[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 74840-74914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28671]



[[Page 74839]]

Vol. 80

Monday,

No. 229

November 30, 2015

Part II





Department of the Treasury





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Office of the Comptroller of the Currency





12 CFR Part 45





Federal Reserve System





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12 CFR Part 237





Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation





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12 CFR Part 349





Farm Credit Administration





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12 CFR Part 624





Federal Housing Finance Agency





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12 CFR Part 1221





Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap Entities; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 80 , No. 229 / Monday, November 30, 2015 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 74840]]



DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

12 CFR Part 45

[Docket No. OCC-2011-0008]
RIN 1557-AD43

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Part 237

[Docket No. R-1415]
RIN 7100-AD74

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

12 CFR Part 349

RIN 3064-AE21

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

12 CFR Part 624

RIN 3052-AC69

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

12 CFR Part 1221

RIN 2590-AA45


Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap Entities

AGENCY: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Treasury (``OCC''); 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (``Board''); Federal 
Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC''); Farm Credit Administration 
(``FCA''); and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (``FHFA'').

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The OCC, Board, FDIC, FCA, and FHFA (each an ``Agency'' and, 
collectively, the ``Agencies'') are adopting a joint rule to establish 
minimum margin and capital requirements for registered swap dealers, 
major swap participants, security-based swap dealers, and major 
security-based swap participants for which one of the Agencies is the 
prudential regulator. This final rule implements sections 731 and 764 
of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as 
amended by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 
2015 (``TRIPRA''). Sections 731 and 764 require the Agencies to adopt 
rules jointly to establish capital requirements and initial and 
variation margin requirements for such entities on all non-cleared 
swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps in order to offset the 
greater risk to such entities and the financial system arising from the 
use of swaps and security-based swaps that are not cleared.

DATES: The final rule is effective April 1, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    OCC: Kurt Wilhelm, Director, Financial Markets Group, (202) 649-
6437, or Carl Kaminski, Special Counsel, Legislative and Regulatory 
Activities Division, (202) 649-5490, for persons who are deaf or hard 
of hearing, TTY (202) 649-5597, Office of the Comptroller of the 
Currency, 400 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20219.
    Board: Sean D. Campbell, Associate Director, (202) 452-3760, or 
Elizabeth MacDonald, Manager, Division of Banking Supervision and 
Regulation, (202) 475-6316; Anna M. Harrington, Counsel, Legal 
Division, (202) 452-6406, or Victoria M. Szybillo, Counsel, Legal 
Division, (202) 475-6325, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, 20th and C Streets NW., Washington, DC 20551.
    FDIC: Bobby R. Bean, Associate Director, Capital Markets Branch, 
[email protected], Jacob Doyle, Capital Markets Policy Analyst, 
[email protected], Division of Risk Management Supervision, (202) 898-
6888; Thomas F. Hearn, Counsel, [email protected], or Catherine 
Topping, Counsel, [email protected], Legal Division, Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20429.
    FCA: J.C. Floyd, Associate Director, Finance & Capital Markets 
Team, Timothy T. Nerdahl, Senior Policy Analyst--Capital Markets, 
Jeremy R. Edelstein, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of Regulatory 
Policy, (703) 883-4414, TTY (703) 883-4056, or Richard A. Katz, Senior 
Counsel, Office of General Counsel, (703) 883-4020, TTY (703) 883-4056, 
Farm Credit Administration, 1501 Farm Credit Drive, McLean, VA 22102-
5090.
    FHFA: Robert Collender, Principal Policy Analyst, Office of Policy 
Analysis and Research, (202) 649-3196, [email protected], or 
Peggy K. Balsawer, Associate General Counsel, Office of General 
Counsel, (202) 649-3060, [email protected], Federal Housing 
Finance Agency, Constitution Center, 400 7th St. SW., Washington, DC 
20219. The telephone number for the Telecommunications Device for the 
Hearing Impaired is (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

A. The Dodd-Frank Act

    The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the 
``Act'' or ``Dodd-Frank Act'') was enacted on July 21, 2010.\1\ Title 
VII of the Dodd-Frank Act established a comprehensive new regulatory 
framework for derivatives, which the Act generally characterizes as 
``swaps'' (which are defined in section 721 of the Dodd-Frank Act to 
include interest rate swaps, commodity swaps, equity swaps, and credit 
default swaps) and ``security-based swaps'' (which are defined in 
section 761 of the Dodd-Frank Act to include a swap based on a single 
security or loan or on a narrow-based security index).\2\ For the 
remainder of this preamble, the term ``swaps'' refers to swaps and 
security-based swaps unless the context requires otherwise.
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    \1\ Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 
Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
    \2\ See 7 U.S.C. 1a(47); 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(68).
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    As part of this new regulatory framework, sections 731 and 764 of 
the Dodd-Frank Act add a new section, section 4s, to the Commodity 
Exchange Act of 1936, as amended (``Commodity Exchange Act'') and a new 
section, section 15F, to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 
amended (``Securities Exchange Act''), respectively, which require 
registration with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the 
``CFTC'') of swap dealers and major swap participants and the U.S. 
Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``SEC'') of security-based swap 
dealers and major security-based swap participants (each a ``swap 
entity'' and, collectively, ``swap entities'').\3\ For swap entities 
that are prudentially regulated by one of the Agencies,\4\ sections 731 
and 764 of the

[[Page 74841]]

Dodd-Frank Act require the Agencies to adopt rules jointly for swap 
entities under their respective jurisdictions imposing (i) capital 
requirements and (ii) initial and variation margin requirements on all 
swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization or 
a registered clearing agency.\5\ Swap entities that are prudentially 
regulated by one of the Agencies and therefore subject to this final 
rule are referred to herein as ``covered swap entities.''
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    \3\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s; 15 U.S.C. 78o-10. Section 731 of the Dodd-
Frank Act requires swap dealers and major swap participants to 
register with the CFTC, which is vested with primary responsibility 
for the oversight of the swaps market under Title VII of the Dodd-
Frank Act. Section 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act requires security-based 
swap dealers and major security-based swap participants to register 
with the SEC, which is vested with primary responsibility for the 
oversight of the security-based swaps market under Title VII of the 
Dodd-Frank Act. Section 712(d)(1) of the Dodd-Frank Act requires the 
CFTC and SEC to issue joint rules further defining the terms swap, 
security-based swap, swap dealer, major swap participant, security-
based swap dealer, and major security-based swap participant. The 
CFTC and SEC issued final joint rulemakings with respect to these 
definitions in May 2012 and August 2012, respectively. See 77 FR 
30596 (May 23, 2012); 77 FR 39626 (July 5, 2012) (correction of 
footnote in the Supplementary Information accompanying the rule); 
and 77 FR 48207 (August 13, 2012). 17 CFR part 1; 17 CFR parts 230, 
240 and 241.
    \4\ Section 1a(39) of the Commodity Exchange Act defines the 
term ``prudential regulator'' for purposes of the capital and margin 
requirements applicable to swap dealers, major swap participants, 
security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap 
participants. The Board is the prudential regulator for any swap 
entity that is (i) a State-chartered bank that is a member of the 
Federal Reserve System, (ii) a State-chartered branch or agency of a 
foreign bank, (iii) a foreign bank which does not operate an insured 
branch, (iv) an organization operating under section 25A of the 
Federal Reserve Act (an Edge corporation) or having an agreement 
with the Board under section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act (an 
Agreement corporation), and (v) a bank holding company, a foreign 
bank that is treated as a bank holding company under section 8(a) of 
the International Banking Act of 1978, as amended, or a savings and 
loan holding company (on or after the transfer date established 
under section 311 of the Dodd-Frank Act), or a subsidiary of such a 
company or foreign bank (other than a subsidiary for which the OCC 
or FDIC is the prudential regulator or that is required to be 
registered with the CFTC or SEC as a swap dealer or major swap 
participant or a security-based swap dealer or major security-based 
swap participant, respectively). The OCC is the prudential regulator 
for any swap entity that is (i) a national bank, (ii) a federally 
chartered branch or agency of a foreign bank, or (iii) a Federal 
savings association. The FDIC is the prudential regulator for any 
swap entity that is (i) a State-chartered bank that is not a member 
of the Federal Reserve System or (ii) a State savings association. 
The FCA is the prudential regulator for any swap entity that is an 
institution chartered under the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended 
(the ``Farm Credit Act''). The FHFA is the prudential regulator for 
any swap entity that is a ``regulated entity'' under the Federal 
Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as 
amended (i.e., the Federal National Mortgage Association (``Fannie 
Mae'') and its affiliates, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage 
Corporation (``Freddie Mac'') and its affiliates, and the Federal 
Home Loan Banks). See 7 U.S.C. 1a(39).
    \5\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(2)(A); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(2)(A). Section 
6s(e)(1)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act directs registered swap 
dealers and major swap participants for which there is a prudential 
regulator to comply with margin and capital rules issued by the 
prudential regulators, while section 6s(e)(1)(B) directs registered 
swap dealers and major swap participants for which there is not a 
prudential regulator to comply with margin and capital rules issued 
by the CFTC and SEC. Section 78o-10(e)(1) generally parallels 
section 6s(e)(1), except that section 78o-10(e)(1)(A) refers to 
registered security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap 
participants for which ``there is not a prudential regulator.'' The 
Agencies construe the ``not'' in section 78o-10(e)(1)(A) to have 
been included by mistake, in conflict with section 78o-10(e)(2)(A), 
and of no substantive meaning. Otherwise, registered security-based 
swap dealers and major security-based swap participants for which 
there is not a prudential regulator could be subject to multiple 
capital and margin rules, and institutions regulated by the 
prudential regulators and registered as security-based swap dealers 
and major security-based swap participants might not be subject to 
any capital and margin requirements under section 78o-10(e).
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    Sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act also require the CFTC 
and SEC separately to adopt rules imposing capital and margin 
requirements to their applicable swap entities for which there is no 
prudential regulator.\6\ The Dodd-Frank Act requires the CFTC, SEC, and 
the Agencies to establish and maintain, to the maximum extent 
practicable, capital and margin requirements that are comparable, and 
to consult with each other periodically (but no less than annually) 
regarding these requirements.\7\
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    \6\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(2)(B); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(2)(B). The 
CFTC issued a proposed rule imposing capital and margin requirements 
for swap dealers and major swap participants for which there is no 
prudential regulator on October 3, 2014. See 79 FR 59898 (October 3, 
2014). The CFTC proposal was substantially similar to the Agencies' 
proposal. More recently, the CFTC issued a cross-border proposed 
rule on margin that is also substantially similar to Sec.  _.9 of 
the Agencies' final rule. See 80 FR 41376 (July 14, 2015); 17 CFR 
part 23. To date, the SEC has yet to finalize similar rules imposing 
capital and margin requirements for security-based swap dealers and 
major security-based swap participants. The SEC proposed margin 
rules in October 2012. See 77 FR 70214 (Nov. 23, 2012).
    \7\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(2)(A); 6s(e)(3)(D); 15 U.S.C. 78o-
10(e)(2)(A), 78o-10(e)(3)(D). Staffs of the Agencies have consulted 
with staff of the CFTC and SEC in developing the final rule.
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    The capital and margin standards for swap entities imposed under 
sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act are intended to offset the 
greater risk to the swap entity and the financial system arising from 
non-cleared swaps.\8\ Sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act 
require that the capital and margin requirements imposed on swap 
entities must, to offset such risk, (1) help ensure the safety and 
soundness of the swap entity and (2) be appropriate for the greater 
risk associated with non-cleared swaps.\9\ In addition, sections 731 
and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act require the Agencies, in establishing 
capital requirements for entities designated as covered swap entities 
for a single type or single class or category of swap or activities, to 
take into account the risks associated with other types, classes, or 
categories of swaps engaged in, and the other activities conducted by 
swap entities that are not otherwise subject to regulation.\10\
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    \8\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(3)(A); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(3)(A).
    \9\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(3)(A); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(3)(A). In 
addition, section 1313 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial 
Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended requires the Director 
of FHFA, when promulgating regulations relating to the Federal Home 
Loan Banks, to consider the following differences between the 
Federal Home Loan Banks and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Cooperative 
ownership structure; mission of providing liquidity to members; 
affordable housing and community development mission; capital 
structure; and joint and several liability. See 12 U.S.C. 4513. The 
Director of FHFA also may consider any other differences that are 
deemed appropriate. For purposes of this final rule, FHFA considered 
the differences as they relate to the above factors.
    \10\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(2)(C); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(2)(C). In 
addition, the margin requirements imposed by the Agencies must 
permit the use of noncash collateral, as the Agencies determine to 
be consistent with (i) preserving the financial integrity of the 
markets trading swaps and (ii) preserving the stability of the U.S. 
financial system. See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(3)(C); 15 U.S.C. 78o-
10(e)(3)(C).
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    In addition to the Dodd-Frank Act authorities mentioned above, the 
Agencies also have safety and soundness authority over the entities 
they supervise.\11\ The Dodd-Frank Act specified that the provisions of 
its Title VII shall not be construed as divesting any Agency of its 
authority to establish or enforce prudential or other standards under 
other law.\12\
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    \11\ 12 U.S.C. 1 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 93a, 12 U.S.C. 1463, 12 
U.S.C. 1464, 12 U.S.C. 1818, 12 U.S.C. 1828, 12 U.S.C. 1831p-1, 12 
U.S.C. 3102(b) (OCC); 12 U.S.C. 221 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 1818, 12 
U.S.C. 1841 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 3101 et seq. and 12 U.S.C. 1461 et 
seq. (Board); 12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 1818 (FDIC); 12 
U.S.C. 2001 et seq.; 12 U.S.C. 2241 through 2274; 12 U.S.C. 2279aa-
11; 12 U.S.C. 2279bb through bb-7 (FCA); 12 U.S.C. 4513 (FHFA).
    \12\ See Dodd-Frank Act sections 741(c) and 764(b).
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    The capital and margin requirements for non-cleared swaps under 
sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act complement other Dodd-Frank 
Act provisions that require all sufficiently standardized swaps to be 
cleared through a registered derivatives clearing organization or 
clearing agency.\13\ This requirement is consistent with the consensus 
of the G-20 leaders to clear derivatives through central counterparties 
(``CCPs'') where appropriate.\14\
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    \13\ See 7 U.S.C. 2(h); 15 U.S.C. 78c-3. Certain types of 
counterparties (e.g., counterparties that are not financial entities 
and are using swaps to hedge or mitigate commercial risks) are 
exempt from this mandatory clearing requirement and may elect not to 
clear a swap that would otherwise be subject to the clearing 
requirement.
    \14\ G-20 Leaders, June 2010 Toronto Summit Declaration, Annex 
II, ] 25. The dealer community has also recognized the importance of 
clearing beginning in 2009. In an effort led by the Federal Reserve 
Bank of New York, the dealer community agreed to increase central 
clearing for certain credit derivatives and interest rate 
derivatives. See Press Release, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 
New York Fed Welcomes Further Industry Commitments on Over-the-
Counter Derivatives (June 2, 2009), available at www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/markets/2009/ma090602.html.
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    In the derivatives clearing process, CCPs manage credit risk 
through a range of controls and methods, including a margining regime 
that imposes both initial margin and variation margin requirements on 
parties to cleared

