (buffer, floor, stressed
period, other)
None

Debt
securities

Equitysecurities

ETD

OTC IRS + FXOTC CDS

-

20

-

-

-

50

45

80

33

-

-

10

10

33

33

30

-

-

-

22

20

20

10

33

33

-

5

-

-

11

BufferTable 4

APC = anti-procyclicality; ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps;
OTC IRS+ FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps and foreign exchange.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

3.2.3

Assessing reactivity of IM models

To better understand how CCP margin models reacted to market volatility, volatility in the largest single
risk factor (or a group of highly correlated risk factors) as identified by the relevant CCPs was comparedagainst changes in CCPs’ margin rates and changes in IM levels in Q1 2020. 39 Because CCP IM models
depend on a variety of factors, increases in CCP IM requirements can often be lower than the changes inprice volatility of their key risk factors. Nevertheless, comparing IM increases to changes in the underlying
market volatility may help identify unexpectedly high procyclicality. Generally, margin rate and IM
increases were lower than the corresponding increases in the price volatility of key risk factors for CCPs,
as shown by Figure 15 (referenced by the 45-degree dashed line, which delineates volatility and marginincreasing in tandem – eg 100% IM or margin rate change accompanying a 100% volatility change).
Major increases in volatility were observed for many of the analysed risk factors (in a few cases
greater than 300%). The data show a range of volatility changes across key CCP risk factors, with particulardispersion in more diverse asset classes such as ETD (Figure 15). 40 Differences in responsiveness to volatility
39

The volatility of the largest risk factor represents the volatility at the contract level, which provides a relatively clearer view of
how a margin model reacts to volatility. However, at the portfolio level, other risk factors (other than the largest risk factor),and correlation among all risk factors in a portfolio, composition of a portfolio (eg long, short, or balanced) also play a role indetermining a portfolio IM, and thus the reactivity of a margin model at the portfolio level. Therefore, even though the two
Figures show similar pattern, certain differences remain and may be attributed to these factors.

40

This is also evidenced by the similar result when proxy volatility (eg VIX, SRVIX, etc) percentage increases are used to comparewith CCPs’ IM percentage increases (see Section 2.2).

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report25

exist between IM at the portfolio level and the margin rate at the individual contract level, with the firstoften lower than the second. This may be explained by the relative composition of the portfolios (egdirectional vs balanced).
Asset price volatility
Compared to changes in CCP static portfolio initial
marginFigure 15
Compared to changes in CCP margin rates

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; IM = initial margin; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+ FX = over-the-counterinterest rate swaps and foreign exchange.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

As noted, the analysis shows that risk factor IM changes were lower in all cases, on a relative basis,than volatility increases. The size of this difference did differ by product and by CCP, though it was
generally true that risk factors with larger volatility increases experienced larger margin rate or portfolio
IM increases. ETD and cash securities had a wide dispersion of volatility increases, reflecting diverse
product types within their respective asset classes; other asset classes such as equities are somewhat moreclustered.

3.2.4

Margin exceedances

Many CCPs experienced margin exceedances 41 in February and March 2020, though in general the size ofmargin exceedances were not found to have been excessively large relative to CCP financial resources. In
particular, exceedances, when they occurred, generally represented less than 15% of default funds – except
for debt securities CCPs where a peak of 30% was observed – suggesting that overall CCPs were well
protected, even during the periods of highest volatility.
Exceedances were not necessarily correlated with changes in IM levels (Figure 16). Comparing
margin exceedances and changes in IM on a static portfolio basis (which isolates model effects) shows noclear relationship between the two overall. This is the case for all asset classes, and especially for the mostmaterial services, as shown by the dispersion of outcomes.
Though generally exceedances were low, there are some exceptions, with a few clearing services
reporting both large margin exceedances and large normalised changes in IM requirements. As shown in
the right-hand panel of Figure 16, numerous ETD CCPs saw no or small exceedances but several ETD CCPs
41

CCPs assess margin coverage by performing ex-post comparisons of observed outcomes with expected outcomes derived fromthe use of margin models. This is known as “backtesting”. Exceedances occur when observed outcomes would have led tolosses - in the event of a given clearing member default - that were greater than the IM requirement modelled and set by the
CCP for that given clearing member. However, the presence of exceedances does not necessarily indicate a deficiency in a
CCP’s margin model; for example, a margin model calibrated with a 99% level of confidence would be expected to experiencea small number of exceedances per year.

26

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

in particular saw large exceedances relative to their margin levels, as well as increases in IM levels
exceeding 100%. Improving our understanding of this pattern, including CCP’s modelling choices and theirapproach to IM features (including anti-procyclicality), warrants further study; additional analysis on therelationship between exceedances and procyclicality may be helpful. 42
CCP initial margin exceedances
As a percentage of average initial margin requirements
vs. static portfolio 2 March to peak change

Figure 16
ETD normalised margin2 vs exceedances ratio

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; IM = initial margin; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+ FX = over-the-counterinterest rate swaps and foreign exchange.
Sum of exceedance is the sum of all margin exceedance amounts during March 2020. All margin exceedance is the profit or loss exceeding
the total IM amount for all clearing members for a CCP on a particular day. 2 Normalised margin in this figure is the maximum margin
during the time period divided by margin on 2 March 2020 (ie start-to-peak).
1

Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

3.3

SIMM model

Information from the intermediaries survey indicates that intermediaries had substantially more
backtesting exceedances on non-centrally cleared transactions margined using SIMM in March 2020 (witha rate of exceedance over 5% and an average exceedance level of over $100 million) than in February 2020
(with less than a 1% rate of exceedance and an average amount of each exceedance less than $5 million). 43
The average rate of exceedance moderated in April 2020 to under 2%, as did the amount of the average
exceedance to under $20 million.
According to ISDA, some of the exceedances required assessment of bilateral SIMM shortfall
remediation where intermediaries looked to increase non-centrally cleared IM amounts above those
calculated by SIMM. 44 Some of these SIMM shortfalls were remediated by the firms involved by increasing
the amount of IM in order to decrease the exceedance rate. None of these portfolios required bilateral
remediation by the next monitoring at the end of September 2020. The SIMM shortfalls that were subject
to remediation assessment were related to equity bucket risk weights, equity correlations between buckets

42

See Gurrola-Perez (2020).

43Intermediaries that responded to the Intermediaries survey reported the number of exceedances where 1-day profit exceeded
1-day IM collected, the total number of portfolios and the total amount of profit that exceeded the IM collection amounts ofregulatory IM based on ISDA SIMM.

44

The ISDA Governance Forum reported to the regulators and licensed users of SIMM the backtesting exceedances in the firsthalf of 2020 related to the Covid-19 market stress in two separate reports.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report27and credit non-qualifying CMBX credit indexes 45 and totalled over $400 million. The total SIMM IM amountacross all portfolios was reported to ISDA to be over $130 billion at the end of June 2020.

