12 U.S.C. § 5371 (BANKS AND BANKING)
§ 5371. Leverage and risk-based capital requirements
(a) Definitions
For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) Generally applicable leverage capital requirements
The term “generally applicable leverage capital requirements” means—
(A) the minimum ratios of tier 1 capital to average total assets, as established by the appropriate Federal banking agencies to apply to insured depository institutions under the prompt corrective action regulations implementing section 1831o of this title, regardless of total consolidated asset size or foreign financial exposure; and
(B) includes the regulatory capital components in the numerator of that capital requirement, average total assets in the denominator of that capital requirement, and the required ratio of the numerator to the denominator.
(2) Generally applicable risk-based capital requirements
The term “generally applicable risk-based capital requirements” means—
(A) the risk-based capital requirements, as established by the appropriate Federal banking agencies to apply to insured depository institutions under the prompt corrective action regulations implementing section 1831o of this title, regardless of total consolidated asset size or foreign financial exposure; and
(B) includes the regulatory capital components in the numerator of those capital requirements, the risk-weighted assets in the denominator of those capital requirements, and the required ratio of the numerator to the denominator.
(3) Definition of depository institution holding company
The term “depository institution holding company” means a bank holding company or a savings and loan holding company (as those terms are defined in section 1813 of this title) that is organized in the United States, including any bank or savings and loan holding company that is owned or controlled by a foreign organization, but does not include the foreign organization.
(b) Minimum capital requirements
(1) Minimum leverage capital requirements
The appropriate Federal banking agencies shall establish minimum leverage capital requirements on a consolidated basis for insured depository institutions, depository institution holding companies, and nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors. The minimum leverage capital requirements established under this paragraph shall not be less than the generally applicable leverage capital requirements, which shall serve as a floor for any capital requirements that the agency may require, nor quantitatively lower than the generally applicable leverage capital requirements that were in effect for insured depository institutions as of July 21, 2010.
(2) Minimum risk-based capital requirements
The appropriate Federal banking agencies shall establish minimum risk-based capital requirements on a consolidated basis for insured depository institutions, depository institution holding companies, and nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors. The minimum risk-based capital requirements established under this paragraph shall not be less than the generally applicable risk-based capital requirements, which shall serve as a floor for any capital requirements that the agency may require, nor quantitatively lower than the generally applicable risk-based capital requirements that were in effect for insured depository institutions as of July 21, 2010.
(3) Investments in financial subsidiaries
For purposes of this section, investments in financial subsidiaries that insured depository institutions are required to deduct from regulatory capital under section 24a of this title or section 1831w(a)(2) of this title need not be deducted from regulatory capital by depository institution holding companies or nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors, unless such capital deduction is required by the Board of Governors or the primary financial regulatory agency in the case of nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors.
(4) Effective dates and phase-in periods
(A) Debt or equity instruments on or after May 19, 2010
For debt or equity instruments issued on or after May 19, 2010, by depository institution holding companies or by nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors, this section shall be deemed to have become effective as of May 19, 2010.
(B) Debt or equity instruments issued before May 19, 2010
For debt or equity instruments issued before May 19, 2010, by depository institution holding companies or by nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors, any regulatory capital deductions required under this section shall be phased in incrementally over a period of 3 years, with the phase-in period to begin on January 1, 2013, except as set forth in subparagraph (C).
(C) Debt or equity instruments of smaller institutions
For debt or equity instruments issued before May 19, 2010, by depository institution holding companies with total consolidated assets of less than $15,000,000,000 as of December 31, 2009, and by organizations that were mutual holding companies on May 19, 2010, the capital deductions that would be required for other institutions under this section are not required as a result of this section.
(D) Depository institution holding companies not previously supervised by the Board of Governors
For any depository institution holding company that was not supervised by the Board of Governors as of May 19, 2010, the requirements of this section, except as set forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B), shall be effective 5 years after July 21, 2010 1
(E) Certain bank holding company subsidiaries of foreign banking organizations
For bank holding company subsidiaries of foreign banking organizations that have relied on Supervision and Regulation Letter SR-01-1 issued by the Board of Governors (as in effect on May 19, 2010), the requirements of this section, except as set forth in subparagraph (A), shall be effective 5 years after July 21, 2010.
(5) Exceptions
This section shall not apply to—
(A) debt or equity instruments issued to the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof pursuant to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 [12 U.S.C. 5201 et seq.], and prior to October 4, 2010;
(B) any Federal home loan bank; or
(C) any small bank holding company that is subject to the Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement of the Board of Governors, as in effect on May 19, 2010.
(6) Study and report on small institution access to capital
(A) Study required
The Comptroller General of the United States, after consultation with the Federal banking agencies, shall conduct a study of access to capital by smaller insured depository institutions.
(B) Scope
For purposes of this study required by subparagraph (A), the term “smaller insured depository institution” means an insured depository institution with total consolidated assets of $5,000,000,000 or less.
(C) Report to Congress
Not later than 18 months after July 21, 2010, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report summarizing the results of the study conducted under subparagraph (A), together with any recommendations for legislative or regulatory action that would enhance the access to capital of smaller insured depository institutions, in a manner that is consistent with safe and sound banking operations.
(7) Capital requirements to address activities that pose risks to the financial system
(A) In general
Subject to the recommendations of the Council, in accordance with section 5330 of this title, the Federal banking agencies shall develop capital requirements applicable to insured depository institutions, depository institution holding companies, and nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors that address the risks that the activities of such institutions pose, not only to the institution engaging in the activity, but to other public and private stakeholders in the event of adverse performance, disruption, or failure of the institution or the activity.
(B) Content
Such rules shall address, at a minimum, the risks arising from—
(i) significant volumes of activity in derivatives, securitized products purchased and sold, financial guarantees purchased and sold, securities borrowing and lending, and repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements;
(ii) concentrations in assets for which the values presented in financial reports are based on models rather than historical cost or prices deriving from deep and liquid 2-way markets; and
(iii) concentrations in market share for any activity that would substantially disrupt financial markets if the institution is forced to unexpectedly cease the activity.
(Pub. L. 111–203, title I, § 171, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1435.)
heading: References in Text
text: The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (b)(5)(A), is div. A of Pub. L. 110–343, Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3765, which is classified principally to chapter 52 (§ 5201 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5201 of this title and Tables.