[[Page 74842]]

transactions.\15\ Thus, the mandatory clearing requirement established 
by the Dodd-Frank Act for swaps effectively will require any party to 
any transaction subject to the clearing mandate to post initial and 
variation margin in connection with that transaction.
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    \15\ CCPs interpose themselves between counterparties to a swap 
transaction, becoming the buyer to the seller and the seller to the 
buyer and, in the process, taking on the credit risk that each party 
poses to the other. For example, when a swaps contract between two 
parties that are members of a CCP is executed and submitted for 
clearing, it is typically replaced by two new contracts--separate 
contracts between the CCP and each of the two original 
counterparties. At that point, the original counterparties are no 
longer counterparties to each other; instead, each faces the CCP as 
its counterparty, and the CCP assumes the counterparty credit risk 
of each of the original counterparties.
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    However, a particular swap may not be cleared either because it is 
not subject to the mandatory clearing requirement, or because one of 
the parties to a particular swap is eligible for, and uses, an 
exception or exemption from the mandatory clearing requirement. Such a 
swap is a ``non-cleared'' swap that may be subject to the capital and 
margin requirements for such transactions established under sections 
731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act.
    The swaps-related provisions of Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act, 
including sections 731 and 764, are intended in general to reduce risk, 
increase transparency, promote market integrity within the financial 
system, and, in particular, address a number of weaknesses in the 
regulation and structure of the swaps markets that were revealed during 
the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009. During the financial crisis, the 
opacity of swap transactions among dealers and between dealers and 
their counterparties created uncertainty about whether market 
participants were significantly exposed to the risk of a default by a 
swap counterparty. By imposing a regulatory margin requirement on non-
cleared swaps, the Dodd-Frank Act reduces the uncertainty around the 
possible exposures arising from non-cleared swaps.
    Further, the financial crisis revealed that a number of significant 
participants in the swaps markets had taken on excessive risk through 
the use of swaps without sufficient financial resources to make good on 
their contracts. By imposing an initial and variation margin 
requirement on non-cleared swaps, sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-
Frank Act will reduce the ability of firms to take on excessive risks 
through swaps without sufficient financial resources. Additionally, the 
minimum margin requirement will reduce the amount by which firms can 
leverage the underlying risk associated with the swap contract.
    The Agencies originally published proposed rules to implement 
sections 731 and 764 of the Act in May 2011 (the ``2011 
proposal'').\16\ Over 100 comments were received in response to the 
2011 proposal from a variety of commenters, including banks, asset 
managers, commercial end users, and various trade associations. 
Following the release of the Agencies' 2011 proposal, the Basel 
Committee on Banking Supervision (``BCBS'') and the Board of the 
International Organization of Securities Commissions (``IOSCO'') 
proposed an international framework for margin requirements on non-
cleared derivatives with the goal of creating an international standard 
for non-cleared derivatives.\17\ Following the issuance of the 
international framework proposal, the Agencies re-opened the comment 
period on the Agencies' 2011 proposal to allow for additional comments 
in relation to the proposed international framework.\18\ The proposed 
international framework was also subject to extensive public comment 
before being finalized in September 2013 (the ``2013 international 
framework'').\19\ Following the publication of the 2013 international 
framework the Agencies published a re-proposal of the Agencies' rule in 
September 2014 (the ``proposal,'' ``2014 proposal'' or ``proposed 
rule'').\20\ The Agencies received over 55 comments in response to the 
proposal. The Agencies subsequently met with several commenters at 
their request to discuss their concerns with the proposal and summaries 
of these meetings may be found on each Agency's respective public Web 
site.
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    \16\ 76 FR 27564 (May 11, 2011).
    \17\ See BCBS and IOSCO ``Consultative Document--Margin 
requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives'' (July 2012), 
available at http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs226.pdf and ``Second 
consultative document--Margin requirements for non-centrally cleared 
derivatives'' (February 2013), available at http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs242.pdf.
    \18\ 77 FR 60057 (October 2, 2012).
    \19\ See BCBS and IOSCO ``Margin requirements for non-centrally 
cleared derivatives,'' (September 2013), available at https://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs261.pdf.
    \20\ 79 FR 57348 (Sept. 24, 2014). Comments on the 2011 proposal 
were discussed in detail in the 2014 proposal. In April 2014, the 
European Supervisory Authorities published a consultation paper with 
draft regulatory technical standards on risk-mitigation techniques 
for over-the-counter (``OTC'') derivative contracts not cleared by a 
CCP under Article 11(15) of the European Market Infrastructure 
Regulation (``EMIR''), available at: https://www.eba.europa.eu/documents/10180/655149/JC+CP+2014+03+%28CP+on+risk+mitigation+for+OTC+derivatives%29.pdf. 
On June 10, 2015, these European authorities released a reproposal 
available at: https://eiopa.europa.eu/Publications/Consultations/JC-CP-2015-002%20JC%20CP%20on%20Risk%20Management%20vTechniques%20for%20OTC%20derivatives.pdf. On July 3, 2014, the Financial Services Agency of 
Japan also published a proposal for OTC Derivatives regulation 
available at http://www.fsa.go.jp/news/26/syouken/20140703-3.html.
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B. Other Dodd-Frank Act Provisions Affecting the Margin and Capital 
Rule

    The applicability of the Agencies' margin requirements rely in part 
on regulatory action taken by the CFTC, the SEC, and the Secretary of 
the Treasury. The margin requirements will apply to any prudentially-
regulated entity that: (1) Is registered as a swap dealer or major swap 
participant with the CFTC, or as a security-based swap dealer, major 
security-based swap participant with the SEC; and (2) enters into a 
non-cleared swap. In addition, as a means of ensuring the safety and 
soundness of the covered swap entity's non-cleared swap activities 
under the final rule, the requirements would apply to all of a covered 
swap entity's swap and security-based swap activities without regard to 
whether the entity has registered as both a swap entity and a security-
based swap entity. Thus, for example, for an entity that is a swap 
dealer but not a security-based swap dealer or major security-based 
swap participant, the final rule's requirements would apply to all of 
that swap dealer's non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based 
swaps.
    On May 23, 2012, the CFTC and SEC adopted a final joint rule 
defining ``swap dealer,'' ``major swap participant,'' ``security-based 
swap dealer,'' and ``major security-based swap dealer.'' These 
definitions include quantitative thresholds in the relevant activity 
that affect whether an entity subject to the ``prudential regulator'' 
definition also will be subject to the margin regulations.\21\
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    \21\ See 77 FR 30596 (May 23, 2012), 77 FR 39626 (July 5, 2012) 
(correction of footnote in Supplementary Information accompanying 
the rule) and 77 FR 48207 (August 13, 2012); 17 CFR part 1; 17 CFR 
parts 230, 240, and 241.
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    On August 13, 2012, the CFTC and SEC adopted a final joint rule 
defining ``swap'' and ``security-based swap.'' \22\ On November 16, 
2012, the Secretary of the Treasury made a determination pursuant to 
sections 1a(47)(E) and 1(b) of the Commodity Exchange Act to exempt 
foreign exchange swaps and foreign exchange forwards from certain swap 
requirements, including the Title VII margin requirements.\23\
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    \22\ See 77 FR 48207 (August 13, 2012); 17 CFR part 1; 17 CFR 
parts 230, 240, and 241.
    \23\ 77 FR 69694 (November 20, 2013).
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    The CFTC has adopted a final rule requiring registration by 
entities meeting the substantive definition of

[[Page 74843]]

swap dealer or major swap participant and engaging in relevant 
activities above the applicable quantitative thresholds.\24\ As of 
September 24, 2015, 104 entities have registered as swap dealers,\25\ 
and two entities have registered as major swap participants. The SEC 
has also adopted rules for registering entities that meet the 
definition of ``security-based swap dealer,'' or ``major security-based 
swap participant,'' however, the compliance dates for registration have 
yet to occur.\26\ The CFTC has adopted guidance addressing how the 
Commodity Exchange Act's swap requirements, will apply to ``cross-
border swaps.'' \27\ Similarly, the SEC published a final rule and 
interpretative guidance that addresses the application of the 
definitions of ``security-based swap dealer'' and ``major security-
based swap participant'' in the cross-border context.\28\ The SEC also 
recently proposed amendments and a re-proposed rule to address the 
application of certain provisions of the Securities Exchange Act to 
cross-border security-based swap activities.\29\
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    \24\ 77 FR 2613 (January 1, 2012); 17 CFR 23.21.
    \25\ Currently, all swap dealers are provisionally registered 
with the CFTC.
    \26\ See 80 FR 48963 (August 14, 2015); 17 CFR parts 240 and 
249; 17 CFR 240.15Fb1-1 et seq. (effective October 15, 2015). The 
compliance date for the SEC registration requirements for security-
based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants is the 
later of: (1) Six months after the date of publication in the 
Federal Register of a final rule establishing capital, margin, and 
segregation requirements for security-based swap dealers and major 
security-based swap participants; (2) the compliance date of final 
rules establishing recordkeeping and reporting requirements for 
security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap 
participants; (3) the compliance date of final rules establishing 
business conduct requirements under Securities Exchange Act sections 
15F(h) and 15F(k); and (4) the compliance date for final rules 
establishing a process for registered security-based swap dealers 
and major security-based swap participants to make an application to 
the SEC to allow an associated person who is subject to a 
disqualification to effect or be involved in effecting security-
based swaps on the security-based swap dealer's and major security-
based swap participant's behalf.
    \27\ In 2013, the CFTC issued guidance addressing the cross-
border applicability of certain swap provisions. See 78 FR 45292 
(July 26, 2013); 17 CFR part 1. More recently, the CFTC issued a 
cross-border proposed rule for swap margin requirements. See 80 FR 
41376 (July 14, 2015); 17 CFR part 23.
    \28\ See 79 FR 47278 (August 12, 2014); 17 CFR parts 240, 241, 
and 250.
    \29\ See 80 FR 27444 (May 13, 2015); 17 CFR parts 240 and 242. 
The SEC published for comment proposed amendments and a re-proposed 
rule to address the application of certain provisions of the 
Securities Exchange Act that were added by Subtitle B of Title VII 
of the Dodd-Frank Act to cross-border security-based swap 
activities.
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    On January 12, 2015, the President signed into law TRIPRA. Title 
III of TRIPRA amends sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act to 
exempt certain transactions of certain counterparties from the 
Agencies' margin requirements as set out in this final rule.\30\ 
Specifically, section 302 of Title III amends sections 731 and 764 of 
the Dodd-Frank Act to provide that the Agencies' rules on margin 
requirements under those sections shall not apply to a swap in which a 
counterparty: (1) Qualifies for an exception under section 2(h)(7)(A) 
of the Commodity Exchange Act, (2) qualifies for an exemption issued 
under section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act for cooperative 
entities as defined in such exemption, or (3) satisfies the criteria in 
section 2(h)(7)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act, or a security-based 
swap in which a counterparty (1) qualifies for an exception under 
section 3C(g)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act or (2) satisfies the 
criteria in section 3C(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \30\ Public Law 114-1, 129 Stat. 3.
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    Section 303 of TRIPRA requires that the Agencies implement the 
provisions of Title III by seeking comment on an interim final rule. 
The Agencies are adopting and, in a separate document published 
elsewhere in this Federal Register, are inviting comment on, an interim 
final rule that will implement these statutory exemptions by adding 
Sec.  __.1(d) (``the interim final rule'').

II. Overview of Final Rule

A. Margin Requirements

    In the final rule, the Agencies are adopting a risk-based approach 
for initial and variation margin requirements for covered swap 
entities. Consistent with the statutory requirement, the final rule 
would help ensure the safety and soundness of the covered swap entity 
and would be appropriate for the risk to the financial system 
associated with non-cleared swaps held by covered swap entities. The 
final rule takes into account the risk posed by a covered swap entity's 
counterparties by establishing the minimum amount of initial and 
variation margin that the covered swap entity must exchange with its 
counterparties.
    In implementing this risk-based approach, the final rule 
distinguishes among four separate types of swap counterparties: (i) 
Counterparties that are themselves swap entities; (ii) counterparties 
that are financial end users with a material swaps exposure; (iii) 
counterparties that are financial end users without a material swaps 
exposure, and (iv) other counterparties, including nonfinancial end 
users, sovereigns, and multilateral development banks.\31\ The final 
rule also includes special provisions for inter-affiliate swaps between 
a covered swap entity and its affiliates. The requirements of this 
final rule will apply to non-cleared swaps with those counterparties to 
the extent they are not exempt pursuant to TRIPRA. Each of these four 
types of counterparties pose different levels of risk to the financial 
system, and the final rule adopts a risk-based approach to the margin 
requirements for the different types of counterparties, which reflect 
both the Agencies' safety and soundness concerns and the provisions of 
the Dodd-Frank Act.
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    \31\ See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule for the various 
definitions that identify these four types of swap counterparties.
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    Post and collect. The initial and variation margin requirements 
generally apply to the posting and the collecting of minimum initial 
and variation margin amounts between a covered swap entity and its 
counterparties. While the Agencies believe that imposing requirements 
with respect to collecting the minimum amount of initial and variation 
margin is a critical aspect of offsetting the greater risk to the 
covered swap entity and the financial system arising from the covered 
swap entity's non-cleared swap exposure, the Agencies also believe that 
requiring a covered swap entity to post margin to other financial 
entities could forestall a build-up of potentially destabilizing 
exposures in the financial system. The final rule's approach therefore 
is designed to ensure that covered swap entities transacting with other 
swap entities and with financial end users in non-cleared swaps, with 
certain exceptions, will be collecting and posting appropriate minimum 
margin amounts with respect to those transactions.
    The final rule's margin provisions establish only minimum 
requirements with respect to initial and variation margin. Nothing in 
the final rule is intended to prevent or discourage a covered swap 
entity from collecting or posting margin in amounts greater than is 
required under the final rule.
    Initial margin. For initial margin, the final rule would require a 
covered swap entity to calculate its minimum initial margin requirement 
in one of two ways. The covered swap entity may use a standardized 
margin schedule, which is set out in Appendix A of the final rule. The 
standardized margin schedule allows for certain types of netting and 
offsetting of exposures. In the alternative, a covered swap entity may 
use an internal margin model that

[[Page 74844]]

satisfies the criteria outlined in Sec.  __.8 of the final rule and 
that has been approved by the relevant prudential regulator.\32\
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    \32\ See Sec.  __.8 and appendix A of the final rule for a 
complete description of the requirements for initial margin models 
and standardized minimum initial margin requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When a covered swap entity transacts with another swap entity 
(regardless of whether the other swap entity meets the definition of a 
``covered swap entity'' under the final rule), the covered swap entity 
must collect at least the amount of initial margin required under the 
final rule. Likewise, the swap entity counterparty also will be 
required, under margin rules that are applicable to that swap entity, 
to collect a minimum amount of initial margin from the covered swap 
entity. Accordingly, covered swap entities will both collect and post a 
minimum amount of initial margin when transacting with another swap 
entity.\33\ A covered swap entity transacting with a financial end user 
with a material swaps exposure must collect at least the amount of 
initial margin required by the final rule and must post at least the 
amount of initial margin that the covered swap entity would be required 
by the final rule to collect if the covered swap entity were in the 
place of the counterparty. In addition, a covered swap entity must post 
or collect initial margin on at least a daily basis if changes in 
portfolio composition or any other factors result in a change in the 
required initial margin amounts.\34\
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    \33\ All swap entities will be subject to a rule on minimum 
margin for non-cleared swaps promulgated by one of the Agencies, the 
SEC or the CFTC. The counterparty may be a covered swap entity 
subject to this final rule or a swap entity that is subject to the 
margin rules of the CFTC or SEC. If the counterparty is a covered 
swap entity, it must collect at least the amount of margin required 
under this final rule. If the counterparty is a swap entity subject 
to the margin rules of the CFTC or SEC, it must collect the amount 
of margin required under the CFTC or SEC margin rules.
    \34\ Under the final rule, when entering into a swap 
transaction, the first collection and posting of initial margin must 
occur on or before the business day following the day of execution. 
Thereafter, posting and collecting initial margin must be made on at 
least a daily basis, in response to changes in portfolio composition 
or any other factors that would change the required initial margin 
amounts, until the date the non-cleared swap terminates or expires.
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    The final rule permits a covered swap entity to adopt a maximum 
initial margin threshold amount of $50 million, below which it need not 
collect or post initial margin from or to swap entities and financial 
end users with material swaps exposures. The threshold amount applies 
on a consolidated basis, and applies both to the consolidated covered 
swap entity as well as to the consolidated counterparty.\35\
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    \35\ See Sec. Sec.  __.3 and __.8 of the final rule for a 
complete description of the initial margin requirements.
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    Variation margin. With respect to variation margin, the final rule 
generally requires a covered swap entity to collect or post variation 
margin for swaps with a swap entity or a financial end user (regardless 
of whether the financial end user has a material swaps exposure) in an 
amount that is at least equal to the increase or decrease in the value 
of the swap since the counterparties' previous exchange of variation 
margin. The final rule would not permit a covered swap entity to adopt 
a threshold amount below which it need not collect or post variation 
margin on swaps with swap entity and financial end user 
counterparties.\36\ In addition, a covered swap entity must collect or 
post variation margin with swap entities and financial end user 
counterparties under the final rule on at least a daily basis.\37\
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    \36\ Covered swap entities, however, are not required to collect 
or post margin from or to any individual counterparty unless and 
until the combined amount of initial and variation margin that must 
be collected or posted under the final rule, but has not yet been 
exchanged with the counterparty, is greater than $500,000. See Sec.  
__.5 of the final rule.
    \37\ See Sec.  __.4 of the final rule for a complete description 
of the variation margin requirements.
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    Exempt transactions and ``other counterparties.'' Under the interim 
final rule, certain transactions with certain nonfinancial end users 
and other financial counterparties are exempt from the Agencies' margin 
requirements. Specifically, under Sec.  __.1(d) as added by the interim 
final rule, the Agencies' margin requirements do not apply to a swap or 
security-based swap with a counterparty that: (1) Qualifies for an 
exception from clearing under section 2(h)(7)(A) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act or section 3C(g)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act (i.e., 
a nonfinancial entity using the swap or security-based swap to hedge or 
mitigate commercial risk, certain small financial institutions, and 
captive finance companies); \38\ (2) qualifies for an exemption from 
clearing under section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act for 
cooperative entities that would otherwise be subject to the requirement 
to clear; \39\ or (3) satisfies the criteria for the affiliate 
exception from clearing pursuant to section 2(h)(7)(D) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act or section 3C(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act for 
treasury affiliates that act as agent.\40\ Section 1(d), as added by 
the interim final rule published elsewhere in this Federal Register, 
implements the exemptions enacted in Title III of TRIPRA, which 
excludes these swaps from the statutory directive issued to the 
Agencies by section 4s of the Commodity Exchange Act and section 15F of 
the Securities Exchange Act to impose margin requirements for all non-
cleared swaps.
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    \38\ See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(A); 15 U.S.C. 78c-3(g).
    \39\ See 7 U.S.C. 6(c)(1). The CFTC, pursuant to its authority 
under section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act, adopted 17 CFR 
50.51 which exempts from required clearing certain swaps entered 
into by certain cooperatives.
    \40\ See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(D); 15 U.S.C. 78c-3(g)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Separate from the transactions exempt from the final rule as a 
result of the interim final rule, there are also swap transactions with 
``other counterparties'' that are subject to this final rule, but that 
are not subject to specific, numerical minimum initial or variation 
margin requirements. As discussed below, these swaps include swaps with 
counterparties such as foreign sovereigns, as well as swaps with 
financial end users that do not have a material swaps exposure (with 
respect to the initial margin requirement). The final rule makes a 
covered swap entity's collection of margin from these ``other 
counterparties'' subject to the judgment of the covered swap entity. 
That is, under the final rule, a covered swap entity will not be 
required to collect initial and variation margin from these ``other 
counterparties'' as a matter of course.\41\ Instead, a covered swap 
entity should continue with the current practice of collecting initial 
or variation margin at such times and in such forms and amounts (if 
any) as the covered swap entity determines appropriate in its overall 
credit risk management of the covered swap entity's exposure to the 
customer. The Agencies recognize that a covered swap entity may find it 
prudent from a risk management perspective to collect margin from one 
or more of these ``other counterparties.'' \42\
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    \41\ Covered swap entities would be required to collect 
variation margin from all financial end user counterparties under 
the final rule. However, no specific minimum initial margin 
requirement would apply to transactions with those financial end 
users that do not have a material swaps exposure. Thus, for the 
purpose of the initial margin requirements, financial end users that 
do not have material swaps exposure would be treated in the same 
manner as entities characterized as ``other counterparties.''
    \42\ See Sec. Sec.  __.3 and __.4 of the final rule for a 
complete description of the initial and variation margin 
requirements that apply to ``other counterparties.''
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    Eligible collateral. The final rule limits the types of collateral 
that are eligible to be used to satisfy both the initial and variation 
margin requirements. Eligible collateral is generally limited to high-
quality, liquid assets that are expected to remain liquid and retain 
their value, after accounting