4

Transparency of margining practices

A number of reviews of the early 2020 period have emphasised the importance of intermediary and client
preparedness for potential IM and VM calls. This preparedness is aided by CCPs sharing analytical tools
and data that allow clearing members to estimate potential margin needs. This section considers thetransparency and understanding of CCPs’ margin practices and the availability of tools and data to help
market participants estimate and anticipate margin calls from CCPs.
In particular this section draws on qualitative information provided through three surveys of: (i)CCP clearing services on the transparency of their margin models and the availability of margin
calculators/simulators; (ii) intermediaries on their understanding of CCP’s policies and procedures andtheir ability to estimate margin calls from CCPs; and (iii) clients on their ability to anticipating marginchanges and perform risk management using information provided by CCPs.

4.1

CCPs’ perspective

A large percentage of CCP survey respondents (85%) indicated that information on margin models andmethodologies are publicly available on their websites, while 76% indicated that they make margin
calculators or simulators available to their clearing members and in many cases clients. 46 The information
which is made available varies, but usually includes information on: how margin is calculated and called,
margin calculators, margin rates, collateral haircuts, risk model details and modelling techniques used, andrisk or operational manuals covering clearing, margin calculation and additional margin processing.
Approximately one fifth of CCPs reported that they provide tools that would allow users toundertake ”what-if” analysis of how IM requirements might evolve under various simulated volatility
conditions. Because these provide scenario analysis, these tools are likely to allow market participants tobetter anticipate the potential changes in IM requirements during a period of stress.
Almost all CCPs (95%) suggested that their clearing members did not express any concerns tothem regarding meeting their margin requirements during March of 2020; in addition they did not makechanges to their processes for calling margin ITD. The remainder reported late-in-the-day calls as the mainconcern of members. However, a wide variety of criteria and thresholds for triggering their ITD margin callprocesses were described by CCPs. Out of all used criteria, margin erosion-based metrics – ie comparing
the intraday profit and loss change to IM held – was the most commonly reported method, albeit often as
part of a multi-criteria process. 47

4.2

Intermediaries’ perspective

Intermediaries’ (bank and non-bank clearing members) overall level of understanding of policies andprocedures of CCPs was highest for those that govern EoD margin call timing and calculation
methodologies (Figure 17). This is the case for both cleared derivatives and cleared securities.
Intermediaries reported a comparatively lower understanding of policies and procedures governing ad
45

Indexes that track the commercial mortgage-backed securities market.

46

Typically as web-based applications.

47

These multi-criteria processes might also include, for example, minimum outright amount, a member credit rating threshold,or a member capital-based calculation. Each of these thresholds work to ensure that the CCP has adequate collateral coverageduring a stressed market period, even in the case when a member default occurs on an ITD basis.

28

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reporthoc margin calls, with greater dispersion of responses observed for cleared securities. There was also agreater dispersion in reported levels of understanding for ITD margin calls, relative to EoD margin calls.
Intermediaries understanding CCP margining policies and procedures1
Centrally cleared derivatives

Figure 17

Centrally cleared securities

EoD = end-of-day; ITD = intraday.
1
Total understanding and comprehension (10) to complete lack of understanding (1).
Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

Less than half of intermediaries in the survey (46%) indicated that they have the data and tools
available to estimate CCP margin calls prior to the call being issued to clearing members. In general,intermediaries use tools provided by CCPs, although a few respondents mentioned middleware providers
or specific third-party tools. 48 Some intermediaries stated that they can replicate CCPs’ margin models, atleast for some entities within their group.
A number of intermediaries pointed to particular issues regarding material gaps in data,
information and/or tools needed to perform accurate estimations of CCP margin call amounts and timing.
These issues included a lack of disclosure of the specific parameters that CCPs use to calculate IM, thediscretion CCPs have to change parameters, and timing mismatches between trade booking and clearing
registration that were exacerbated by the magnitude and frequency of CCP margin calls. They also noted
issues regarding lack of access to real-time data from CCPs, the multitude of models utilised by CCPs, andlack of availability of information on exact cut-off times and data sources utilised by CCPs.
Several intermediaries noted additional disclosures that would help them estimate margin callswith reasonable accuracy, and recommendations on how to improve both centrally and non-centrally
cleared margin calls. Intermediaries suggested additional disclosures could include what-if application
programming interfaces (APIs) 49 that contain all margin components (not just core market risk), disclosuresabout how and when parameters are recalibrated for standard portfolio analysis of risk (SPAN)-based
margin methodologies, 50 disclosures on the calibration of margin add-ons (particularly those relating tolarge positions) and extra disclosures on ITD margin (including timings, sensitivities/thresholds, reference
points and policies). Intermediaries also called for an overall improvement in transparency of CCP margins,48

Such as Murex or Summit, and IMCalc.

49

An API that can be used to predict a response to a hypothetical event such as a change in margin parameters.

50

SPAN-based margin models involve the CCP determining a set of parameters (eg the price scan range, which is the maximum
price movement reasonably likely to occur for each product) that are inputted into the SPAN methodology to calculate the IM
obligation for a portfolio.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report29

particularly with respect to ad hoc ITD calls. Suggestions included a more uniform approach to ITD margin
calls across CCPs and improved anti-procyclicality measures at CCPs.

4.3

Clients’ perspective

Clients highlighted challenges in replicating CCP margin models, and therefore challenges both inanticipating margin changes and performing risk management, even in cases where margin tools were
provided by CCPs. Client survey responses indicate a range of views on the predictability of margin calls,
including both centrally and non-centrally cleared calls, both of which some clients considered lesspredictable overall in March 2020. Clients in aggregate found margin demands in March to be generally
less predictable than in the prior month. In particular, the share of respondents reporting margin calls as
highly or very highly predictable decreased from 59% to 40% between February and March, while theshare of clients reporting that margin calls were not at all predictable increased from 14% to 26% over thesame period (remaining elevated at 22% in April).
Smaller clients reported a greater level of unpredictability compared to large clients. The shareof small/medium clients reporting that peak margin calls were not predictable in March (31%) was well
above the share of large respondents reporting the same response (16%). These differences in predictive
capabilities existed throughout the Covid-19 stress period and might be indicative of fundamental
differences in small respondents’ ability to predict margin calls. While large clients in April largely returned
to predictive ability levels seen pre-Covid, small clients continued to report lower predictability relative toFebruary.
Discussions with industry participants indicated that some clients utilise tools and support forcleared margin calculations while others do not. While clients generally reported a worsening in margin
predictability, there was a dispersion in views as to the usefulness of the tools and support available from
CCPs. The percentage of clients reporting that the support and tools available from CCPs were extremely
useful increased over time – from 14% to 23%. However, the percentage of clients reporting that the
support and tool were not useful also increased from 27% to 33%, showing that client views became moredisparate after March. Clients also expressed – in discussions in the industry roundtables – that despite
their extensive use of these tools, some tools had severe limitations and should be improved in scope andfunctionality.
Clients’ qualitative feedback was also mixed on the utility of tools provided to estimate margin.
Some reported poor usability for these tools or, in some cases, a lack of awareness of their existence. Someclients reported that CCP tools are generally more complex, or advanced, than those provided by theirclearing member(s). The tools provided by CCPs vary substantially. Nevertheless, there seemed to be abroadly held view that the CCP-provided tools were generally better for determining the impact of a new
trade on margin than performing tasks related to risk managing one or more complex portfolios.
Overall, most clients reported being able to adequately estimate liquidity needs during March
2020, though some firms were not as prepared. Many clients report using sophisticated liquidity
management techniques, good relationships with prime brokers and access to balance sheets as aids inthese estimations. However, this was not the case for all clients. There was a large concentration of client
survey respondents who reported nil or low deviations in actual and estimated liquidity needs (indicatinga strong ability to estimate liquidity needs or portfolios that were relatively unaffected by the volatility),
but also a non-negligible portion of respondents who reported non-zero deviations (indicating that thestressed period did lead to unexpected liquidity needs for a portion of the client community).