[[Page 74845]]

for an appropriate risk-based ``haircut'' or ``discount,'' during a 
severe economic downturn.
    Eligible collateral for initial margin includes cash, debt 
securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of 
Treasury or by another U.S. government agency, the Bank for 
International Settlements, the International Monetary Fund, the 
European Central Bank, multilateral development banks, certain U.S. 
Government-sponsored enterprises' (``GSEs'') debt securities,\43\ 
certain foreign government debt securities, certain corporate debt 
securities, certain listed equities, shares in certain pooled 
investment vehicles, and gold.
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    \43\ An asset-backed security guaranteed by a U.S. GSE is 
eligible collateral for purposes of initial margin (and variation 
margin for transactions with financial end users) only if the GSE is 
operating with capital support or another form of direct financial 
assistance from the U.S. government.
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    Eligible collateral for variation margin depends on the type of 
counterparty the covered swap entity is facing in its swap transaction. 
For swaps between a covered swap entity and another swap entity, 
eligible collateral for variation margin is limited to only immediately 
available cash funds denominated in U.S. dollars, another major 
currency, or the currency of settlement for the swap. When a covered 
swap entity faces financial end user counterparties, on the other hand, 
a covered swap entity may exchange variation margin in any of the same 
forms of collateral as the final rule permits for initial margin 
collateral.
    When determining collateral value for purposes of satisfying the 
final rule's margin requirements, non-cash collateral is subject to an 
additional ``haircut'' or ``discount'' as determined using appendix B 
of the final rule.\44\ The limits on eligible collateral and the 
haircuts under appendix B would not apply to margin collected or posted 
in excess of what is required by the rule. The Agencies believe that 
the eligibility of certain non-cash collateral, subject to the 
conditions and restrictions contained in the final rule, is consistent 
with the Dodd-Frank Act, because the use of such non-cash collateral is 
consistent with preserving the financial integrity of markets by 
trading swaps and preserving the stability of the U.S. financial 
system. The use of different types of eligible collateral pursuant to 
the requirements of the final rule should also incrementally increase 
liquidity in the financial system.
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    \44\ See Sec.  __.6 and appendix B of the final rule for a 
complete description of the eligible collateral requirements, 
including an additive 8 percent cross-currency haircut. The terms 
``haircut'' and ``discount'' are used interchangeably.
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    Collateral segregation. Under the final rule, a covered swap entity 
must require that any collateral other than variation margin that it 
posts to its counterparty (even collateral in excess of any required by 
the final rule) be segregated at one or more custodians that are not 
the covered swap entity or the counterparty nor affiliates of the 
covered swap entity or the counterparty (``third-party custodian''). 
The final rule would also require a covered swap entity to place the 
initial margin it collects (up to the amount required by the final 
rule) from a swap entity or a financial end user with material swaps 
exposure at a third-party custodian.\45\ In both of the foregoing 
cases, the final rule would require that a custodial agreement prohibit 
certain actions with respect to any of the funds or other property that 
the custodian holds as initial margin. First, the custodial agreement 
must prohibit the custodian from rehypothecating, repledging, reusing, 
or otherwise transferring (through securities lending, securities 
borrowing, repurchase agreement, reverse repurchase agreement or other 
means) the funds or other property held by the custodian, except that 
cash collateral may be held in a general deposit account with the 
custodian if the funds in the account are used to purchase an asset 
described in Sec.  __.6(a)(2) or (b), such assets are segregated 
pursuant to Sec.  __.7(a) through (b), and such purchase takes place 
within a time period reasonably necessary to consummate such purchase 
after the cash collateral is posted as initial margin. Second, with 
respect to initial margin required to be posted or collected, the 
custodial agreement must prohibit the substituting or reinvesting of 
any funds or other property in any asset that would not qualify as 
eligible collateral under the final rule. Third, the custodial 
agreement must require that after such substitution or reinvestment, 
the amount net of applicable discounts described in appendix B continue 
to be sufficient to meet the requirements for initial margin under the 
final rule.\46\ With the exception of collateral posted by a covered 
swap entity, funds or other property held by a third-party custodian in 
excess of the amounts required to be posted or collected under the rule 
are not subject to any of these restrictions on collateral substitution 
or reinvestment.
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    \45\ The segregation requirement therefore applies only to the 
minimum amount of initial margin that a covered swap entity is 
required to collect by the rule from a swap entity or financial end 
user with a material swaps exposure, but applies to all collateral 
(other than variation margin) that the covered swap entity posts to 
any counterparty.
    \46\ See Sec.  __.7 of the final rule for a complete description 
of the segregation requirements.
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    Cross-border transactions. Given the global nature of swaps markets 
and swap transactions, margin requirements will be applied to 
transactions across different jurisdictions. As required by the Dodd-
Frank Act, the Agencies are adopting a specific approach to address 
cross-border non-cleared swap transactions. Under the final rule, 
foreign swaps of foreign covered swap entities would not be subject to 
the margin requirements of the final rule.\47\ In addition, certain 
covered swap entities that are operating in a foreign jurisdiction and 
covered swap entities that are organized as U.S. branches or agencies 
of foreign banks may choose to abide by the swap margin requirements of 
the foreign jurisdiction if the Agencies determine that the foreign 
regulator's swap margin requirements are comparable to those of the 
final rule.\48\ This section would also allow any covered swap entity 
to post initial margin to its counterparty pursuant to a foreign 
regulator's swap margin requirements that are comparable to those of 
the final rule in certain circumstances. In addition, this section also 
addresses certain jurisdictions where inherent limitations in the legal 
or operational infrastructure make it impracticable for the covered 
swap entity and counterparty to post initial margin as required in 
Sec.  __.3(b) in compliance with the segregation requirements of Sec.  
__.7 of this rule; in these circumstances, the final rule provides that 
a covered swap entity should collect initial margin in cash and post 
and collect variation margin in cash in such jurisdictions but would 
not require the covered swap entity to post initial margin to its 
counterparty.
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    \47\ See Sec.  __.9 of the final rule.
    \48\ See Sec.  __.9 of the final rule for a complete description 
of the treatment of cross-border swap transactions.
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    Affiliate transactions. The final rule contains a special section 
for swaps with affiliates. This section provides that the requirements 
of the rule generally apply to a non-cleared swap with an affiliate 
unless the swap is excluded from coverage under Sec.  __.1(d) as added 
by the interim final rule published elsewhere in this Federal Register 
or a special rule applies. For instance, collection of initial margin 
is not addressed in this special section. As a result, a covered swap 
entity is required to collect initial margin from its affiliate 
pursuant to Sec.  _.3(a) under the final rule. Where a covered swap 
entity transacts with another covered swap entity that is an affiliate, 
this will

[[Page 74846]]

result in a collect and post regime for initial margin among 
affiliates.
    The special rules for affiliates provide that a covered swap entity 
is not required to post initial margin to an affiliate that is not also 
a covered swap entity but must calculate the amount of initial margin 
that would be required to be posted to such an affiliate and provide 
documentation to each affiliate on a daily basis. In addition, each 
affiliate may be granted an initial margin threshold of $20 million. A 
covered swap entity that collects non-cash collateral from an affiliate 
may serve as the custodian for the collateral or have an affiliate 
serve as the custodian. In addition, a covered swap entity may use a 
holding period in its margin model equal to the shorter of five 
business days or the maturity of the portfolio for any swaps with an 
affiliate that are subject to an exemption from mandatory clearing, 
provided that the initial margin amount for these swaps are calculated 
separately from other swaps. In addition, a covered swap entity must 
collect and post variation margin with any affiliate counterparty as 
provided in Sec.  __.4 of the final rule.\49\
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    \49\ The Agencies note the approach of the final rule is 
consistent with the approach of other applicable laws, which require 
transactions between banks and their affiliates to be on an arm's 
length basis. In particular, section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act 
provides that many transactions between a bank and its affiliates 
must be on terms and under circumstances, including credit 
standards, that are substantially the same or at least as favorable 
to the bank as those prevailing at the time for comparable 
transactions with or involving nonaffiliated companies. 12 U.S.C. 
371c-1(a).
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B. Capital Requirements

    Sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act also require each Agency 
to issue, in addition to margin rules, joint rules on capital for 
covered swap entities for which it is the prudential regulator.\50\ The 
Board, FDIC, and OCC (each a ``banking agency'' and, collectively, the 
``banking agencies'') have had risk-based capital rules in place for 
banks to address over-the-counter (``OTC'') swaps since 1989 when the 
banking agencies implemented their risk-based capital adequacy 
standards (general banking risk-based capital rules) \51\ based on the 
first Basel Accord.\52\ The general banking risk-based capital rules 
have been amended and supplemented over time to take into account 
developments in the swaps market. These supplements include the 
addition of the market risk rule which requires banking organizations 
\53\ meeting certain thresholds to calculate their capital requirements 
for trading positions through models approved by their primary Federal 
supervisor.\54\ In addition, certain large, complex banking 
organizations are subject to the banking agencies' advanced approaches 
risk-based capital rule (advanced approaches rules), based on the 
advanced approaches of the Basel II Accord.\55\
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    \50\ 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(2); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(2).
    \51\ See 54 FR 4186 (January 27, 1989). The general banking 
risk-based capital rules were at 12 CFR part 3, appendices A, B, and 
C (national banks); 12 CFR part 167 (federal savings banks); 12 CFR 
part 208, appendices A, B, and E (state member banks); 12 CFR part 
225, appendices A, D, and E (bank holding companies); 12 CFR part 
325, appendices A, B, C, and D (state nonmember banks); 12 CFR part 
390, subpart Z (state savings associations).
    \52\ The BCBS developed the first international banking capital 
framework in 1988, entitled International Convergence of Capital 
Measurement and Capital Standards.
    \53\ Banking organizations include national banks, state member 
banks, state non-member banks, Federal savings associations, state 
savings associations, top-tier bank holding companies domiciled in 
the United States not subject to the Board's Small Bank Holding 
Company Policy Statement (12 CFR part 225, appendix C)), as well as 
top-tier savings and loan holding companies domiciled in the United 
States, other than (i) savings and loan holding companies subject to 
the Board's Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement and (ii) 
certain savings and loan holding companies that are substantially 
engaged in insurance underwriting or commercial activities.
    \54\ The banking agencies' market risk capital rules are at 12 
CFR part 3, subpart F (national banks and federal savings 
associations), 12 CFR part 217, subpart F (state member banks, bank 
holding companies, and savings and loan holding companies), and 12 
CFR part 324, subpart F (state nonmember banks and state savings 
associations). The rules apply to banking organizations with trading 
activity (on a worldwide consolidated basis) that equals 10 percent 
or more of the institution's total assets, or $1 billion or more.
    \55\ See BCBS, International Convergence of Capital Measurement 
and Capital Standards: A Revised Framework (2006). The banking 
agencies implemented the advanced approaches of the Basel II Accord 
in 2007. See 72 FR 69288 (December 7, 2010). The advanced approaches 
rules are codified at 12 CFR part 3, subpart E (national banks and 
federal savings associations), 12 CFR part 217, subpart E (state 
member banks, bank holding companies, and savings and loan holding 
companies), and 12 CFR part 324, subpart E (state nonmember banks 
and state savings associations). The advanced approaches rules apply 
to banking organizations with consolidated total assets equal to 
$250 billion or more or consolidated total on-balance sheet foreign 
exposures equal to $10 billion or more (advanced approaches banking 
organizations).
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    In July 2013 the Board and the OCC issued a final rule (revised 
capital framework) implementing regulatory capital reforms reflecting 
agreements reached by the BCBS in ``Basel III: A Global Regulatory 
Framework for More Resilient Banks and Banking Systems'' (Basel III 
framework).\56\ The revised capital framework includes the capital 
requirements for OTC derivatives contracts, which are defined to 
include transactions that would also meet the definition of swaps 
described above, as well as a minimum supplementary leverage ratio for 
advanced approaches banking organizations that is reflective of their 
on- and off-balance sheet activities, including derivatives activities. 
The FDIC adopted an interim final rule that was substantively identical 
to the revised capital framework in July 2013 and later issued a final 
rule in April 2014 identical to the Board's and the OCC's final 
rule.\57\
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    \56\ See BCBS, Basel III: A Global Regulatory Framework For More 
Resilient Banks and Banking Systems (2010), available at 
www.bis.org/publ.bcbs189.htm.
    \57\ 78 FR 62018 (October 11, 2013) (Board and OCC); 78 FR 20754 
(April 14, 2014) (FDIC). These rules are codified at 12 CFR part 3 
(national banks and federal savings associations), 12 CFR part 217 
(state member banks, bank holding companies, and savings and loan 
holding companies), and 12 CFR part 324 (state nonmember banks and 
state savings associations).
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    FHFA's predecessor agencies used a methodology similar to that 
endorsed by the BCBS prior to the development of the Basel III 
framework to develop the risk-based capital rules applicable to those 
entities now regulated by FHFA. Those rules still apply to all FHFA-
regulated entities.\58\ FHFA is in the process of revising and updating 
these regulations for the Federal Home Loan Banks.
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    \58\ For the duration of the conservatorships of Fannie Mae and 
Freddie Mac (together, the ``Enterprises''), FHFA has directed that 
its existing regulatory capital requirements would not be binding. 
However, FHFA continues to closely monitor the Enterprises' 
activities. Such monitoring, coupled with the unique financial 
support available to the Enterprises from the U.S. Department of the 
Treasury and the likelihood that FHFA will promulgate new risk-based 
capital rules in due course to apply to the Enterprises (or their 
successors) once the conservatorships have ended, lead to FHFA's 
view that the reference to existing capital rules is sufficient to 
address the risks arising from swap transactions and activities of 
the Enterprises.
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    The FCA's risk-based capital regulations for Farm Credit System 
(``FCS'') institutions, except for the Federal Agricultural Mortgage 
Corporation (``Farmer Mac''), have been in place since 1988 and were 
last updated in 2005.\59\ The FCA's risk-based capital regulations for 
Farmer Mac have been in place since 2001 and were updated in 2011.\60\ 
The FCA proposed revisions to its capital rules for all FCS 
institutions, except Farmer Mac, that are comparable to the Basel III 
framework.\61\
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    \59\ See 53 FR 40033 (October 13, 1988); 70 FR 35336 (June 17, 
2005); 12 CFR part 615, subpart H.
    \60\ See 66 FR 19048 (April 12, 2001); 76 FR 23459 (April 27, 
2011); 12 CFR part 652.
    \61\ See 79 FR 52814 (Sept. 4, 2014).
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    As described below, the final rule requires a covered swap entity 
to comply with regulatory capital rules already made applicable to that 
covered swap entity as part of its prudential regulatory regime. Given 
that these existing regulatory capital rules

[[Page 74847]]

specifically take into account and address the unique risks arising 
from swap transactions and activities, the Agencies will rely on these 
existing rules as appropriate and sufficient to offset the greater risk 
to the covered swap entity and the financial system arising from the 
use of swaps that are not cleared and to protect the safety and 
soundness of the covered swap entity.

C. The Final Rule and Community Banks

    The Agencies expect that the final rule likely will have minimal 
impact on community banks. The Agencies anticipate that community banks 
will not engage in swap activity to the level that would require them 
to register as a swap dealer, major swap participant, security-based 
swap dealer, or major security-based swap participant; and therefore, 
are unlikely to fall within the definition of a covered swap 
entity.\62\ Because the final rule imposes requirements on covered swap 
entities, no community bank will likely be directly subject to the 
rule. Thus, a community bank that enters into non-cleared interest rate 
swaps with its commercial customers will not be required to apply to 
those swaps the final rule's requirements for initial margin or 
variation margin.
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    \62\ At the time the Agencies adopted this final rule, no 
community banks had registered in any of these capacities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The TRIPRA also excluded certain swaps with community banks from 
the margin requirements of this rule.\63\ In particular, section 
2(h)(7)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act excepts from clearing any swap 
where one of the counterparties is not a financial entity, is using the 
swap to hedge or mitigate commercial risk, and notifies the CFTC how it 
generally meets its financial obligations associated with entering into 
non-cleared swaps.\64\ As authorized by the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFTC 
has excluded depository institutions, FCS institutions, and credit 
unions with total assets of $10 billion or less, from the definition of 
``financial entity,'' thereby permitting those institutions to avail 
themselves of the clearing exception for end users.\65\ Non-cleared 
swaps with those entities would be eligible for the TRIPRA exemption in 
the Agencies' margin rules, provided they met the other requirements 
for the clearing exception. As a consequence of TRIPRA, if a community 
bank with total assets of $10 billion or less enters into a swap with a 
covered swap entity that meets the requirements of the exception from 
clearing, that swap will not be subject to the margin requirements of 
this rule. As of June 30, 2015, of the 6,348 insured depository 
institutions, all but 111 institutions had total assets of $10 billion 
or less.\66\
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    \63\ The TRIPRA exceptions are reflected in Sec.  __.1(d), which 
is added by the interim final rule.
    \64\ A ``financial entity'' is defined to mean (i) a swap 
dealer; (ii) a security-based swap dealer; (iii) a major swap 
participant; (iv) a major security-based swap participant; (v) a 
commodity pool; (vi) a private fund as defined in section 202(a) of 
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; (vii) an employee benefit plan 
as defined in sections 3(3) and 3(32) of the Employment Retirement 
Income Security Act of 1974; (viii) a person predominantly engaged 
in activities that are in the business of banking, or in activities 
that are financial in nature, as defined in section 4(k) of the Bank 
Holding Company Act of 1956. See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(C)(i).
    \65\ See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(C)(ii) and 77 FR 42560 (July 19, 
2012); 77 FR 20536 (April 5, 2012).
    \66\ FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile, Second Quarter 2015, p. 7. 
https://www5.fdic.gov/qbp/2015jun/qbp.pdf. Of the 6,237 insured 
depository institutions with total assets of $10 billion or less as 
of June 30, 2015, 5,646 institutions had total assets of $1 billion 
or less and 591 institutions had total assets between $1 billion and 
$10 billion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When a community bank with total assets greater than $10 billion 
enters into a swap with a covered swap entity, the covered swap entity 
will be required to post and collect initial margin pursuant to the 
rule only if the community bank had a material swaps exposure and is 
not otherwise exempt pursuant to TRIPRA.\67\ Further, if a community 
bank with total assets above $10 billion does not engage in swaps 
activities that would exceed its initial margin threshold amount, the 
final rule will only require a covered swap entity to collect initial 
margin that it determines is appropriate to address the credit risk 
posed by such a community bank. The Agencies believe covered swap 
entities currently apply this approach as part of their credit risk 
management practices.
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    \67\ The final rule defines material swaps exposure as an 
average daily aggregate notional amount of non-cleared swaps, non-
cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange forwards and foreign 
exchange swaps with all counterparties for June, July, and August of 
the previous calendar year that exceeds $8 billion, where such 
amount is calculated only for business days.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule requires a covered swap entity to exchange daily 
variation margin with a community bank with total assets below $10 
billion, regardless of whether the community bank has material swaps 
exposure, provided the swap is not otherwise exempt pursuant to TRIPRA. 
In addition, the final rule requires a covered swap entity to exchange 
daily variation margin with a community bank with total assets above 
$10 billion, regardless of whether the community bank has material 
swaps exposure. However, the covered swap entity will only be required 
to collect variation margin from a community bank when the amount of 
both initial margin and variation margin required to be collected 
exceeds the minimum transfer amount of $500,000, as provided for in 
Sec.  __.5(b) of the final rule.

D. The Final Rule and Farm Credit System Institutions

    The final rule should have a minimal impact on the FCS. Currently, 
no FCS institution, including Farmer Mac, engages in swap activity at 
the level that would require them to register as a swap dealer, major 
swap participant, security-based swap dealer, or a major security-based 
swap participant. For this reason, no FCS institution, including Farmer 
Mac, would fall within the definition of a covered swap entity and, 
therefore, become directly subject to this rule. Further, almost all 
swaps of FCS institutions are exempt from clearing and the margin 
requirements of this final rule as a result of TRIPRA. Most FCS 
institutions have total assets of less than $10 billion and, therefore, 
they may elect an exception from clearing under a CFTC regulation, 17 
CFR 50.50(d), which implements section 2(h)(7)(C)(ii) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act.\68\ Separately, FCS banks and associations, regardless of 
size, may elect not to clear swaps that (1) they enter into in 
connection with loans to their members; or (2) hedge or mitigate risks 
related to loans with their members, pursuant to 17 CFR 50.51.\69\ 
Furthermore, TRIPRA exempts financial cooperatives from exchanging 
initial and variation margin on all their swaps that are subject to the 
exemption from clearing provided by the CFTC. Farmer Mac is the only 
FCS institution that does not have an exception or exemption from 
mandatory clearing because it has total assets that exceed $10 billion, 
and it is not a cooperative. For this reason, Farmer Mac is a financial 
end user and is subject to the initial margin requirements of this 
final rule to the extent its non-cleared swap transactions exceed the 
material swaps exposure or initial margin thresholds. Farmer Mac would 
also be subject to the variation margin requirements of this final 
rule.
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    \68\ The SEC has not yet enacted a comparable rule granting 
small deposit institutions, FCS institutions, and credit unions, an 
exemption from clearing.
    \69\ The CFTC enacted 17 CFR 50.51 pursuant to its authority 
under section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

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[[Page 74848]]

III. Section by Section Summary of Final Rule

A. Section __.1: Authority, Purpose, Scope, Exemptions and Compliance 
Dates

    As in the proposal, Sec. Sec.  __.1(a) through (c) of the final 
rule are Agency-specific. Section __.1(a) of the final rule sets out 
each Agency's specific authority, and Sec.  __.1(b) describes the 
purpose of the rule, including the specific entities covered by each 
Agency's rule. Section __.1(c) of the final rule specifies the scope of 
the transactions to which the margin requirements apply. Under Sec.  
__.1(c), the margin requirements apply to all non-cleared swaps into 
which a covered swap entity enters. Each Agency has set forth text for 
its Agency-specific version of Sec.  __.1(c) that specifies the 
entities to which that Agency's rule applies. Section __.1(c) further 
states that the margin requirements apply only to non-cleared swaps and 
non-cleared security-based swaps that are entered into on or after the 
relevant compliance dates set forth in Sec.  _.1(e). Section _.1(c) 
also provides that nothing in this final rule is intended to prevent, 
nor is it intended to require, a covered swap entity from independently 
collecting margin in amounts greater than the amounts required under 
this final rule. Section __.1(d), as added by the interim final rule, 
provides for exemptions from the rule for certain swaps and security-
based swaps with certain commercial end users and others as described 
above and in the companion interim final rule. Section __.1(e) sets 
forth compliance dates. Section 1(f) provides that once a covered swap 
entity and its counterparty become subject to the margin requirements 
based on the compliance dates set forth in Sec.  __.1(e), the covered 
swap entity and its counterparty shall remain subject to the final 
rule. Section __.1(g) of the final rule specifies how the margin 
requirements apply in the event a covered swap entity's counterparty 
changes its status (for example, if the counterparty is a financial end 
user without material swaps exposure and thereafter becomes a financial 
end user with material swaps exposure).
1. Treatment of Swaps With Commercial End Users and Other ``Low-Risk'' 
Counterparties
    Section _.1(d), as added by the interim final rule published 
elsewhere in this Federal Register, which is the same for all the 
Agencies, implements the provisions of TRIPRA and provides for 
exemptions from the rule for certain swaps with certain commercial end 
users and certain other counterparties. These exemptions are discussed 
further in the Agencies' interim final rule and request for comment, 
published elsewhere in the Federal Register.
    The proposal applied to all swaps and security-based swaps, 
consistent with the original provisions of sections 731 and 764 of the 
Dodd-Frank Act. For certain swaps, however, such as those between a 
covered swap entity and a ``commercial end user'' (i.e., a nonfinancial 
counterparty that is neither a swap entity nor a financial end user and 
engages in swaps to hedge commercial risk),\70\ the Agencies proposed a 
reduced, risk-based, approach to margin. For those counterparties, 
which the proposal treated as ``other counterparties,'' the proposal 
would have required only that a covered swap entity collect margin in 
such forms and amounts (if any) that the covered swap entity determined 
appropriately addressed the credit risk posed by the counterparty and 
the risks of the swap.\71\
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    \70\ Although the term ``commercial end user'' is not defined in 
the Dodd-Frank Act, it is used in this preamble to mean a company 
that is eligible for the exception to the mandatory clearing 
requirement for swaps under section 2(h)(7)(A) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act and section 3C(g)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act, 
respectively. This exception is generally available to a person that 
(1) is not a financial entity, (2) is using the swap to hedge or 
mitigate commercial risk, and (3) has notified the CFTC or SEC how 
it generally meets its financial obligations with respect to non-
cleared swaps or security-based swaps, respectively. See 7 U.S.C. 
2(h)(7)(A) and 15 U.S.C. 78c-3(g)(1).
    \71\ See discussion below of Sec. Sec.  __.3(d) and __.4(c) of 
the proposed rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As discussed earlier, TRIPRA, which was enacted on January 12, 
2015, amends sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act to exempt 
certain transactions of certain financial and nonfinancial end users 
from the Agencies' margin requirements set out in this final rule.\72\ 
Specifically, section 302 of TRIPRA amends sections 731 and 764 so that 
initial and variation margin requirements will not apply to a swap or 
security-based swap of a counterparty (to a covered swap entity) in 
which a counterparty is:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \72\ Pub. L. 114-1, 129 Stat. 3.

    (1) A nonfinancial entity, including a captive finance company, 
that qualifies for the clearing exception under section 2(h)(7)(A) 
of the Commodity Exchange Act or section 3C(g)(1) of the Securities 
Exchange Act; \73\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \73\ See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(A); 15 U.S.C. 78c-3(g)(1). A ``captive 
finance company'' is an entity whose primary business is providing 
financing, and uses derivatives for the purpose of hedging 
underlying commercial risks related to interest rate and foreign 
currency exposures, 90 percent or more of which arise from financing 
that facilitates the purchase or lease of products, 90 percent or 
more of which are manufactured by the parent company or another 
subsidiary of the parent company. See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(C)(iii). 
Section 2(h)(7)(C)(ii) of the Commodity Exchange Act and section 
3C(g)(3)(B) of the Securities Exchange Act authorize the CFTC and 
the SEC, respectively, to exempt small depository institutions, 
small FCS institutions, and small credit unions with total assets of 
$10 billion or less from the mandatory clearing requirements for 
swaps and security-based swaps. See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(C)(ii) and 15 
U.S.C. 78c-3(g)(3)(B). The CFTC has exempted these small 
institutions by rule, and therefore swaps entered into to hedge or 
mitigate commercial risk by those institutions are also exempt from 
this final rule by operation of TRIPRA. See 77 FR 42560 (July 19, 
2012); 77 FR 20536 (April 5, 2012). On December 21, 2010, the SEC 
proposed to exempt security-based swaps used by small depository 
institutions, small FCS institutions, and small credit unions with 
total assets of $10 billion or less from clearing. 75 FR 79992 
(December 21, 2010).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) A cooperative entity that qualifies for an exemption from 
the clearing requirements issued under section 4(c)(1) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act; \74\ or
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \74\ See 7 U.S.C. 6(c)(1). The CFTC, pursuant to its authority 
under section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act, adopted 17 CFR 
50.51, which allows certain cooperative financial entities, 
including those with total assets in excess of $10 billion, to elect 
an exemption from mandatory clearing of swaps that: (1) they enter 
into in connection with originating loans for their members; or (2) 
hedge or mitigate commercial risk related to loans or swaps with 
their members or arising from certain swaps with members.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (3) An affiliate that satisfies the criteria for an exception 
from clearing in section 2(h)(7)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act or 
section 3C(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act.\75\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \75\ See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(D) and 15 U.S.C. 78c-3(g)(4). This 
exception applies to an affiliate of a person that qualifies for an 
exception from clearing (including affiliate entities predominantly 
engaged in providing financing for the purchase of the merchandise 
or manufactured goods of the person), only if the affiliate, acting 
on behalf of the person and as an agent, uses the swap to hedge or 
mitigate the commercial risk of the person or other affiliate of the 
person that is not a financial entity. This exception does not apply 
to a person that is a swap dealer, security-based swap dealer, major 
swap participant, major security-based swap participant, an issuer 
that would be an investment company, as defined in section 3 under 
the Investment Company Act but for paragraphs (c)(1) or (c)(7), a 
commodity pool, or a bank holding company with over $50 billion in 
consolidated assets.

    The Agencies have implemented the TRIPRA exemptions in Sec.  
__.1(d) of the interim final rule. These exemptions are transaction-
based, as opposed to counterparty-based. For example, if a commercial 
end user enters into a non-cleared swap with a covered swap entity and 
the transaction is not for hedging purposes, then the covered swap 
entity would treat the swap in accordance with the ``other 
counterparties'' provisions in Sec. Sec.  __.3 and ___.4 of this final 
rule.\76\ Finally, the Agencies note that the exception or exemption of 
a transaction from the margin requirements in no way prohibits a