30

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report5

Preparedness of market participantsThis section discusses the liquidity pressures that resulted from increased margin calls at the height of theCovid turmoil and how market participants responded.
Intermediaries reported being relatively unaffected by the increase in margin calls in March 2020.
Even for those intermediaries that experienced the largest increases in margin outflows relative to liquidity
resources, the proportion of their liquidity resources this represented remained relatively small, amidst
unprecedented central bank interventions to support liquidity.
The size of margin calls which clients faced varied. So did their level of preparedness for margin
calls during March 2020 with some clients facing liquidity needs materially greater than anticipated.
Existing liquidity polices and risk controls helped to provide buffers that prevented some clients fromexperiencing liquidity issues – though this may have been due to their limited exposure to derivatives andsecurities transactions. Some clients that would be expected to have more directional risk exposure
reported more liquidity pressure. Nevertheless, fire-selling of assets was avoided partly with theintervention of central banks. Cash remained the key resource in funding the increased liquidity demand
for a majority of the clients, while they relied on asset sales proportionally more in March than in Februaryand April.

5.1

Intermediaries preparedness

In general, intermediaries indicated they were relatively unaffected by changes in margin. Only 14% ofintermediaries reported experiencing material structural flow mismatches in making or receiving flows
related to margin calls and only 5% experienced delays in margin flows (Figure 18).
Intermediaries’ experiences during the Covid-19 period
Per cent of firms that had…

Figure 18

Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

Consistent with this, a majority (87%) of intermediaries stated that they did not make any materialchanges to counterparty margin call policies and procedures (including but not limited to any
modifications to the timing of when IM and/or VM calls were passed onto counterparties, or how themargin calls were calculated). While no respondents to the intermediaries survey stated that they madematerial changes to how credit limits were calculated, 17% indicated that they made material changes tocredit limits applied to counterparty positions or the type of credit limits imposed on those positions (egapplying limits to highly impacted sectors / vulnerable countries / counterparties, temporary adjustments
to credit limits and increased collateral haircuts). For instance, some intermediaries mentioned they
requested excess margin buffers for some counterparties in anticipation of ITD margin calls, or introduced
BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report31

further limits, caps and risk management approval requirements (ie closely tracking and escalating clientissues). Furthermore, 21% of intermediaries indicated that they implemented material changes in stresstesting scenarios relevant to the risk management of counterparty positions.
The intermediaries survey responses indicate that flows related to cleared derivative VM, noncentrally cleared derivative VM, centrally cleared derivative IM and centrally cleared securities IM were themost important factors driving draws on liquidity resources (Figure 19). Settlement flows for centrally andnon-centrally cleared derivatives had the largest dispersion in rankings. In general EoD margin was seenas creating the largest need to draw on liquidity resources, with ITD flows the least important – particularly
for non-centrally cleared markets.
Demands on intermediaries’ liquidity resources from margin
Ranking of the demands that forced draws on liquidity resources by type1

Figure 19

IM = initial margin ; VM = variation margin.
1
Maximum demand on funding resources (13) to minimum demand (1).
Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

In terms of liquidity resources, 75% of intermediaries did not experience or observe material
issues converting high quality liquid assets into cash. Despite this, 29% of intermediaries made materialchanges to their liquidity resources and/or cash management/liquid asset investment strategies during
the Covid-19 period. Material changes led intermediaries to allocate more liquidity to cash with, forexample, higher balances at central banks. The use of central bank liquidity facilities, the creation of newliquidity assets (eg self-securitisation, credit claims) that could be used as collateral for central bankliquidity operations and the issuance of new debt were prioritised by some entities. Management practices
evolved with the reduction of the volume and tenor of short-term money market placements and nonHQLA securities, or with more focussed approaches to liquidity management. Also, for intermediaries
affiliated with depository institutions, the influx of corporate deposits tended to increase the intermediary’s
liquidity resources.
The sufficiency of liquidity can be analysed within the context of total margin outflows due to thecleared and non-centrally cleared segments. The left-hand panel of Figure 20 depicts the percentage of

32

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reporttotal liquidity resources relative to total margin outflows. While margin calls increased during the first halfof March 2020, the total margin (VM plus IM) outflows as a percentage of total liquidity resources for eventhe top third quartile of respondents most affected (relative to their liquidity resources) did not exceed
2.5%.
Liquidity demands and buffers at intermediaries
Margin outflows as percentages of liquidity sources
Relative to all liquidity resources

Figure 20
Relative to central bank reserves

Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

The right-hand panel of Figure 21 shows margin outflows by intermediaries as a percentage ofcentral bank reserves held by these intermediaries. This ratio does not exceed 5% on average even at theheight of the crisis and even for those institutions with the highest demands (relative to central bankreserves), it is below 25%.
Composition of intermediaries’ liquidity sources
Per cent of total liquidity sources1

Figure 21

Central bank reserves, sovereign debt and other sources2

The percentages across the two panels add to 100%.
deposits, see right-hand panel for these.
1

2

Money market instrument, physical cash, uninsured cash
deposit

Does not include money market instruments, physical cash, uninsured cash

Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report33Central bank reserves and sovereign debt were the main liquidity sources used to cover margin
outflows. Coinciding with central bank interventions, central bank reserves became a more importantsource of liquidity – both in relative terms (Figure 21) and absolute terms starting in mid-March. Though
representing a less significant liquidity source even at the beginning of the period, the amount of money
market instruments used decreased in late March.

5.2

Clients’ preparedness

Client survey results showed that there was significant heterogeneity in the margin calls faced by clients.
Some non-banks, such as insurers and pension funds, faced persistent VM outflows on their hedges, aswell as IM increases. Discussions with hedge funds suggested that many of them were well-positioned tomeet liquidity demands and did not find increases in margin unreasonable or unmanageable. Similarly,
larger asset managers reported being able to meet liquidity needs from buffers that they maintain forthese purposes. Other clients, especially smaller ones, indicated more strain. Several clients noted that theability to post securities to meet non-centrally cleared margin was helpful.
The heterogeneity in experiences is supported by evidence from the intermediaries survey.
Intermediaries stated that clients generally met margin calls on time, with at least 93% of margin calls
across all markets met by clients on the day they were due, with no significant change across February,
March and April 2020. However, 21% of intermediaries indicated that specific market segments orcounterparty types experienced materially high and out of the ordinary liquidity demands.
The client survey also revealed significant heterogeneity in clients’ indicated level of preparedness
for margin calls during March 2020. Most clients reported no significant increases in liquidity demand
from margin for both cleared and non-centrally cleared derivatives. Specifically, of the responding clients,
55% reported no increased liquidity needs for cleared derivatives, while 64% reported the same for noncentrally cleared derivatives. Despite no major shift in the aggregate liquidity demand, a number of clients
indicated that their liquidity needs were materially greater than expected.
Cash remained key in funding increased liquidity demands for the majority of the clients surveyed(Figure 22, left-hand panel). Clients used available cash deposits to meet peak margin requirements mostof the time over February, March and April. In fact, in both February and March, clients reported using
available cash deposits to meet margin requirements nearly 75% of the time. This proportion was evenhigher in April. Despite the continued reliance on cash, clients increasingly used repo in March and asset
sales in March and April to meet direct margin payments across most client groups.
Despite significant data gaps, authorities’ data suggests that some clients had to rely on repo
and sovereign debt markets to raise the cash to meet increased margin calls. In some instances, and forsome specific sectors (eg non-asset managers, including ”pension funds”, ”money market funds (MMFs)”,”banks-clients”), clients may have had to rely on repo markets and sovereign debt markets to raise cash
to meet margin calls, or to replenish liquid buffers following the margin calls in March 2020. However,these data have significant gaps and there are challenges to reliably identifying more detailed trends.
While most clients stated that their intermediaries fulfilled their contractual obligations, somenoted that intermediaries’ actions may have contributed to margin unpredictability. Some bilateralagreements led intermediaries to absorb ITD calls, while others had contractual agreements prohibiting
add-ons. Some respondents suggested that intermediaries appeared to struggle with capital-related
internal funding requirements, and as a result requested ITD VM from clients to address significant tradevaluation changes. There were also comments that mismatches between the processes and their timing atdifferent intermediaries could add to the need for clients to hold liquidity buffers. Such frictions might be
reduced with further operational standardisation.
Clients’ responses highlighted overall market liquidity as an issue and clients increasingly reliedon asset sales in March and April relative to February (Figure 22, right-hand panel). Around 40% of
respondents increased liquid assets and roughly 30% of them liquidated assets for cash as a response to34

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportheightened volatility. Almost a quarter of respondents increased risk exposure, while around 40% of
respondents decreased their risk exposure instead, highlighting how varied client responses can be.
Despite the stress, many clients indicated no issues or little difficulty (only 25% of respondents indicatedthey faced unexpected challenges) in sourcing liquidity.
Funding sources for margin and overall liquidity demands
In per centFunding sources for peak margin payments1

Figure 22
Asset sales/repos to meet overall liquidity demands2

Per cent of peak margin payment directly funded by the corresponding source, averaged across reporting clients.
liquidity demands met by the corresponding type of asset sale/repo, averaged across reporting clients.
1

2

Per cent of overall

Source: Client survey.

6

Impact on the system

To visualise how margin interacts with other markets and participants in the financial system, an attempt
has been made to map how the sudden increases in margin were transmitted across the system(Figure 23). As total CCP margin calls spiked in March, market participants across the system had to meetincreased IM and VM payments. The map shows both IM and VM flows.
To face the increased liquidity demands, firms chiefly used available cash but increasingly reliedon asset sales, proportionally, in March and April 2020. As noted in previous sections of the report, theproportion of cash collateral posted remained largely unchanged or increased across most asset classes.
Market participants across the system therefore took actions to meet those increased liquidity demands,
as shown in the additional interconnectedness maps (Annex D).
Participants met margin calls principally by using available cash deposits. As noted in Section 2.3
above, excess collateral increased by approximately $115 billion in March 2020, and the percentage ofcollateral posted as cash increased from approximately 38% to 48%, though IM generally does not need
to be posted in cash. Nonetheless, in some cases, market participants took actions to raise liquidity fromvarious sources. Where market participants sought to raise liquidity, they relied more on repo and asset
sales, in March 2020, to meet direct margin payments. This is an area where more data would be useful.
A number of liquidity raising operations were conducted while other market participants were
simultaneously experiencing liquidity demands of their own – affecting assets and sectors including MMFs,
BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report35

open-ended funds, leveraged funds and dealers, as illustrated on the interconnectedness map – which are
all being investigated as part of other workstreams internationally. MMFs holding non-government debt
experienced significant outflows. Some open-ended funds – such as those exhibiting structural maturity
mismatches – also experienced large redemptions. Some leveraged investors sold substantial holdings of
US Treasuries, contributing to increased price volatility in US Treasury markets. Meanwhile, dealers’capacity to intermediate – and purchase corporate bonds – was subject to constraints, contributing tofurther illiquidity in the market.
Some clients perceived vulnerabilities in funding markets at the time. Qualitative responses tothe client surveys provided some context on perceived market function. Respondents reported a perceived
breakdown in liquidity in the following markets: FX forwards and swaps; certain types of high-quality liquid
assets; corporate bond investment grade credit markets; money markets; and sovereigns, including US
Treasuries and Gilts, especially off-the-run issues. Liquidity in the secured repo markets was also reported
as scarce. Respondents also noted pricing disruptions; bank counterparties declining to provide various
forms of liquidity; reduced market capacity; increased transaction costs; and fixed income exchange tradedfund net asset value discounts of 4% to 5%.
Market participants trying to raise liquidity to meet margin calls were therefore doing this in acontext of impaired market liquidity, which was alleviated by central bank intervention, as shown on theinterconnectedness map. In a systemic stress event of a largely unexpected magnitude, where market
participants simultaneously attempt to raise liquidity to face multifarious sources of liquidity demands inthe same manner, those actions appear to have further propagated the stress across the system, raising
the need for central bank intervention. Some instances of liquidity-raising by firms needing to meet margin
calls may have been hampered by this stress, and may have contributed to broader stresses in normallyliquid asset and funding markets when compounded with vulnerabilities existing at multiple levels of thefinancial system.

36

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportFigure 23

Central bankOpen-ended
investment funds

Banks/dealers/prime brokers
IMCentralcounterparties

IM

Clearing member

VM

VM

IM

Pension funds
insurers
VM

IM

Derivatives dealer

IM
VM
IM
VM

Hedge orleveraged funds
Non-financial corporates

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

Increased margin calls

VM

Repo dealer
VM
IM

Bond dealer

IM
VM

Banker
MMFs
Bank clients

Discretionary cash flows that arise from activities… those that arise from the sale and purchase of securities in secondary markets
Contingent cash flow (eg margin calls, backup credit lines)

IM = initial margin; VM = variation margin; MMF= money market funds. VM transferred between clearing members and CCPs is generally paid in cash. IM can be paid in a combination of cash and securities.
Source: FSB Working Group on Interconnectedness Mapping.