[[Page 74849]]

covered swap entity from requiring initial and/or variation margin on 
such transactions but does not impose initial or variation margin 
requirements as a regulatory matter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \76\ See discussion below of Sec. Sec.  __.3(d) and __.4(c) of 
the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 303 of TRIPRA requires that the Agencies implement the 
provisions of Title III, ``Business Risk Mitigation and Price 
Stabilization Act of 2015,'' by promulgating an interim final rule, and 
seeking public comment on the interim final rule. The Agencies are 
adopting Sec.  __.1(d) as part of a companion interim final rule, and 
will be requesting comment, as required by TRIPRA, in a separate 
publication in the Federal Register. If necessary, the Agencies will 
amend Sec.  __.1(d) after receiving comments on the interim final rule.
2. Compliance Dates
    Section __.1(e) of the final rule sets forth the compliance dates 
by which covered swap entities must comply with the minimum margin 
requirements for non-cleared swaps that are entered into on or after 
the applicable compliance date. The compliance dates are consistent 
with the modified compliance dates associated with the 2013 
international framework.\77\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \77\ See BCBS and IOSCO ``Margin requirements for non-centrally 
cleared derivatives,'' (March 2015), available at https://www.bis.org/bcbs/publ/d317.htm., which extends the original 
compliance dates set out in the 2013 international framework by nine 
months.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under the 2014 proposal, the implementation of both initial and 
variation margin requirements would have started on December 1, 2015. 
With respect to initial margin requirements, the requirements would 
have been phased-in between December 1, 2015 and December 1, 2019. 
Variation margin requirements for all covered swap entities with 
respect to covered swaps with any counterparty would have been 
effective as of December 1, 2015. This proposed set of compliance dates 
was consistent with those set forth in the 2013 international 
framework. On March 18, 2015, the BCBS and IOSCO issued a press release 
announcing that the implementation of the 2013 international framework 
would be delayed by nine months.\78\ This announcement was in response 
to the fact that to date in March 2015, no jurisdiction had yet 
finalized rules for margin requirements for non-centrally cleared 
derivatives. Accordingly, the final rule has been revised to delay the 
implementation of both initial and variation margin requirements by 
nine months from the compliance schedule set forth in the 2014 
proposal. This delay results in a uniform approach with respect to 
compliance dates across the final rule and the international framework.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \78\ http://www.bis.org/bcbs/publ/d317.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The changes to the proposed compliance dates in the final rule 
should help address concerns raised by commenters. For example, the 
proposal was revised, in part, to respond to commenters who stated 
that, to the extent practicable, there should be international 
harmonization of implementation dates for margin and capital 
requirements. While one commenter supported the proposed compliance 
date schedules set out in the 2014 proposal, a number of commenters 
argued that compliance with the final rule should be delayed for 18 
months to two years in order to allow for operational changes that will 
be required for covered swaps entities to comply with the rule. With 
respect to phasing-in the implementation of the initial margin 
requirements, a commenter stated that the phase-in provisions should be 
revised to apply only to non-cleared swaps between covered swap 
entities. The commenter further stated that non-covered swap entities 
should not be required to comply with the initial margin requirements 
until December 2019. The Agencies also received a comment stating that 
the implementation of the compliance date schedule should not coincide 
with code freezes--i.e., periods like year-end when companies typically 
do not change their information technology systems in anticipation of 
certain reporting deadlines.
    The Agencies agree that the international harmonization of margin 
and capital requirements is prudent. In light of the concerns raised by 
the commenters and the delay of the implementation of the 2013 
international framework, the Agencies have incorporated into the final 
rule provisions reflecting the implementation schedule for the 2013 
international framework that was recently set out by the BCBS and 
IOSCO.
a. Compliance Date Schedule for Initial Margin.
    For purposes of initial margin, as reflected in the table below, 
the compliance dates range from September 1, 2016, to September 1, 
2020, depending on the average daily aggregate notional amount of non-
cleared swaps, non-cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange 
forwards and foreign exchange swaps (``covered swaps'') of the covered 
swap entity and its counterparty (accounting for their respective 
affiliates) for each business day in March, April and May of that 
year.\79\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \79\ ``Foreign exchange forward'' and ``foreign exchange swap'' 
are defined to mean any foreign exchange forward, as that term is 
defined in section 1a(24) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 
1a(24)), and foreign exchange swap, as that term is defined in 
section 1a(25) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a(25)).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Compliance date                Initial margin requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 1, 2016............  Initial margin where both the covered
                                swap entity combined with all its
                                affiliates and its counterparty combined
                                with all its affiliates have an average
                                daily aggregate notional amount of
                                covered swaps for March, April and May
                                of 2016 that exceeds $3 trillion.
September 1, 2017............  Initial margin where both the covered
                                swap entity combined with all its
                                affiliates and its counterparty combined
                                with all its affiliates have an average
                                daily aggregate notional amount of
                                covered swaps for March, April and May
                                of 2017 that exceeds $2.25 trillion.
September 1, 2018............  Initial margin where both the covered
                                swap entity combined with all its
                                affiliates and its counterparty combined
                                with all its affiliates have an average
                                daily aggregate notional amount of
                                covered swaps for March, April and May
                                of 2018 that exceeds $1.5 trillion.
September 1, 2019............  Initial margin where both the covered
                                swap entity combined with all its
                                affiliates and its counterparty combined
                                with all its affiliates have an average
                                daily aggregate notional amount of
                                covered swaps for March, April and May
                                of 2019 that that exceeds $0.75
                                trillion.
September 1, 2020............  Initial margin for any other covered swap
                                entity with respect to covered swaps
                                with any other counterparty.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In calculating the amount of covered swaps as set forth in the 
table above, the final rule provides that a covered swap entity shall 
count the average daily aggregate notional amount of a non-cleared 
swap, a non-cleared security-

[[Page 74850]]

based swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign exchange swap 
between the entity and an affiliate only one time, and shall not count 
a swap or security-based swap that is exempt from the Agencies' margin 
requirements under Sec.  __.1(d), as added by the interim final 
rule.\80\ These provisions were not included in the proposed rule. The 
purpose of the first provision in the final rule is to prevent double 
counting of covered swaps between affiliates, a concern raised by a 
number of commenters, which could artificially increase a covered swap 
entity's average daily aggregate notional amount. The purpose of the 
second provision is to ensure that swaps that have been exempted from 
the margin requirements are fully exempted and do not influence other 
aspects of the rule such as whether an entity maintains a material 
swaps exposure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \80\ See Sec.  __.1(e) of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies expect that covered swap entities likely will need to 
make a number of operational and legal changes to their current swaps 
business operations in order to achieve compliance with the provisions 
of the final rule relating to the initial margin requirements, 
including potential changes to internal risk management and other 
systems, trading documentation, collateral arrangements, and 
operational technology and infrastructure. In addition, the Agencies 
expect that covered swap entities that wish to calculate initial margin 
using an initial margin model will need sufficient time to develop such 
models and obtain regulatory approval for their use. Accordingly, the 
compliance dates have been structured to ensure that the largest and 
most sophisticated covered swap entities and counterparties that 
present the greatest potential risk to the financial system comply with 
the requirements first. These swap market participants should be able 
to make the required operational and legal changes more rapidly and 
easily than smaller entities that engage in swaps less frequently and 
pose less risk to the financial system.
b. Compliance Date Schedule for Variation Margin.
    For purposes of variation margin, the compliance dates are 
September 1, 2016 and March 1, 2017. As set out in the table below, 
these compliance dates also depend on the average daily aggregate 
notional amount of covered swaps of the covered swap entity combined 
with its affiliates and each of its counterparties (combined with that 
counterparty's affiliates) for each business day in March, April and 
May of that year (the ``calculation period'').\81\ Thus, a given 
covered swap entity may have multiple compliance dates depending on 
both the combined average daily aggregate notional amount of covered 
swaps of the covered swap entity and its affiliates during the 
calculation period as well as the combined average daily notional 
amount of covered swaps of each of its counterparties and that 
counterparty's affiliates during the calculation period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \81\ See Sec.  __.1(e) of the final rule.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Compliance date               Variation margin requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 1, 2016............  Variation margin where both the covered
                                swap entity combined with all its
                                affiliates and its counterparty combined
                                with all its affiliates have an average
                                daily aggregate notional amount of
                                covered swaps for March, April and May
                                of 2016 that exceeds $3 trillion.
March 1, 2017................  Variation margin for any other covered
                                swap entity with respect to covered
                                swaps with any other counterparty.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Calculating the amount of covered swaps set forth in the table 
above for the purposes of determining variation margin is done in the 
same manner as calculating the amount of covered swaps for purposes of 
determining initial margin.\82\ A covered swap entity shall count the 
average daily aggregate notional amount of a non-cleared swap, a non-
cleared security-based swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign 
exchange swap between the entity and an affiliate only one time, and 
shall not count a swap or security-based swap that is exempt from the 
Agencies' margin requirements under Sec.  __.1(d), as added by the 
interim final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \82\ As a specific example of the calculation, consider a 
U.S.-.based financial end user (together with its affiliates) with a 
portfolio consisting of two non-cleared swaps (e.g., an equity swap, 
an interest rate swap) and one non-cleared security-based credit 
swap. Suppose that the notional value of each swap is exactly $1 
trillion on each business day of March, April and May of 2016. 
Furthermore, suppose that a foreign exchange forward is added to the 
entity's portfolio at the end of the day on April 29, 2016, and that 
its notional value is $1 trillion on every business day of May 2016. 
On each business day of March and April of 2016, the aggregate 
notional amount of non-cleared swaps, security-based swaps and 
foreign exchange forwards and swaps is $3 trillion. Beginning on May 
1, 2016, the aggregate notional amount of non-cleared swaps, 
security-based swaps and foreign exchange forwards and swaps is $4 
trillion. The daily average aggregate notional value for March, 
April and May 2016 is then (23x$3 trillion +21x$3 trillion + 21x$4 
trillion)/(23+21+21)=$3.3 trillion, in which case this entity would 
have a gross notional exposure that would result in its compliance 
date beginning on September 1, 2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule adopts a phase-in arrangement for variation margin 
requirements that is different from the 2014 proposal. Several 
commenters urged that the compliance date for variation margin 
requirements be phased in, in a manner similar to the compliance dates 
for the initial margin requirements. These commenters argued, among 
other things, that the phase-in of the variation margin requirements 
would allow covered swap entities the time to re-document all necessary 
swap contracts at one time. One commenter stated that variation margin 
requirements should be phased in based on decreasing notional amount 
thresholds over a two-year period commencing upon the latter of the 
publication of the margin rules for OTC derivatives in the United 
States, the EU and Japan or the publication of the Agencies' 
comparability determinations with respect to the EU and Japan. In 
response to these comments, the Agencies believe that a phase-in of 
variation margin requirements similar to the phase-in of initial margin 
requirements is not necessary because the collection of daily variation 
margin is currently an industry best practice and will not require many 
changes in current swaps business operations for covered swaps 
entities. However, the Agencies have revised the 2014 proposal to 
include the phase-in of compliance dates for variation margin as set 
forth above to align with the dates suggested by the BCBS and IOSCO on 
March 18, 2015.
c. The meaning of Swaps Entered Into After the Compliance Date
    The rule's margin requirements apply to non-cleared swaps entered 
into on or after the applicable compliance date. Certain commenters 
also requested that the Agencies consider the following swaps as 
entered into prior to the compliance date: (1) swaps entered into prior 
to the applicable compliance date (legacy swaps) that are amended in a 
non-material manner; (2) novations; and (3) new derivatives that result 
from portfolio compression of legacy

[[Page 74851]]

derivatives. These commenters urged that if a general exclusion for 
novated legacy swaps is not provided, there should be an exclusion for 
novated swaps between affiliates resulting from organizational 
restructuring or regulatory requirements such as the swaps push-out 
rule.
    Notwithstanding these comments, the Agencies believe that 
classifying new swap transactions as ``swaps entered into prior to the 
compliance date'' could create significant incentives to engage in 
amendments and novations for the purpose of evading the margin 
requirements. Moreover, limiting the extension to ``material'' 
amendments or ``legitimate'' novations is difficult to effect within 
the final rule as the specific motivation for an amendment or novation 
is generally not observable. Finally, the Agencies believe that 
classifying some new swap transactions as transactions entered into 
prior to the compliance date would make the process of identifying 
those swaps to which the rule applies overly complex and non-
transparent. Accordingly, the Agencies have elected not to extend the 
meaning of swaps entered into prior to the compliance date as was 
requested by some commenters.
d. Ongoing Applicability and Implementation of the Margin Requirements.
    Section __.1(f) provides that once a covered swap entity and its 
counterparty must comply with the margin requirements for non-cleared 
swaps based on the compliance dates set forth in Sec.  __.1(e), the 
covered swap entity and its counterparty shall remain subject to the 
margin requirements from that point forward. For example, September 1, 
2017 is the relevant compliance date where both the covered swap entity 
combined with all its affiliates and its counterparty combined with all 
its affiliates have an average aggregate daily notional amount of 
covered swaps that exceed $2.25 trillion must comply with these margin 
requirements. If the notional amount of the swap activity for the 
covered swap entity or the counterparty drops below that threshold 
amount of covered swaps in subsequent years, their swaps would 
nonetheless remain subject to the margin requirements. On September 1, 
2020, any covered swap entity/counterparty combination that did not 
have an earlier compliance date will become subject to the initial 
margin requirements with respect to any non-cleared swaps.
    One commenter urged that, during the phase-in period, only entities 
whose swap volume currently exceeds the applicable threshold should be 
subject to the margin requirements. The commenter stated that, if the 
swap activity of either party to a swap declines below the applicable 
threshold, that party should cease being subject to the initial margin 
requirements until such time as it exceeds the applicable threshold. 
The Agencies have declined to make this change to the final rule. The 
Agencies believe that allowing entities' coverage status to change over 
time results in additional complexity with little benefit since all 
entities will in any event be subject to the rule as of September 1, 
2020. Accordingly, allowing an entity's coverage status to fluctuate 
would only be consequential for a limited period of time.
    One commenter asked how the margin requirements would apply in the 
event of a change in status of the counterparty. The Agencies have 
added Sec.  __.1(g) to the final rule to clarify the applicability of 
the margin requirements in the event a covered swap entity's 
counterparty changes its status (for example, if the counterparty is a 
financial end user without material swaps exposure and becomes a 
financial end user with material swaps exposure).\83\ Under Sec.  
__.1(g)(1), in the event a counterparty changes its status such that a 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with that 
counterparty becomes subject to stricter margin requirements, then the 
covered swap entity shall comply with the stricter margin requirements 
for any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap entered 
into with that counterparty after the counterparty changes its status. 
Section __.1(g)(2) states that in the event a counterparty changes its 
status such that a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap 
with that counterparty becomes subject to less strict margin 
requirements (such as when a counterparty changes status from a 
financial end user with material swaps exposure to a financial end user 
without material swaps exposure), then the covered swap entity may 
comply with the less strict margin requirements for any swap or 
security-based swap entered into with that counterparty after the 
counterparty changes its status as well as for any outstanding non-
cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap entered into after the 
applicable compliance date in Sec.  ___.1(e) and before the 
counterparty changed its status. As a specific example, if a covered 
swap entity's counterparty transitioned from a financial end user with 
material swaps exposure to a financial end user without material swaps 
exposure, initial margin that had been previously collected could be 
returned if agreed to by both parties since the rule would not require 
an exchange of initial margin on pre-existing or future non-cleared 
swaps.
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    \83\ This could apply in other circumstances as well--e.g., if 
an entity that is exempt pursuant to TRIPRA no longer qualifies for 
an exception or exemption.
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e. Treatment of Swaps Executed Prior to the Applicable Compliance Date 
Under a Netting Agreement
    As discussed in further detail below in Sec.  ___.5, a covered swap 
entity may enter into swaps on or after the final rule's compliance 
date pursuant to the same master netting agreement that governs 
existing swaps entered into with a counterparty prior to the compliance 
date. The final rule permits a covered swap entity to (1) calculate 
initial margin requirements for swaps under an eligible master netting 
agreement (``EMNA'') with the counterparty on a portfolio basis in 
certain circumstances, if it does so using an initial margin model; and 
(2) calculate variation margin requirements under the final rule on an 
aggregate, net basis under an EMNA with the counterparty. Applying the 
final rule in such a way would, in some cases, have the effect of 
applying it retroactively to swaps entered into prior to the compliance 
date under the EMNA.
    The Agencies received several comments expressing concern that the 
2014 proposal might require swaps entered into before the compliance 
dates to be documented under a different EMNA than swaps entered into 
after the compliance dates in order for the margin requirements not to 
apply to the pre-compliance dates swaps. As described further in Sec.  
___.5, the Agencies have revised the final rule to allow for the 
establishment of separate netting sets under a single ENMA to avoid 
this outcome.
3. Numerical Amounts Expressed in U.S. Dollar Terms in the Final Rule 
and Their Relation to Numerical Amounts Expressed in Euros in the 2013 
International Framework
    The 2014 proposal contained a number of numerical amounts that are 
expressed in U.S. dollar terms. The amounts include the effective date 
phase-in thresholds, the initial margin threshold amount, the material 
swaps exposure amount, and the minimum transfer amount. These numerical 
amounts are expressed in the 2013 international framework in terms of 
Euros. In the 2014 proposal, the Agencies translated the Euro amounts 
from the 2013 international framework

[[Page 74852]]

using a Euro-U.S. Dollar exchange rate that was broadly consistent with 
the exchange rate that prevailed at the time of the proposal's 
publication.
    In the proposal, the Agencies sought comment on how to deal with 
fluctuations in exchange rates and how such fluctuations may create 
inconsistencies in the numerical amounts that are established across 
differing jurisdictions. One commenter suggested using an average 
exchange rate calculated over a period of time. Another commenter 
suggested that the Agencies should periodically recalibrate these 
amounts in response to broad movements in underlying exchange rates.
    The Agencies believe that persistent and significant fluctuations 
in exchange rates could result in significant differences across 
jurisdictions that would complicate cross-border transactions and 
create competitive inequities. The Agencies do not agree, however, that 
the final rule's numerical amounts should be mechanically linked to 
either prevailing exchange rates or average exchange rates over a 
period of time as short term fluctuations in exchange rates would 
result in high frequency changes that would create significant 
operational and logistical burdens. Rather, and consistent with the 
view of one commenter, the Agencies expect to consider periodically the 
numerical amounts expressed in the final rule and their relation to 
amounts denominated in other currencies in differing jurisdictions. The 
Agencies will then propose adjustments, as appropriate, to these 
amounts.
    In the final rule, the Agencies are adjusting the numerical amounts 
described above in light of significant shifts in the Euro-U.S. Dollar 
exchange rates since the publication of the 2014 proposal. 
Specifically, the Agencies are reducing the value of each numerical 
quantity expressed in dollars to be consistent with a one-for-one 
exchange rate with the Euro. As a specific example, the amount of the 
initial margin threshold is being changed from $65 million in the 2014 
proposal to $50 million in the final rule. This change will align the 
U.S dollar denominated numerical amounts in the final rule with those 
in the 2013 international framework, will be consistent with amounts 
that have been proposed in margin rules by the European and Japanese 
authorities and will be more consistent with the Euro-U.S. Dollar 
exchange rate prevailing at the time the final rule is published.