37

7

Key findings and next steps

Drawing on the findings presented in the rest of this report, this section outlines six areas for further workin view of potential international policy consideration. Feedback on these potential next steps is strongly
encouraged by interested parties and will be used to inform the next steps taken on these issues.

7.1

Increasing transparency in centrally cleared markets

As noted in Section 4, there is a varied range of practice around IM model transparency, and, generally,
low levels of transparency around modelling choices and governance practices, including aspects that may
lead to procyclicality during periods of high volatility.
Increased transparency of CCP IM models, which could include forward-looking (predictive) andbackward-looking (performance) disclosures – as well as more sophisticated tools/simulators – should
enable clearing members and clients to understand ex ante how individual models respond to various
market scenarios and better plan for stressed liquidity needs through increased predictability. The role
which clearing members can play to facilitate transparency for their clients should also be considered.
Measures to enhance transparency would balance, among other things, differences across asset classes
with sufficient consistency where possible across CCPs offering services in the same asset classes.
Further international work is proposed to explore consistent metrics, and disclosures concerningprocyclicality, responsiveness to volatility and model performance. This should take into account outcomesfrom Section 7.5 below. This work should also consider good practices with respect to provision oftools/simulators. Additional international work could also consider the role that disclosure of modelling
choices by individual CCPs, could have in enhancing understanding of and comparisons among CCP model
behaviour. This further work should include exploration of improvements to both existing expectations fordisclosures to clearing members 51 and the public 52.

7.2

Enhancing liquidity preparedness of market participants as well as liquidity
disclosures

Both intermediaries and clients benefited from central bank interventions, which were a source of liquidity
during the period March–April 2020, the period of heightened margin calls. Clients varied in the size ofmargin calls they faced and their level of preparedness for margin calls during March 2020 with someclients facing liquidity needs materially greater than anticipated (Section 5). While a number of clients haveincorporated insights from the Covid-19 stress into their risk management, the Covid-19 stress can act as
an additional impetus to resolve what are in some cases longer-standing issues regarding the
preparedness of market participants, particularly non-banks, for margin requirements.
Additional international work can identify ways to further enhance liquidity preparedness,
including:•the use and disclosure of appropriate liquidity measures in the NBFI sector;•

elucidating ways that clearing members can encourage and facilitate greater liquidity
preparedness of clients through appropriate information sharing; and•the use by clearing members of clear, transparent and more standardised disclosures, andautomated margin processes/procedures.

51

See Principle 23 in CPSS-IOSCO (2012).

52

See CPMI-IOSCO (2015).

38

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportWork could include analysis related to NBFI sector liquidity arrangements and intermediaries’
provision of liquidity to clients to facilitate the fulfilment of margin obligations and the effectiveness of
those arrangements during periods of extreme stress and/or volatility.

7.3

Identifying data gaps in regulatory reporting

Data and regulatory requirements on the NBFI sector are much more heterogeneous and sparse than in
the banking sector (Section 2). Further international work to identify gaps in current regulatory data would
help to provide a more comprehensive picture of the preparedness of market participants, particularly
non-banks, for margin requirements. This work could help to inform future policy where appropriate andfacilitate collaboration and information sharing between authorities (where appropriate gateways exist).
This work could consider what additional regulatory disclosures or data points could provide
authorities with a more comprehensive picture of NBFI sector preparedness and intermediaries’ provisionof liquidity to clients. This can allow for comparability, data quality checks, and usable reporting data fromboth banks and non-banks. This work could also take into account the role of existing or previous initiatives
could play in addressing regulatory data gaps – for example, the more widespread use of Legal Entity
Identifiers or resolving barriers to usability and international aggregation of the trade repository data.

7.4

Streamlining VM processes in centrally and non-centrally cleared markets

While VM payments are designed to increase in step with price volatility, in some cases the processes forcollecting and passing on the VM payments from market participants with portfolios that experience markto-market losses to those that experienced mark-to-market gains may have been challenging for clientsand increased the need to hold liquid resources (see Section 5.2). CCPs also have different practices whencalculating and passing through ITD margin calls (Section 2). It is important that market participants and
CCPs learn from the Covid-19 stress and where appropriate adapt processes and systems so as to support
efficient collection and distribution of VM.
Further international work is proposed to consider ways to foster market participants’
preparedness for above-average VM calls through efficient collection and distribution of VM and othermeans. A stocktake of industry initiatives to strengthen business-as-usual post trade allocation protocols
between clients, executing brokers and clearing members may also have utility.
In addition, further international work is proposed to identify good practices for VM collection
and distribution by CCPs, including the value of passing VM payments back into the marketplace on atimely basis whilst ensuring the availability of resources to meet obligations to clearing members. This
work could also look at the trade-offs between more frequent VM calls intraday and the additional liquidity
burden this can place on participants or clients.

7.5

Evaluating the responsiveness of centrally cleared IM models to market stresses
with a focus on impacts and implications for CCP resources and the wider
financial system

In March 2020, IM increased significantly when market volatility spiked (Section 2). CCP IM models should
produce appropriate IM levels in normal and stressed times, whilst also reflecting specific features of themarkets that CCPs serve. While parameters would not be expected to be identical across all CCPs, at a
granular level there was a wide range of CCP IM model types and calibration choices for key IM model
parameters (Section 3.2) and the size and speed of IM increases differed not just across asset classes, butalso within asset classes (Section 2.2).
Further international work is proposed to understand the degree and nature of CCP marginmodels’ responsiveness to volatility and other market stresses – including impact, costs and benefits of
BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report39this responsiveness for CCP resources and the wider financial system – as well as to explore appropriate
ways to analyse, compare and set baseline expectations as to procyclicality in various settings.
Additional work could also review IM levels in non-stress times in the light of this responsiveness,potentially including a review of the effectiveness of tools that lessen the procyclicality of margin models
and the consistency of their use.
This work could help inform and/or complement existing international standards and guidance
as to anti-procyclicality. In addition, this work may consider the merits of additional guidelines forsupervisors’ assessments of model attributes that together can determine model responsiveness tovolatility. This could include lookback periods, identification of stress periods, decay factors, antiprocyclicality measures and MPOR. Coordination across regulators is advisable, given the global nature ofclearing.
Further work could also consider the role of clearing members’ practices when passing on CCP
margin calls to clients in dampening or amplifying the procyclicality of margin.