B. Section __.2: Definitions

    Section __.2 of the final rule defines its key terms.
1. Swap Counterparty Definitions
    Section __.2 defines key terms used in the final rule, including 
the types of counterparties that form the basis of the rule's risk-
based approach to margin requirements and other key terms needed to 
calculate the required amount of initial margin and variation 
margin.\84\ As noted above, the final rule, like the proposal, 
distinguishes among four separate types of counterparties: \85\ (i) 
counterparties that are themselves swap entities; (ii) counterparties 
that are financial end users with a material swaps exposure; (iii) 
counterparties that are financial end users without a material swaps 
exposure; and (iv) other counterparties, including nonfinancial end 
users, sovereigns, and multilateral development banks to the extent 
their swaps do not qualify for an exemption from clearing pursuant to 
Sec.  __.1(d) as added by the interim final rule.\86\ Below is a 
general description of the significant terms defined in Sec.  __.2 of 
the final rule.\87\
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    \84\ ``Initial margin'' means the collateral as calculated in 
accordance with Sec.  __.8 that is posted or collected in connection 
with a non-cleared swap. See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule; see also 
Sec.  __.3 of the final rule (describing initial margin 
requirements). ``Variation margin'' means collateral provided by one 
party to its counterparty to meet the performance of its obligations 
under one or more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based 
swaps between the parties as a result of a change in value of such 
obligations since the last time such collateral was provided. See 
Sec.  __.2 of the final rule; see also Sec.  __.4 of the final rule 
(describing variation margin requirements). The final rule's 
definition of ``variation margin'' and ``variation margin amount'' 
are described in Sec.  __.4.
    \85\ ``Counterparty'' is defined to mean, with respect to any 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap to which a 
person is a party, each other party to such non-cleared swap or non-
cleared security-based swap. This definition is modified slightly 
from the proposal to make clear that either party to the swap may be 
referred to as the counterparty.
    \86\ The treatment of other counterparties in the final rule 
thus is only relevant with respect to non-cleared swaps and non-
cleared security-based swaps that are not exempt under Sec.  __.1(d) 
of the final rule.
    \87\ The term ``nonfinancial end user'' is not used in the final 
rule. Nonfinancial end users would be treated as ``other 
counterparties'' to the extent their swaps do not qualify for an 
exemption. See Sec. Sec. Sec.  __.1(d), __.3(d) and __.4(c) of the 
final rule.
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a. Swap Entity
    In the final rule, the Agencies have revised the definition of 
``swap entity'' to clarify that the term applies to persons that have 
registered with the CFTC as a swap dealer or major swap participant or 
with the SEC as a security-based swap dealer or major security-based 
swap participant. The term ``swap entity'' is used in the final rule in 
the definition of ``covered swap entity'' to refer to such an entity 
that is supervised by one of the Agencies. The term ``swap entity'' is 
also used in describing requirements that apply when a covered swap 
entity engages in non-cleared swaps with a counterparty that is 
registered with the CFTC or SEC as a dealer or major participant in 
non-cleared swaps or security-based swaps but is not supervised by one 
of the Agencies.
    The registration status with the CFTC or SEC is central to the 
scope of the rule's applicability to an entity that is supervised by 
one of the Agencies. The Commodity Exchange Act requires that ``each 
registered swap dealer and major swap participant for which there is a 
prudential regulator shall meet such minimum capital requirements and 
minimum initial and variation margin requirements as the prudential 
regulator shall by rule or regulation prescribe . . . .'' \88\ The 
Securities Exchange Act imposes a similar requirement for each 
registered security-based swap dealer and major security-based swap 
participant.\89\
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    \88\ 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(1)(A). The Commodity Exchange Act imposes 
registration requirements on a ``person'' that acts as a swap dealer 
or security-based swap dealer, defining ``person'' to ``import[ing] 
the plural or singular, and includ[ing] individuals, associations, 
partnerships, corporations, and trusts.'' 7 U.S.C. 1a(38), 6s(a).
    \89\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(1)(A). The Securities Exchange Act 
imposes registration requirements on a ``person'' that acts as a 
security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant, 
defining ``person'' to mean ``a natural person, company, government, 
or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality or a 
government.'' 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(9), 78o-10(a).
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    For a person that meets the qualitative elements of one or more of 
the dealer or major participant definitions, whether it is required to 
register with the applicable Commission will require an application of 
the minimum thresholds that the Commissions established in their joint 
regulation. For purposes of this margin rule, ``swap entity'' refers 
only to those persons that have actually registered with the applicable 
Commission as a dealer or major participant in non-cleared swaps or 
security-based swaps.\90\
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    \90\ An entity that is supervised by one of the Agencies that 
fails to register with the applicable Commission as a dealer or 
major participant in non-cleared swaps or security-based swaps would 
be subject to enforcement action by the applicable Commission as 
well as by the Agency that is its prudential regulator.
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b. Financial End User
    In order to provide certainty and clarity to counterparties as to 
whether they would be financial end users for purposes of this final 
rule, the financial

[[Page 74853]]

end user definition provides a list of entities that would be financial 
end users as well as a list of entities excluded from the definition. 
In the final rule, as under the proposed rule, the Agencies are 
relying, to the greatest extent possible, on the counterparty's legal 
status as a regulated financial entity.
    Under the final rule, financial end user includes a counterparty 
that is not a swap entity but is:
     A bank holding company or an affiliate thereof; a savings 
and loan holding company; a U.S. intermediate holding company 
established or designated for purposes of compliance with 12 CFR 
252.153; a nonbank financial institution supervised by the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System under Title I of the Dodd-Frank 
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5323);
     A depository institution; a foreign bank; a Federal credit 
union, a State credit union as defined in section 2 of the Federal 
Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752(1) & (6)); an institution that 
functions solely in a trust or fiduciary capacity as described in 
section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 
1841(c)(2)(D)); an industrial loan company, an industrial bank, or 
other similar institution described in section 2(c)(2)(H) of the Bank 
Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(c)(2)(H));
     An entity that is state-licensed or registered as a credit 
or lending entity, including a finance company; money lender; 
installment lender; consumer lender or lending company; mortgage 
lender, broker, or bank; motor vehicle title pledge lender; payday or 
deferred deposit lender; premium finance company; commercial finance or 
lending company; or commercial mortgage company; but excluding entities 
registered or licensed solely on account of financing the entity's 
direct sales of goods or services to customers;
     A money services business, including a check casher; money 
transmitter; currency dealer or exchange; or money order or traveler's 
check issuer;
     A regulated entity as defined in section 1303(20) of the 
Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, 
as amended (12 U.S.C. 4502(20)) and any entity for which the Federal 
Housing Finance Agency or its successor is the primary federal 
regulator;
     Any institution chartered in accordance with the Farm 
Credit Act of 1971, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq. that is 
regulated by the Farm Credit Administration; \91\
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    \91\ As discussed elsewhere in this preamble, FCS institutions 
are financial end users, although TRIPRA exempts almost all of the 
non-cleared swaps of all FCS institutions, except Farmer Mac, from 
the initial and variation requirements of this final rule.
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     A securities holding company; a broker or dealer; an 
investment adviser as defined in section 202(a) of the Investment 
Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-2(a)); an investment company 
registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the 
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.); or a company 
that has elected to be regulated as a business development company 
pursuant to section 54(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 
U.S.C. 80a-53);
     A private fund as defined in section 202(a) of the 
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80-b-2(a)); an entity that 
would be an investment company under section 3 of the Investment 
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3) but for section 3(c)(5)(C); or an 
entity that is deemed not to be an investment company under section 3 
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 pursuant to Investment Company 
Act Rule 3a-7 of the Securities and Exchange Commission (17 CFR 270.3a-
7);
     A commodity pool, a commodity pool operator, or a 
commodity trading advisor as defined in, respectively, sections 1a(10), 
1a(11), and 1a(12) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
1a(10), 7 U.S.C. 1a(11), 7 U.S.C 1a(12)); a floor broker, a floor 
trader, or introducing broker as defined, respectively, in 1a(22), 
1a(23) and 1a(31) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
1a(22), 1a(23), and 1a(31)); or a futures commission merchant as 
defined in 1a(28) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 
1a(28));
     An employee benefit plan as defined in paragraphs (3) and 
(32) of section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of 
1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002);
     An entity that is organized as an insurance company, 
primarily engaged in writing insurance or reinsuring risks underwritten 
by insurance companies, or is subject to supervision as such by a State 
insurance regulator or foreign insurance regulator;
     An entity, person or arrangement that is, or holds itself 
out as being, an entity, person or arrangement that raises money from 
investors, accepts money from clients, or uses its own money primarily 
for the purpose of investing or trading or facilitating the investing 
or trading in loans, securities, swaps, funds or other assets for 
resale or other disposition or otherwise trading in loans, securities, 
swaps, funds or other assets; or
     An entity that is or would be a financial end user or swap 
entity, if it were organized under the laws of the United States or any 
State.
    In developing this definition of financial end user, the Agencies 
sought to provide certainty and clarity to covered swap entities and 
their counterparties regarding whether particular counterparties would 
qualify as financial end users and be subject to the margin 
requirements of the final rule. The Agencies tried to strike a balance 
between the desire to capture all financial counterparties, without 
being overly broad and capturing commercial firms and sovereigns. This 
approach is consistent with the risk-based approach of the final rule, 
as financial firms present a higher level of risk than other types of 
counterparties because the profitability and viability of financial 
firms is more tightly linked to the health of the financial system than 
is the case for other types of counterparties.\92\ Because financial 
counterparties are more likely to default during a period of financial 
stress, they pose greater systemic risk and risk to the safety and 
soundness of the covered swap entity.
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    \92\ As noted above, TRIPRA also exempts certain swaps of 
nonfinancial end users and certain other counterparties from the 
requirements of this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In developing the list of financial entities, the Agencies sought 
to include entities that engage in financial activities that give rise 
to Federal or State registration or chartering requirements, such as 
deposit taking and lending, securities and swaps dealing, or investment 
advisory activities. The list also includes asset management and 
securitization entities. For example, certain investment funds as well 
as securitization vehicles are covered, to the extent those entities 
would qualify as private funds defined in section 202(a) of the 
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the ``Advisers Act''). In 
addition, certain real estate investment companies would be included as 
financial end users as entities that would be investment companies 
under section 3 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 
``Investment Company Act''), but for section 3(c)(5)(C), and certain 
other securitization vehicles would be included as entities deemed not 
to be investment companies pursuant to Rule 3a-7 of the Investment 
Company Act.

[[Page 74854]]

    Because Federal law largely looks to the States for the regulation 
of the business of insurance, the definition of financial end user in 
the final rule broadly includes entities organized as insurance 
companies or supervised as such by a State insurance regulator. This 
element of the final rule's definition would extend to reinsurance and 
monoline insurance firms, as well as insurance firms supervised by a 
foreign insurance regulator.
    The Agencies intend to cover, as financial end users, the broad 
variety and number of nonbank lending and retail payment firms that 
operate in the market. To this end, the Agencies have included State-
licensed or registered credit or lending entities and money services 
businesses under the final rule's provision incorporating an inclusive 
list of the types of firms subject to State law. However, the Agencies 
recognize that the licensing of nonbank lenders in some states extends 
to commercial firms that provide credit to the firm's customers in the 
ordinary course of business. Accordingly, the Agencies are excluding an 
entity registered or licensed solely on account of financing the 
entity's direct sales of goods or services to customers.
    Under the final rule, those cooperatives that are financial 
institutions,\93\ such as credit unions, FCS banks and 
associations,\94\ and other financial cooperatives\95\ are financial 
end users because their sole business is lending and providing other 
financial services to their members, including engaging in swaps in 
connection with such loans.\96\ The treatment of non-cleared swaps of 
these financial cooperatives may differ under the final rule due to 
TRIPRA, which became law after the proposal was issued. More 
specifically, almost all swaps of the cooperatives that are financial 
end users qualify for an exemption from clearing if certain conditions 
are met,\97\ and therefore, these non-cleared swaps also would qualify 
for an exemption from the initial and variation margin requirements 
under Sec.  __.1(d) of the interim final rule. Non-cleared swaps of 
such financial cooperatives that do not qualify for an exemption would 
be treated as non-cleared swaps of financial end users under the final 
rule.
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    \93\ The Agencies expect that state-chartered financial 
cooperatives that provide financial services to their members, such 
as lending to their members and entering into swaps in connection 
with those loans, would be treated as financial end users, pursuant 
to this aspect of the final rule's coverage of credit or lending 
entities. However, these cooperatives could elect an exemption from 
clearing under a CFTC regulation, 17 CFR 50.51, and as a result, 
their non-cleared swaps would also be exempt from the margin 
requirements of the final rule pursuant to Sec.  __.1(d), as added 
by the interim final rule.
    \94\ Section IID of the preamble to Sec.  __.1 more fully 
discusses the status of FCS institutions as financial end users and 
their exemptions from clearing and the margin requirements.
    \95\ The National Rural Utility Cooperative Finance Cooperation 
(``CFC'') is an example of another financial cooperative. The CFC's 
comment letter requested that the Agencies exempt swaps entered into 
by nonprofit cooperatives from the margin requirement to the extent 
they that are already exempt from clearing requirements. Section 
__.1(d)), as added by the interim final rule, responds to the CFC's 
concerns.
    \96\ Most cooperatives are producer, consumer, or supply 
cooperatives and, therefore, they are not financial end users. 
However, many of these cooperatives have financing subsidiaries and 
affiliates. These financing subsidiaries and affiliates would not be 
financial end users under this final rule if they qualify for an 
exemption under sections 2(h)(7)(C)(iii) or 2(h)(7)(D) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act or section 3C(g)(4) of the Securities 
Exchange Act. Moreover, certain swaps of these entities may be 
exempt pursuant to TRIPRA and Sec.  __.1(d)), as added by the 
interim final rule.
    \97\ Section 2(h)(7)(C)(ii) of the Commodity Exchange Act and 
section 3C(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act authorize the CFTC 
and the SEC, respectively, to exempt small depository institutions, 
small FCS institutions, and small credit unions with total assets of 
$10 billion or less from the mandatory clearing requirements for 
swaps and security-based swaps. See 7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7) and 15 U.S.C. 
78c-3(g). Additionally, the CFTC, pursuant to its authority under 
section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act, enacted 17 CFR part 
50, subpart C, Sec.  50.51, which allows cooperative financial 
entities, including those with total assets in excess of $10 
billion, to elect an exemption from mandatory clearing of swaps 
that: (1) They enter into in connection with originating loans for 
their members; or (2) hedge or mitigate commercial risk related to 
loans or swaps with their members.
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    In order to address concerns, now or in the future, that one or 
more types of financial entities might escape classification under the 
specific Federal or State regulatory regimes included in the definition 
of a ``financial end user,'' the Agencies have inserted language that 
would cover an entity, person, or arrangement that is, or holds itself 
out as an entity, person or arrangement that raises money from 
investors, accepts money from clients, or uses its own money primarily 
for the purpose of investing or trading or facilitating the investing 
or trading in loans, securities, swaps, funds or other assets for 
resale or other disposition, or otherwise trading in loans, securities, 
swaps, funds or other assets.
    The final rule's definition of ``financial end user'' is largely 
similar to the proposed definition, with a few modifications. In the 
final rule, the Agencies added as a financial end user a U.S. 
intermediate holding company (``IHC'') established or designated for 
purposes of compliance with the Board's Regulation YY (12 CFR 252.153). 
Pursuant to Regulation YY, a foreign banking organization with U.S. 
non-branch assets of $50 billion or more must establish a U.S. IHC and 
transfer its ownership interest in the majority of its U.S. 
subsidiaries to the IHC by July 1, 2016. As not all IHCs will be bank 
holding companies, the Agencies are explicitly identifying IHCs in the 
list of financial end users to clarify that they are included. To the 
extent an IHC that is not itself registered as a swap entity enters 
into non-cleared swaps with a covered swap entity, the IHC would be 
treated as a financial end user like other types of holding companies 
that are not swap entities (e.g., bank holding companies and saving and 
loan holding companies).
    In order to address concerns raised by commenters, the final rule 
removes the provision in the definition of ``financial end user'' that 
included any other entity that the relevant Agency has determined 
should be treated as a financial end user. A few commenters urged the 
Agencies to remove this provision due to concerns that it created 
uncertainty. In response to this concern, the Agencies have removed 
this provision from the final rule's definition of ``financial end 
user.'' The Agencies will monitor the margin arrangements of swap 
transactions of covered swap entities to determine if certain types of 
counterparties, in fact, are financial entities that some reason are 
not covered by the definition of ``financial end user'' in the final 
rule. In the event that the Agencies find that one or more types of 
financial entities escape classification as financial end users under 
the final rule, the Agencies may consider another rulemaking that would 
amend the definition of ``financial end user'' to cover such entities.
    Many of the provisions in the financial end user definitions rely 
on whether an entity's financial activities trigger Federal or State 
registration or chartering requirements. The Agencies proposed to 
include foreign financial entities that are not subject to U.S. law but 
are engaged in the same types of activities as U.S. financial end 
users. The proposed definition of ``financial end user'' included any 
entity that would be a financial end user if it were organized under 
the laws of the United States or any State. A few commenters argued 
that the proposed test is difficult to apply because it would require a 
covered swap entity to analyze a foreign counterparty's business 
activities in light of a broad array of U.S. regulatory requirements.
    The Agencies have not modified this provision of the final rule in 
response to these concerns raised by commenters. Although the Agencies 
acknowledge that the proposed test imposes a greater