7.6

Evaluating the responsiveness of non-centrally cleared IM models to market
stressesNon-centrally cleared markets experienced a smaller adjustment in margin requirements relative tocentrally cleared markets primarily due to model construction and low reactivity of models for noncentrally cleared markets (such as SIMM) to volatility changes. However, under SIMM, intermediaries on
non-centrally cleared transactions reported substantially more backtesting exceedances in March 2020
(Section 3).
Bearing in mind that the relative unresponsiveness of non-centrally cleared IM to increasing
volatility due to market stress is an intended attribute of internal models, further work could look into thetimeliness of mechanisms for taking into account stress periods in the calibration of internal models. It
could also look into the timely remediation of IM shortfalls and the level of disclosure regarding theperformance of non-centrally cleared IM models. This could be conducted as part of the ongoing
monitoring of the implementation of the non-centrally cleared IM requirements.

40

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportReferences
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures, Financial
Stability Board and International Organization of Securities Commissions (2018): Analysis of central
clearing interdependences, August.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and International Organization of Securities Commissions (2019):
Margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives, July.
——— (2020): Margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives, April.
Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures and International Organization of Securities
Commissions (2015): Public quantitative disclosure standards for central counterparties, February.
——— (2017): Resilience of central counterparties (CCPs): further guidance on the PFMI, July.
Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems and International Organization of Securities Commissions(2012): Principles for financial market infrastructures, April.
Financial Stability Board (2020): Holistic review of the March market turmoil, November.
Glasserman, P and Q Wu (2018): “Persistence and procyclicality in margin requirements”, Management
Science, vol 64, no 12, December.
Gurrola-Perez, P (2020): “Procyclicality of CCP margin models: systemic problems need systemic
approaches”, WFE Working Paper, World Federation of Exchanges, December.
International Swaps and Derivatives Association (2013): Standard initial margin model for non-cleared
derivatives, December.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report41Abbreviations
APC

anti-procyclicalityAPIapplication programming interface

BCBS

Basel Committee on Banking Supervision

CCP

central counterparty

CDS

credit default swap

CPMI

Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures

EoD

end-of-day

ETDexchange traded derivatives

FSB

Financial Stability Board

FX

foreign exchange

GFC

Great Financial CrisisIM

initial margin

IOSCO

International Organization of Securities Commissions

IRS

interest rate swaps

ISDAInternational Swaps and Derivatives Association

ITD

intraday

MMF

money market fundMPORmargin period of risk

NBFI

non-bank financial intermediation

OFI

other financial institutions

OTC

over-the-counter

PFMI

Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures

SIMM

Standard IM Model

VM

variation margin

42

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

Annex A: Illustrative timeline of events in Q1 202043

Annex B: Overview of the surveys
To support this work, four detailed surveys were issued and responses were collected between May andAugust 2021: (i) a survey of central counterparties (CCP survey); (ii) a survey of clearing members/brokerdealers (intermediaries survey); (iii) a survey of other market participants active in global cleared and noncentrally cleared derivative and securities markets (client survey), and (iv) a survey of/data collection from
regulatory authorities (“authorities survey”).
The surveys focus on a broad set of margin-related topics, and included questions related to:•

margin in cleared and non-centrally cleared markets during the March 2020 market turmoil,
including clearing member-client dynamics;•

margin model transparency, predictability and volatility during the market turmoil across various
markets, jurisdictions and margining models; and•liquidity management preparedness of market participants to meet margin calls.

In addition to the surveys, the group received data on margin in non-centrally cleared markets on an ad
hoc basis from:•

Acadia, which provided aggregated data on margin calls and related collateral exchanges where
it facilitated this process•

ISDA, which provided information on the results of the SIMM backtesting.

CCP survey
This was a survey of CCPs from around the world that are responsible for clearing derivatives and securities.
The data collection was facilitated by the IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working
Group. The survey leveraged definitions in the CCP quantitative disclosures. Sixty-nine CCP services 53
associated with around 50 CCPs from across the world responded to the survey. CCPs clearing all types ofassets are represented in the sample (Table A.1).

CCP service
February–April 2020, USD billions
Asset class
ETD
Debt securities
Equity securities
OTC IRSOTC FXOTC CDS
Mixed

Table A.1
Number

Per cent

28

41

10

14

10

14

9

13

5

7

4

6

3

4

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS = over-the-counter interest rate swaps;
OTC FX = foreign exchange.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

53

44

Products covered by a segregated default fund; the products may represent a mix of different classes of assets.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportIntermediaries survey
This survey targeted bank and non-bank intermediaries that act as dealers in cleared and non-centrally
cleared derivative and securities markets. Responses from banks were collected through the BCBS
Quantitative Impact Study process, while responses from non-bank intermediaries were collected via
IOSCO. In total 63 survey responses were received – 10 from firms headquartered in the Americas, 26 fromfirms based in the Asia-Pacific region and 27 from firms in Europe. It is estimated that the same included
18 globally systemically important banks.

Client survey
This survey targeted firms that trade derivatives and securities primarily on their own behalf and accessclearing services primarily as clients of other clearing members. Such firms include but are not limited toasset managers, banks that are not intermediaries for cleared derivatives and securities, hedge funds,
insurers, money market funds, and pension funds/managers. Industry groups were also invited to respondon behalf of clients. In addition, three industry roundtables with different groups of clients were held on
9 July, 15 July and 5 August 2021.
The demarcation between “intermediary” and “client” firms was as follows:
Intermediaries are firms that:•consider themselves “intermediaries” or “dealers” in derivative and/or securities markets;•

seek to make markets and collect bid/ask;•

are direct clearing members of CCPs and provide clearing access for clients; or•are registered swap dealers, broker/dealers or similar.

Clients are firms that:•consider themselves “clients”;•

manage and invest the assets of others, such as pension funds, investment managers, mutual
funds, trust banks, hedge funds etc;•

manage and invest their own funds, such as family offices and insurance companies;•

are generally price takers and are not active market makers collecting bid/ask; and•are direct clearing members of CCPs but do not provide clearing access for clients.

Forty-eight clients responded to this survey. Just under two thirds of respondents were primarily
located in Europe, 15% were primarily located in the Asia-Pacific and the remainder in the Americas. There
were a mix of firm types amongst respondents, with just under a third being asset managers.

Authorities survey
Regulatory authorities for which the analysis of the impact of cleared and non-centrally cleared margin
calls on financial markets/financial market participants falls under their mandate(s) were also surveyed.
Such authorities include, but are not limited to, central banks, market regulators andregulators/supervisors of various market participants such as banks, investment funds, hedge funds,
insurance corporations and pension funds.
Twenty-six authorities responded to the survey. Of these, 11 authorities were central banks, 12
authorities belonged to securities or markets regulators, while three other authorities regulate specificsectors (eg insurance sector, banks). The number of submissions amounted to 24 as in two cases, two
authorities from the same jurisdiction contributed to one data submission. In three jurisdictions, more than
BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report45

one authority submitted the survey, resulting in coverage of 21 jurisdictions (eight from Asia, seven from
Europe, two from Central/South America, two from North America, one from Oceania and one from Africa).