[[Page 74855]]

incremental burden in classifying foreign counterparties than it does 
in identifying U.S. financial end users, the Agencies have retained it 
in the final rule. On balance, the Agencies believe the approach in the 
final rule is the best alternative to capture the kinds of entities 
whose profitability and viability is most tightly linked to the health 
of the financial system. In this respect, the Agencies' financial end 
user definition is broad by design. Exclusion from the financial end 
user definition for any enterprise engaged extensively in financial and 
market activities should, as a practical matter, be the exception 
rather than the rule. The Agencies believe it is appropriate to require 
a covered swap entity that seeks to exclude a foreign financial 
enterprise from the rule's margin requirements to ascertain the basis 
for that exclusion under the same laws that apply to U.S. entities. The 
Agencies have included in the final rule not only an entity that is or 
would be a financial end user but also an entity that is or would be a 
swap entity, if it were organized under the laws of the United States 
or any State. Since a financial end user is defined as ``a counterparty 
that is not a swap entity,'' the purpose of this addition is to make 
clear that an entity that is not a registered swap entity in the United 
States but acts as a swap entity in a foreign jurisdiction would be 
treated as a financial end user under the final rule.
    As explained above, in an attempt to provide a level of certainty 
to financial participants and to clarify the definition of a financial 
end user, the Agencies proposed an enumerated list which included 
several CFTC-registered entities. In the final rule, the Agencies have 
added three other CFTC-registered entities to the enumerated list, 
floor brokers, floor traders, and introducing brokers.
    As defined in section 1a(22) of the Commodity Exchange Act, a floor 
broker generally provides brokering services on an exchange to clients 
in purchasing or selling any future, security future, swap, or 
commodity option. As defined in section 1a(23) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act, a floor trader generally purchases or sells on an 
exchange solely for that person's account, any future, security future, 
swap, or commodity option. As defined in section 1a(31) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act, an introducing broker generally means any 
person who engages in soliciting or in accepting orders for the 
purchase and sale of any future, security future, commodity option, or 
swap. In addition, it also includes anyone that is registered with the 
CFTC as an introducing broker.
    In deciding to add these entities to the definition of financial 
end-user, the Agencies determined that these entities' services and 
activities are financial in nature and that these entities provide 
services, engage in activities, or have sources of income that are 
similar to financial entities already included in the definition. The 
Agencies believe that by including these financial entities in the 
definition of financial end user, the definition provides additional 
clarity to covered swap entities when engaging in non-cleared swaps 
with these entities. As noted above, financial entities are considered 
to pose greater systemic risk than nonfinancial entities and as such, 
the Agencies believe that these entities, whose activities, services, 
and sources of income are financial in nature, should be included in 
the definition of financial end user.
    In the proposal, the Agencies included in the definition of a 
financial end user ``an entity that is, or holds itself out as being, 
an entity or arrangement that raises money from investors primarily for 
the purpose of investing in loans, securities, swaps, funds or other 
assets for resale or other disposition or otherwise trading in loans, 
securities, swaps, funds or other assets.'' In addition to asking 
whether the definition was too broad or narrow, as noted above, the 
Agencies asked questions as to whether this prong of the definition was 
broad enough to capture other types of pooled investment vehicles that 
should be treated as financial end users.
    After reviewing all comments, the Agencies are broadening this 
prong of the definition to include other types of entities and persons 
that primarily engage in trading, investing, or in facilitating the 
trading or investing in loans, securities, swaps, funds or other 
assets. In broadening the definition, the Agencies believe that the 
enumerated list in the proposal of financial end users was not 
inclusive enough to cover certain financial entities that were not 
organized as pooled investment vehicles but that traded or invested 
their own or client funds (e.g., high frequency trading firms) or that 
provided other financial services to their clients.
    As noted above, the Agencies believe that financial firms present a 
higher level of risk than other types of counterparties because the 
profitability and viability of financial firms is more tightly linked 
to the health of the financial system than other types of 
counterparties. Accordingly, the Agencies have adopted a definition of 
financial end user that includes the types of firms that engage in the 
activities described above.
    The final rule, like the proposal, excludes certain types of 
counterparties from the definition of financial end user. In 
particular, the final rule states that the term ``financial end user'' 
does not generally include any counterparty that is:
     A sovereign entity; \98\
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    \98\ Sovereign entity is defined to mean a central government 
(including the U.S. government) or an agency, department, or central 
bank of a central government. See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule. A 
sovereign entity would include the European Central Bank for 
purposes of this exclusion. At least one commenter expressed support 
for the exclusion of sovereign entity from the financial end user 
definition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     A multilateral development bank;\99\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \99\ Multilateral development bank is defined to mean the 
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the 
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, the International Finance 
Corporation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian 
Development Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Bank 
for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, 
the European Investment Fund, the Nordic Investment Bank, the 
Caribbean Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the 
Council of Europe Development Bank, and any other entity that 
provides financing for national or regional development in which the 
U.S. government is a shareholder or contributing member or which the 
relevant Agency determines poses comparable credit risk. See Sec.  
__.2 of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     The Bank for International Settlements;
     A captive finance company that qualifies for the exemption 
from clearing under section 2(h)(7)(C)(iii) of the Commodity Exchange 
Act of 1936 and implementing regulations; or
     A person that qualifies for the affiliate exemption from 
clearing pursuant to section 2(h)(7)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act 
of 1936 or section 3C(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 
implementing regulations.
    The Agencies believe that this approach is appropriate as these 
entities generally pose less systemic risk to the financial system in 
addition to posing less counterparty risk to a covered swap entity. 
Thus, the Agencies believe that the application of margin requirements 
to swaps with these counterparties is not necessary to achieve the 
safety and soundness objectives of this rule.\100\ Rather, the Agencies 
have included provisions in the final rule that would require covered 
swap entities to subject these ``other counterparties'' to margin 
requirements to the extent that their

[[Page 74856]]

own internal risk management procedures would require that these 
counterparty relationships be margined.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \100\ As further discussed below, the final rule specifically 
excludes these entities from the definition of ``financial end 
users.'' Instead, they are treated as ``other counterparties'' with 
respect to the rule's initial and variation margin requirements to 
the extent the swaps they enter into with covered swap entities are 
not otherwise exempt from the requirements of this rule. With 
respect to the initial margin requirements, the ``other 
counterparties'' category also includes financial end users that do 
not have a material swaps exposure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A few commenters argued that the exclusion from financial end user 
for a person that qualifies for the affiliate exemption from clearing 
pursuant to section 2(h)(7)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act requires 
an entity to be acting as agent for an affiliate and thus would not 
capture equivalent entities that act as principal for an affiliate. 
These commenters contended that many such entities act as principal for 
an affiliate and that the CFTC has issued no-action letters, 
effectively exempting such entities from clearing.\101\ As noted above, 
the Agencies intend to align the exclusions from the definition of 
financial end user as much as possible with statutory exceptions as 
well as exclusions implemented by the CFTC by rule. The Agencies note 
that to the extent the CFTC acts to exempt such entities from clearing 
by rule, these entities would also be excluded from the definition of 
financial end user for purposes of this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \101\ See CFTC No-Action Letter No. 13-22 (June 4, 2013); CFTC 
No-Action Letter No. 14-144 (Nov. 26, 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A few commenters requested that the Agencies exclude from the 
definition of financial end user those entities guaranteed by a foreign 
sovereign or multilateral development bank.\102\ As described above, 
the final rule excludes from the definition of financial end user a 
``sovereign entity'' defined to mean a central government (including 
the U.S. government) or an agency, department, or central bank of a 
central government. An entity guaranteed by a sovereign entity is not 
explicitly excluded from the definition of financial end user in the 
final rule, unless that entity qualifies as a central government 
agency, department, or central bank. The existence of a government 
guarantee does not in and of itself exclude the entity from the 
definition of financial end user.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \102\ Some commenters requested additional clarity that certain 
entities would be included as multilateral development banks. The 
definition in the final rule includes any other entity that provides 
financing for national or regional development in which the U.S. 
government is a shareholder or contributing member or which the 
relevant Agency determines poses comparable credit risk. Entities 
that meet this part of the definition would be treated as 
multilateral development banks for purposes of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Similarly, the Agencies note that States would not be excluded from 
the definition of financial end user in the final rule, as the term 
``sovereign entity'' includes only central governments. This does not 
mean, however, that States are categorically classified as financial 
end users. Whether a State or particular part of a State (e.g., 
counties, municipalities, special administrative districts, agencies, 
instrumentalities, or corporations) would be a financial end user 
depends on whether that part of the State is otherwise captured by the 
definition of financial end user. For example, a State entity that is a 
``governmental plan'' under the Employment Retirement Income Security 
Act of 1974 (``ERISA''), as amended, (29 U.S.C. 1002), would meet the 
definition of financial end user. Commenters requested that the 
Agencies exclude a number of other financial entities from the 
requirements of the final rule including certain small depository 
institutions that qualify for an exception from clearing, certain 
financial cooperatives, employee benefit plans (such as pension plans), 
and covered bond issuers. Depository institutions, financial 
cooperatives, employee benefit plans, structured finance vehicles, and 
covered bond issuers are financial end users for purposes of the final 
rule. However, as discussed earlier, Sec.  __.1(d), as added by the 
interim final rule published elsewhere in this Federal Register, 
addresses some of the commenters' concerns by exempting the non-cleared 
swaps of certain small depository institutions and financial 
cooperatives from the margin requirements of the final rule because 
these entities already qualify for exemption from clearing. The non-
cleared swaps of small depository institutions and financial 
cooperatives that do not qualify for the exemptive treatment would be 
treated as swaps of financial end users under the final rule.
    With respect to employee benefit plans, commenters generally argued 
that these plans should not be subject to margin requirements because 
they are highly regulated, highly creditworthy, have low leveraged and 
are prudently managed counterparties whose swaps are used primarily for 
hedging and, as such, pose little risk to their counterparties or the 
broader financial system. One commenter urged the Agencies to exclude 
both U.S. and non-U.S. public and private employee benefit plans where 
swaps are hedging risk. This commenter also contended that there may be 
ambiguity whether certain pension plans are financial end users if they 
are not subject to ERISA. Another commenter argued that current market 
practice is not to require initial margin for pension plans. The 
Agencies have considered these comments in light of the purpose and 
intent of the statute and continue to believe that pension plans should 
be covered as financial end users under the final rule. Congress 
explicitly listed an employee benefit plan as defined in paragraph (3) 
and (32) of section 3 of ERISA in the definition of ``financial 
entity'' in the Dodd-Frank Act, meaning that a pension plan would not 
benefit from an exclusion from clearing even if the pension plan uses 
swaps to hedge or mitigate commercial risk. The Agencies believe that, 
similarly, when a pension plan enters into a non-cleared swap with a 
covered swap entity, the pension plan should be treated as a financial 
end user and subject to the requirements of the final rule.
    The definition of employee benefit plan in the final rule is the 
same as in the proposal and is defined by reference to paragraphs (3) 
and (32) of ERISA. Paragraph (3) provides that the term ``employee 
benefit plan'' or ``plan'' means an employee welfare benefit plan or an 
employee pension benefit plan or a plan which is both an employee 
welfare benefit plan and an employee pension benefit plan. Paragraph 
(32) describes certain governmental plans. In response to concerns 
raised by commenters, the Agencies believe that these broad definitions 
would cover all pension plans regardless of whether the pension plan is 
subject to ERISA. In addition, non-U.S. employee benefit plans would be 
included as an entity that would be a financial end user, if it were 
organized under the laws of the United States or any State thereof.
    A number of commenters also requested that the Agencies exclude 
from financial end user structured finance vehicles including 
securitization special purpose vehicles (``SPVs'') and covered bond 
issuers. These commenters argued that imposing margin requirements on 
structured finance vehicles would restrict their ability to hedge 
interest rate and currency risk and potentially force these vehicles to 
exit swaps markets since these vehicles generally do not have ready 
access to liquid collateral. Certain of these commenters also expressed 
concerns about consistency with the treatment under the EU proposal. 
One commenter stated that the EU proposal has special criteria for 
covered bond issuers and that covered bond issuers should be able to 
use collateral arrangements other than the requirements in the 
Agencies' proposal. Moreover, commenters argued that covered swap 
entities that enter into a swap may be protected by other means--e.g., 
a security interest granted in the assets of a securitization SPV. 
Commenters also urged that these types of entities make payments on a 
monthly payment cycle using collections

[[Page 74857]]

received on the underlying assets during the previous month and would 
not be able to make daily margin calls. These commenters argued that 
significant structural changes would be necessary for securitization 
SPVs to post and collect variation margin. These commenters urged the 
Agencies to follow the approach of the proposed European rules, under 
which securitization vehicles would be defined as non-financial 
entities and would not be required to exchange initial or variation 
margin. With respect to covered bond issuers, commenters similarly 
urged the Agencies to follow the EU margin proposal which provided a 
special set of criteria for covered bond issuers and requested that the 
Agencies develop rules that would permit covered bond issuers to use 
other forms of collateral arrangements.
    The Agencies have not modified the definition of financial end user 
to exclude structured finance vehicles or covered bonds issuers. The 
Agencies believe that all of these entities should be classified as 
financial end users; their financial and market activities comprise the 
same range of activities as the other entities encompassed by the final 
rule's definition of financial end user. The Agencies note that the 
increased material swaps exposure in the final rule should address some 
of the concerns raised by these commenters with respect to the 
applicability of initial margin requirements.
c. Material Swaps Exposure
    The final rule, like the proposal, distinguishes between swaps with 
financial end user counterparties depending on whether the counterparty 
has a ``material swaps exposure.'' In the final rule, ``material swaps 
exposure'' for an entity means that an entity and its affiliates have 
an average daily aggregate notional amount of non-cleared swaps, non-
cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange forwards and foreign 
exchange swaps with all counterparties for June, July, and August of 
the previous calendar year that exceeds $8 billion, where such amount 
is calculated only for business days.\103\ The final rule's definition 
also provides that an entity shall count the average daily aggregate 
notional amount of a non-cleared swap, a non-cleared security-based 
swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign exchange swap between the 
entity and an affiliate only one time and that, for purposes of this 
calculation, an entity shall not count a swap or security-based swap 
that is exempt pursuant to Sec.  __.1(d), as added by the interim final 
rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \103\ The final rule also includes a new definition of 
``business day'' that means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, 
or legal holiday. This definition is described further below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule increases the level of the aggregate notional amount 
of transactions that gives rise to material swaps exposure to $8 
billion from the proposed level of $3 billion. A number of commenters 
argued that the Agencies should raise the level of material swaps 
exposure to the threshold of [euro]8 billion set out in the 2013 
international framework to be consistent with the EU and Japanese 
proposals.\104\ In the 2014 proposal, the Agencies had calibrated the 
proposed $3 billion threshold to the size of a potential swap portfolio 
between a covered swap entity and a financial end user for which the 
initial margin amount would often exceed the proposed initial margin 
threshold amount of $65 million, with an eye towards reducing the 
burden of calculating initial margin amounts for smaller portfolios. 
However, some commenters expressed the view that the international 
implementation of material swaps exposure threshold treats the 
threshold more as a scope provision, to define the group of financial 
firms in the swaps market whose activities rise to a level appropriate 
to the exchange of initial margin as a policy matter.\105\ While 
commenters representing public interest groups and CCPs expressed 
policy concerns about whether the $3 billion threshold was conservative 
enough, focusing on the collective systemic risk posed by all smaller 
counterparties in the aggregate, other commenters representing covered 
swap entities and financial end users expressed concerns about the 
additional initial margin they would be required to exchange compared 
to foreign firms, and the associated competitive impacts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \104\ See supra note 20.
    \105\ For example, one commenter acknowledged data described by 
the Agencies in the proposed rule indicating that bilateral initial 
margin exposures between one covered swap entity and a financial end 
user could exceed $50 million for a portfolio with a gross notional 
value well below the USD-equivalent of the international [euro]8 
billion threshold. But the commenter urged the Agencies to shift 
their focus from the $65 million amount, as a bilateral constraint, 
and recognize that a financial end user will often use multiple 
dealers. Accordingly, the commenter urged the Agencies to treat the 
material swaps exposure threshold as a focus on a financial end 
user's multilateral exposures with all its dealers, which provides 
the rationale for the higher international threshold.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The material swaps exposure threshold of $8 billion in the final 
rule is broadly consistent with the [euro]8 billion established by the 
2013 international framework and has been calibrated relative to this 
level in the manner described previously. At this time, the Agencies 
believe the better course is to calibrate the final rule's material 
swaps exposure threshold to the higher international amount, in 
recognition of each financial end user's overall potential future swaps 
exposure to the market rather than its potential future exposure to one 
dealer. In this regard, the Agencies note that variation margin will 
still be exchanged without any threshold, and further that the $8 
billion threshold may warrant further discussion among international 
regulators in future years, if implementation of the threshold proves 
to create concerns about market coverage for initial margin.
    The time period for measuring material swaps exposure is June, 
July, and August of the previous calendar year under the final rule, 
the same period as in the proposal.\106\ As discussed in the proposed 
rule, the Agencies believe that using the average daily aggregate 
notional amount\107\ during June, July, and August of the previous 
year, instead of a single as-of date, is appropriate to gather a more 
comprehensive assessment of the financial end user's participation in 
the swaps market, and to address the possibility that a market 
participant might ``window dress'' its exposure on an as-of date such 
as year-end in order to avoid the Agencies' margin requirements. A 
covered swap entity would calculate material swaps exposure each year 
on January 1 based on June, July, and August of the previous year. For 
example, for the period January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017, an 
entity would determine whether it had a material swaps exposure with 
reference to June, July and August of 2016.\108\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \106\ One commenter suggested that the period to determine 
material swaps exposure should match the compliance date period. The 
Agencies have decided to use June, July and August of the previous 
year to determine material swaps exposure as these dates are close 
to year end but provide swap users with a period of time to gather 
and verify the required data before performing the required 
calculation at the end of the year.
    \107\ A few commenters suggested that a daily aggregate notional 
measure was burdensome and that the Agencies should use a month-end 
notional amount like the EU proposal and consistent with the 2013 
international framework.
    \108\ As a specific example of the calculation for material 
swaps exposure, consider a U.S.-.based financial end user (together 
with its affiliates) with a portfolio consisting of two non-cleared 
swaps (e.g., an equity swap, an interest rate swap) and one non-
cleared security-based credit swap. Suppose that the notional value 
of each swap is exactly $10 billion on each business day of June, 
July and August of 2016. Furthermore, suppose that a foreign 
exchange forward is added to the entity's portfolio at the end of 
the day on July 31, 2016, and that its notional value is $10 billion 
on every business day of August 2016. On each business day of June 
and July 2016, the aggregate notional amount of non-cleared swaps, 
security-based swaps and foreign exchange forwards and swaps is $30 
billion. Beginning on August 1, 2016, the aggregate notional amount 
of non-cleared swaps, security-based swaps and foreign exchange 
forwards and swaps is $40 billion. The daily average aggregate 
notional value for June, July and August 2016 is then (22x$30 
billion +20x$30 billion + 23x$40 billion)/(22+20+23)=$33.5 billion, 
in which case this entity would be considered to have a material 
swaps exposure for every date in 2017.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 74858]]