46

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative reportAnnex C: Additional figures
This Annex provides additional figures resulting from analysis of the data collected. The caveats on thedata discussed in Section 1.3 apply. The figures are organised according to relevant discussion in the bodyof the consultation report; the headings in this annex refer to the relevant sections of the report.

2

Size and composition of margin calls

Daily aggregate CCP variation margin paid
March 2020, in billions of US dollars

Figure C.1

Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

Total CCP initial margin required
In billions of US dollars

Figure C.2

ETD = exchange traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps
and foreign exchange.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs..

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report47Breakdown of demands on intermediaries’ resources1
In billions of US dollars

Figure C.3

Daily variation margin payments

1

Daily initial margin payments

Based on 24 responses.

Source: Survey of clearing members/broker-dealers.

Peak margin payments by clients1
In billions of US dollars
February 2020

Figure C.4
March 2020

April 2020

Clients were asked to report their peak total margin payment for centrally and non-centrally cleared derivatives in each of February, Marchand April 2020. These data do not therefore make explicit nor imply any trend in the pattern of margin payments across the March–April 2020
period as a whole. Further, these data serve only as a snapshot of peak margin demands on certain dates for individual survey respondents.
Where more than one client reported a peak margin payment on a given day, the aggregate value is shown. For confidentiality reasons, where
only one client reported a peak margin payment on a given day this is not shown. Based on 22 responses.
1

Source: Client survey.

48

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

3

Drivers of IM calls

Change in CCP initial margin on static portfolios vs change in the volatility proxy
2 March 2020 = 100
Over-the-counter interest rate swaps

Figure C.5
Exchange-traded derivatives

Over-the-counter credit default
swaps

SRVIX Index is the Chicago Board Options Exchange IRS volatility index and is based on the volatility of one-year swaptions on 10-year USD
IRS. 2 VIX is the Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index derived from the prices of S&P 500 index options. 3 The Chicago Board
Options Exchange VVIX Index is a volatility of volatility measure and represents the expected volatility of the 30-day forward price of VIX.
1

Sources: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs; Chicago Board Options Exchange.

Top two initial margin exceedances / default funds across CCPs by asset class1
In per centFigure C.6

ETD = exchange-traded derivatives; OTC CDS = over-the-counter credit default swaps; OTC IRS+FX = over-the-counter interest rate swaps
and foreign exchange.
1
Chart values represent the sum of the loss exceeding initial margin for the two clearing members with the largest loss exceeding initial
margin on a particular day at each CCP aggregated across all CCPs within a given asset class, divided by the sum of default fund contributions
for all CCPs within the same asset class.
Source: IOSCO Financial Stability Engagement Group’s Data Working Group survey of CCPs.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report49

4Transparency of margining practices

Respondents with a given level of predictability over time
Percentage of respondents reporting a given level of peak margin predictability
All clients1

1

Based on 47 responses.

Large clients2

2

Based on 16 responses.

3

Figure C.7

Medium/small clients3

Based on 31 responses.

Source: Client survey.

Respondents reporting a given level of usefulness of support over time
Percentage of respondents reporting a given level of usefulness of tools/support1

1

Figure C.8

Based on 47 responses.

Source: Client survey.

50

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report5

Preparedness of market participants

Distribution of changes in liquidity needs1

Figure C.9

1 A kernel density estimate has been used to plot the probability density function of the changes in liquidity needs reported by respondents
for each category: overall liquidity needs; liquidity needs due to non-centrally cleared derivatives; liquidity needs due to centrally cleared
derivatives; and liquidity needs due to trading activities. The kernel smoother allows for the visualisation of the data on a continuousinterval where peaks in the distribution indicate a higher concentration of data points contained in that continuous interval in the data. The“overall”, “non-centrally cleared derivatives” and “centrally cleared derivatives” curves are estimated based on 47 responses; “not applicable“
responses were removed for the “due to trading” curve, which is based on 31 responses.
Source: Client survey.

Distribution of deviations from estimates of liquidity needs in March 20201

Figure C.10

A kernel density estimate is used to plot the probability density function of the deviations from estimates of liquidity needs reported byrespondents for each category: deviations from estimates of overall liquidity needs; deviations from estimates of liquidity needs due to noncentrally cleared derivatives; and deviations from estimates of liquidity needs due to centrally cleared derivatives. The kernel smoother allows
for the visualisation of the data on a continuous interval where peaks in the distribution indicate a higher concentration of data points
contained in that continuous interval in the data. All curves are estimated based on 47 responses.
1

Source: Client survey.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report51

Overall liquidity management by client size1
Cross-sectional average fractions of total asset sales by category, in per centLarge clients2

Figure C.11

Medium/small clients3

Given the relatively small number of respondents, results may not be fully representative of client experiences during the February–April
2020 period 2 Based on four responses in February, five responses in March and five responses in April. 3 Based on seven responses in
February, 10 responses in March and eight responses in April.
1

Source: Client survey.

52

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

The resulting liquidity-raising

Figure D.1

Central bankLiquidity mismatch
vulnerability!
CCPs deposit IM at CB

Open-ended
investment funds

Banks/dealers/prime brokers

Repo

Pension funds
Insurers

Clearing member

Centralcounterparties

Repo

Derivatives dealer
Repo

CCPs deposit cash IM with commercial banks

Hedge orleveraged funds

Fundredemptions

Leveraged fundvulnerabilities!

Repo dealer

Bond dealer

Banker

Repo lending
reducedFundinvestments

Repo

Draw deposits/credit lines

Non-financial corporates

CCPs invest cash IM in repo

Market capacity vulnerability!

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

Annex D: Additional interconnectedness maps

MMFs
MMF
vulnerabilities!

Bank clients
Liquidity raised from bond sales

Discretionary cash flows that arise from activities
Discretionary cash flows that arise from the sale and purchase of securities in secondary markets
Contingent cash flow (eg margin calls, backup credit lines)

IM = initial margin; MMF= money market funds; VM = variation margin. Repo includes both repurchase agreements as well as transactions that are economically similar to repurchase agreements, such as securities lendingtransations.
Source: FSB Working Group on Interconnectedness Mapping.

53

Figure D.2

Central bank MMF facilities

Central bank MMF facilities

Central bankLiquidity mismatch
vulnerability!

Central bank repo
CCPs deposit IM

Open-ended
investment funds

Banks/dealers/prime brokers
IMIM

Centralcounterparties

VM

Clearing member

Pension funds
insurers

VM
Repo

Derivatives dealer

IM

Hedge orleveraged funds

VM

CCPs invest cash IM in repo

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

Central bank asset purchases
IM

CCPs deposit cash IM at commercial banks

Market capacity vulnerability!

Repo
IM

Repo dealer

Repo lending
reducedVM

Fundredemptions

Leveraged fundvulnerabilities!
Fund
investments

Repo

Bond dealer

VM
VM
IM
Draw deposits/credit lines

BankerNon-financial corporates

54

Margin calls, liquidity-raising and central bank support

MMFs
MMF
vulnerabilities!

Bank clients

Liquidity raised from bond sales

Discretionary cash flows that arise from activities
Discretionary cash flows that arise from the sale and purchase of securities in secondary markets
Contingent cash flow (eg margin calls, backup credit lines)

IM = initial margin; MMF= money market funds; VM = variation margin. VM transferred between clearing members and CCPs is generally paid in cash. IM can be paid in a combination of cash and securities. Repo includes
both repurchase agreements and transactions that are economically similar to repurchase agreements, such as securities lending transations.
Source: FSB Working Group on Interconnectedness Mapping.

Annex E: Members of the senior and working groups on margin
Senior group co-chairs
Bank of England

Jon Cunliffe

US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Rostin Behnam

Senior and working group members
Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)

Sarah Harris (until Apr 2021)
Ellis Connolly (from Apr 2021)
Matt Gibson*

European Central Bank (ECB)

Ulrich Bindseil (until Jul 2021)
Daniela Russo (from Jul 2021)
Francesco Vacirca* (from Jul until Aug
2021)
Simonetta Rosati* (from Sep 2021)
Linda Fache Rousová*

European Commission

Gilles Herve*

European Securities and Markets Authority

Klaus Löber
Benjamin Schiessle*

Bank of France (BdF)

Thomas Carré* (until Jul 2021)
Katia Pascarella* (from Jul 2021)
Alexandre Garcia*
Frederic Hervo*

Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht

Marcus Hein
Benjamin Stricker*

Deutsche Bundesbank

Oliver Hutengs*

Hong Kong Monetary Authority

Arthur Yuen
Eva Tung*

Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission

Ryan Ko
Thomas Wong*

Reserve Bank of India

P Vasudevan
Visvanathan Srinivasan*
Rohit Das*

Bank of Italy (BoI)Claudio Impenna
Cristina Di Luigi*
Riccardo Rocco*

Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB)Salvatore Lo Giudice*

Japan Financial Services Agency

Tokio Morita (until Aug 2021)
Yuji Yamashita (from Aug 2021)
Oi Hidetoshi*

Central Bank of Mexico (CBM)

Orlando Luisillo*

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report55

Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores

Jose Antonio Quesada
Mireya Suarez*

Netherlands Bank (DNB)

Olaf Sleijpen
Luc Blommers (until Jun 2021)*
Menno Broos (from Jun 2021)*
Arlette Westdorp (until Jun 2021)*
Robert Hofman (from Jun 2021)*

Central Bank of the Russian Federation

Ivan Osipov*
Anastasia Andronova*
Yury Osintsev*

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)Nathanael Lim (until Mar 2021)*
Ian Chung (from Mar 2021)*
Yolanda Constantine*

Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)

Michael Piller*

Bank of England (BoE)

Christina Segal-Knowles#
Barry King*
Jelena Bjelanovic (until May 2021)*
Mark Dufford (from May 2021)*

UK Financial Conduct Authority

Carmel Deenmamode*

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB)

Jennifer Lucier
Travis Nesmith*Anna Amirdjanova (until Jun 2021)*
John Feid (from Jun 2021)*

Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY)

Sishush Maru*

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, US (OCC)

Chris McBrideAng Middleton*

US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

Suyash Paliwal
Richard Haynes#
Nancy Doyle*

US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Jeff MooneyDavid Li*Roy Cheruvelil*

FSB Analytical Group on Vulnerabilities Chair

Denis Beau

Secretariats
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision
Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures
International Organization of Securities Commissions

Carolyn Rogers
Neil Esho
Tomas Edlund
Tara RiceTakeshi Shirakami
Jenny Hancock
Tajinder SinghPatricia Saenz de Maturana
Shane Worner
Kosuke Kishimoto
Kris Nathanail-Brighton# Working group co-chair; * Working group member.

56

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report

The Senior group on margin would like to extend its thanks to the:•Working group chairs: Christina Segal-Knowles (BoE) and Richard Haynes (CFTC)•

Workstream leads: Linda Fache Rousová (ECB), Jeffrey Hasterok (CFTC), David Li (US Securities andExchange Commission), Ang Middleton (OCC), Travis Nesmith (FRB) and Daniel Wright (BoE).

•

Members of the editing and data analysis teams: Anna Amirdjanova (FRB), Pierre-Loïc Benoit (BdF),
Martin Birn (BCBS), Ilaria Capelli (ECB), Jin-Wook Chang (FRB), Roy Cheruvelil (SEC), Pavel Chichkanov(BoE), Steven Cho (CFTC), Sarah Crowley (BoE), Nancy Doyle (CFTC), Moin El-Herraoui (CFTC),
Alexandra End (Bank for International Settlements, BIS), Linda Fache Rousová (ECB), Elena Falcettoni(FRB), John Feid (FRB), Thomas Ferry (BoE), Mark Fischer (FRBNY), Bernat Gual-Ricart (BoE), Jenny
Hancock (CPMI), Jeffrey Hasterok (CFTC), Andrew Hawley (FRB), Dominic Hemming-Brown (BoE),
Wenqian Huang (BIS), Amamaria Illes (BIS), Hulusi Inanoglu (FRB), Rehim Kilic (FRB), David Li (SEC),David Macdonald (BoE), Meghan Tente (CFTC), Rahul Nayee (BoE), Travis Nesmith (FRB), Lovrenc
Orazem (BIS), Taejin Park (BIS), Samantha Riley (BoE), Thomas Shen (BIS), Oleg Sokolinskiy (FRB),
Ricardo Torres (CFTC), Francesco Vacirca (ECB), Bernard van den Boom (DNB), Ellen van der Woerd(DNB), Daniel Wright (BoE), Vasileia Xezonaki (BIS), Huiming Yang (BIS), Sebastiano Michele Zema
(ECB), Xiaobin Zhou (CFTC) and Markus Zoss (BIS).

•

Other members of the workstreams: Nahiomy Alvarez (Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, FRBC),
Michelle Beck (SEC), Carlo Calvaruso (BoI), Melissa Cavers (CFTC), Kyle Clelan (CFTC), Mark Fischer(FRBNY), Fabiola Fonseca Lira (CBM), Roman Goldstein (OCC), Ryan Goodman (CFTC), Richard
Hanrahan (BoE), William Heitner (CFTC) Markus Hyvonen (RBA), Nick Jackson (BoE), Argyris Kahros(ECB), Mary Kaminski (CFTC), Diego Monorchio (CONSOB), Adam Mortillaro (SEC), Charles O'Donnell(ECB), Ketan Patel (FRBC), Matt Roberts-Sklar (BoE), Kelly Rutz (OCC), Alberto Saavedra Espinosa(CBM), Sheila Swartz (SEC) and Justin Teo (MAS).

•

Data Working Group of IOSCO’s Financial Stability Engagement Group.

BCBS-CPMI-IOSCO – Review of margining practices – Consultative report57