    The definition of ``material swaps exposure'' also clarifies 
questions raised about the treatment of affiliates in the proposed 
definition. Commenters urged the Agencies to make clear that inter-
affiliate swaps would not be included for purposes of determining the 
material swaps exposure. Some of these commenters also expressed 
concern that the proposal could require an entity to double count 
inter-affiliate swaps in assessing material swaps exposure. In order to 
address concerns about double counting affiliate swaps, the final rule 
provides that an entity shall count the average daily aggregate 
notional amount of a non-cleared swap, a non-cleared security-based 
swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign exchange swap between the 
entity and an affiliate only one time. The purpose of this modification 
is to clarify that an entity should not double count swaps with an 
affiliate in calculating material swaps exposure.\109\ The Agencies 
also believe that the revised definition of affiliate in the final rule 
(described below) should help mitigate some of the concerns raised by 
commenters about the inclusion of affiliate swaps in determining 
material swaps exposure.\110\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \109\ The Agencies made a similar change to the definition of 
``initial margin threshold amount'' as described in Sec.  __.3.
    \110\ For example, the revised definition of ``affiliate'' 
generally would not treat investment funds that share an investment 
adviser or investment manager as affiliates unless they otherwise 
meet the definition of affiliate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule's definition of material swaps exposure also states 
that for purposes of this calculation, an entity shall not count a swap 
that is exempt pursuant to Sec.  __.1(d), as added by the interim final 
rule.\111\ This change is consistent with the statutory exemptions 
provided by Congress in TRIPRA and ensures that exempt swaps do not 
count toward determining whether an entity has material swaps exposure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \111\ The Agencies made a similar change to the definition of 
``initial margin threshold amount'' as described in Sec.  __.3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commenters argued that certain other swaps should not be counted 
for purposes of the material swaps exposure calculation. A few 
commenters argued that foreign exchange swaps and foreign exchange 
forwards that are exempt from the definition of swap by Treasury 
determination should not be included for purposes of determining 
material swaps exposure.\112\ Other commenters argued that hedging 
positions should not be counted toward material swaps exposure. One 
commenter urged that swaps entered into before the effective dates for 
mandatory clearing should not be counted for determining material swaps 
exposure. The Agencies are not incorporating requests by commenters to 
alter the calculation of the threshold amount in these or other related 
ways.\113\ Although commenters advanced various rationales for each of 
the requested changes, all the changes had the effect of excluding 
certain portions of a financial end user's derivatives portfolio from 
the threshold. The Agencies believe the final rule's approach is 
appropriate since it strikes a reasonable balance between assessing a 
swap counterparty's overall size and risk exposure and providing for a 
simple and transparent measurement of exposure that presents only a 
modest operational burden. The Agencies believe that the increase in 
the level of the material swaps exposure to $8 billion in the final 
rule should address many of the concerns raised by commenters about the 
inclusion of particular categories of swaps. Moreover, given that the 
Agencies are viewing the final rule's material swaps exposure as an 
indicator of a financial end user's overall exposure in the market and 
revising the threshold upward to $8 billion, the Agencies believe the 
inclusiveness of the calculation adopted in the final rule is 
appropriate. A few commenters urged the Agencies to make clear that a 
covered swap entity may rely on representations of its counterparties 
in assessing whether it is transacting with a financial end user with 
material swaps exposure. Although the final rule does not explicitly 
provide how a covered swap entity should determine if a financial end 
user counterparty has material swaps exposure, the Agencies believe 
that it would be reasonable for a covered swap entity to rely in good 
faith on reasonable representations of its counterparty in making such 
assessments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \112\ Some of these commenters expressed heightened concern 
about the impact of the Agencies' approach on financial end users 
that engage in significant foreign exchange transactions that are 
not subject to margin requirements together with relatively few 
marginable swaps. The final rule defines ``foreign exchange forward 
and foreign exchange swap'' to mean any foreign exchange forward, as 
that term is defined in section 1a(24) of the Commodity Exchange Act 
(7 U.S.C. 1a(24)), and foreign exchange swap, as that term is 
defined in section 1a(25) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 
1a(25)). See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule.
    \113\ For example, one commenter urged the Agencies to conform 
with the 2013 international framework where material swaps exposure 
is based on derivatives (not swaps). Another commenter urged the 
Agencies to exclude registered swap dealers from the material swaps 
exposure calculation as this could cause affiliates of the swap 
dealer to exceed the material swaps exposure threshold. The final 
rule does not exclude registered swap dealers from the material 
swaps exposure threshold. The Agencies believe that financial 
affiliates of a registered swap dealer should be treated as having a 
material swaps exposure based on their level of risk.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    One commenter urged the Agencies to clarify what happens when a 
financial end user counterparty that had a material swaps exposure 
falls below the threshold. Because the material swaps exposure 
determination applies to a financial end user for an entire calendar 
year, depending on whether the financial end user exceeded the 
threshold during the third calendar quarter of the previous year, it is 
possible for a covered swap entity to have a portfolio of swaps with a 
financial end user whose status under the material swaps exposure test 
changes from time to time. New Sec.  ___.1(g) of the final rule 
addresses this concern and explains what happens upon a change in 
counterparty status. For example, if a financial end user is moving 
below the threshold for the upcoming calendar year, the covered swap 
entity is not obligated under the final rule to exchange initial margin 
with that end user during that calendar year, either for new swaps 
entered into that year or existing swaps from a prior year. Financial 
end users without material swaps exposure are treated as ``other 
counterparties'' for purposes of the initial margin requirements in the 
final rule. Moreover, any margin that had previously collected while 
the counterparty had a material swaps exposure would not be required 
under the final rule for as long as the counterparty did not have a 
material swaps exposure. In addition, a covered swap entity's swaps 
with a financial end user without material swaps exposure would 
continue to be subject to the variation margin requirements of the 
final rule. If a financial end user is moving above the threshold for 
the upcoming calendar year, the treatment of the existing swaps and the 
new swaps is the same as described for swaps before and after the 
rule's compliance implementation date. As described in more detail 
below under Sec.  ___.5, the parties have the option to document the 
old and new swaps as separate portfolios for netting purposes under an 
EMNA, and exchange initial margin

[[Page 74859]]

only for the new portfolio of swaps entered into during the new 
calendar year after the financial end user triggered the material swaps 
exposure threshold determination.
d. Non-Cleared Swap and Non-Cleared Security-Based Swap
    The requirements of this rule are, as a threshold matter, 
applicable to non-cleared swaps between covered swap entities and their 
counterparties. The final rule defines ``non-cleared swap'' to mean a 
swap that is not cleared by a derivatives clearing organization 
registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission pursuant to 
section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 7a-1(a)) 
or by a clearing organization that the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission has exempted from registration by rule or order pursuant to 
section 5b(h) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 7a-1(h)). 
The final rule defines ``non-cleared security-based swap'' to mean a 
security-based swap that is not, directly or indirectly, submitted to 
and cleared by a clearing agency registered with the U.S. Securities 
and Exchange Commission pursuant to section 17A(b)(1) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(1)) or by a clearing agency 
that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has exempted from 
registration by rule or order pursuant to section 17A(k) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78q-1(k)).
    In the proposal, the Agencies defined a ``non-cleared swap'' as a 
swap that is not a cleared swap as defined in section 1a(7) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act. Under section 1a(7) of the Commodity Exchange 
Act, the term ``cleared swap'' means any swap that is, directly or 
indirectly, submitted to and cleared by a derivatives clearing 
organization registered with the CFTC. ``Non-cleared security-based 
swap'' was defined in the proposal to mean a security-based swap that 
is not, directly or indirectly, submitted to and cleared by a clearing 
agency registered with the SEC.\114\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \114\ Clearing agency is defined to have the meaning specified 
in section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 
78c(a)(23)) and derivatives clearing organization is defined to have 
the meaning specified in section 1a(15) of the Commodity Exchange 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1a(15)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A few commenters urged the Agencies to define non-cleared swaps and 
non-cleared security-based swaps to exclude swaps cleared through non-
U.S. clearing organizations that are not registered with the CFTC or 
SEC. The Agencies have modified the definition of these terms in the 
final rule to address these comments.
    Under sections 731 and 764, the Agencies are directed to impose 
initial and variation margin requirements on all swaps that are not 
cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization and on all 
security-based swaps that are not cleared by a registered clearing 
agency. The Agencies are interpreting this statutory language to mean 
all swaps that are not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing 
organization or registered clearing agency or a derivatives clearing 
organization or clearing agency that the CFTC or SEC has exempted from 
registration as provided under the Commodity Exchange Act and 
Securities Exchange Act, respectively. In particular, the Commodity 
Exchange Act prohibits persons from engaging in a swap that is required 
to be cleared unless they submit such swaps for clearing to a 
derivatives clearing organization that is either registered with the 
CFTC as a derivatives clearing organization or exempt from 
registration. Section 5b(h) of the Commodity Exchange Act allows the 
CFTC to exempt, conditionally or unconditionally, a derivatives 
clearing organization from registration for the clearing of swaps, 
where the derivatives clearing organization is subject to ``comparable, 
comprehensive supervision and regulation'' by the appropriate 
government authorities in its home country. The Agencies understand 
that the CFTC has granted, by order, relief from registration to a 
derivatives clearing organization pursuant to section 5b(h) \115\ and 
would consider granting relief to other derivatives clearing 
organizations before the implementation date of these rules. The 
Securities Exchange Act contains similar language that allows the SEC 
to exempt a clearing agency from registration. Accordingly, the 
Agencies are excluding from the definition of non-cleared swap those 
swaps that are cleared by a derivatives clearing organization that is 
either registered with or has received an exemption by order or rule 
from registration from the CFTC. The Agencies are similarly excluding 
from non-cleared swap those swaps that are cleared by a clearing agency 
that is either registered with or has received an exemption by order or 
rule from registration from the SEC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \115\ See In the Matter of the Petition of ASX Clear (Futures) 
Pty Limited For Exemption from Registration as a Derivatives 
Clearing Organization (Aug. 18, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

e. Foreign Bank
    In the final rule, the Agencies have revised the definition of 
``foreign bank'' to clarify that the term applies only to an 
organization that is organized under the laws of a foreign country and 
that engages directly in the business of banking outside of the United 
States. The proposed definition, which cross-referenced section 1 of 
the International Banking Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3101), was broader in 
scope since it included any subsidiary or affiliate of any such 
organization.
f. Other Definitions
    The final rule also defines a number of other terms, including 
several that were not defined in the proposal. The Agencies believe 
that these definitions will help provide additional clarity regarding 
the application of the margin requirements contained in the final rule.
i. Affiliate and Subsidiary
    The final rule defines a company to be an ``affiliate'' of another 
company \116\ if:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \116\ For additional clarity, the final rule also contains a 
newly defined term ``company'' that means a corporation, 
partnership, limited liability company, business trust, special 
purpose entity, association, or similar organization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Either company consolidates the other on financial 
statements prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted 
Accounting Principles, the International Financial Reporting Standards, 
or other similar standards;
     Both companies are consolidated with a third company's on 
a financial statement prepared in accordance with such principles or 
standards;
     For a company that is not subject to such principles or 
standards, if consolidation as described in the first or second 
paragraph would have occurred if such principles or standards had 
applied; or
     [Agency] has determined that a company is an affiliate of 
other company, based on [Agency's] conclusion that either company 
provides significant support to, or is materially subject to the risks 
of losses of, the other company.
    Similarly, the final rule defines a company to be a ``subsidiary'' 
of another company if:
     The company is consolidated by the other company on 
financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally 
Accepted Accounting Principles, the International Financial Reporting 
Standards, or other similar standards;
     For a company that is not subject to such principles or 
standards, if consolidation as described in the first

[[Page 74860]]

paragraph would have occurred if such principles or standards had 
applied; or
     [Agency] has determined that the company is a subsidiary 
of another company, based on [Agency's] conclusion that either company 
provides significant support to, or is materially subject to the risks 
of loss of, the other company.
    Section __.11 is a special section of the rule that applies to 
affiliate swaps. In addition, the term ``affiliate'' is used in a 
number of other places in the rule, including the definition of initial 
margin threshold amount. That definition refers to a credit exposure of 
$50 million that is applicable to non-cleared swaps between a covered 
swap entity and its affiliates with a counterparty and its affiliates. 
The inclusion of affiliates in this definition is meant to make clear 
that the initial margin threshold amount applies to an entity and its 
affiliates. Similarly, the term ``affiliate'' is also used in the 
definition of ``material swaps exposure,'' because material swaps 
exposure takes into account the exposures of an entity and its 
affiliates. The term ``affiliate'' is also used for determining the 
compliance date for a covered swap entity and its counterparty in Sec.  
__.1(e) of the final rule. The term ``subsidiary'' is used throughout 
the cross-border provisions in Sec.  __.9 to describe certain entities 
that are eligible for an exclusion from the rules as well as 
substituted compliance.
    The proposed rule defined ``affiliate'' to mean any company that 
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another 
company, while ``subsidiary'' meant a company that is controlled by 
another company.\117\ The proposal provided that ``control'' of another 
company means: (i) Ownership, control, or power to vote 25 percent or 
more of a class of voting securities of the company, directly or 
indirectly or acting through one or more other persons; (ii) ownership 
or control of 25 percent or more of the total equity of the company, 
directly or indirectly or acting through one or more other persons; or 
(iii) control in any manner of the election of a majority of the 
directors or trustees of the company.\118\
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    \117\ The proposal's definitions of ``affiliate'' and 
``subsidiary'' was similar to the definitions in the Bank Holding 
Company (``BHC'') Act and the Board's Regulation Y. See sections 
2(d) & 2(k) of the BHC Act, 12 U.S.C. 1841(d) & (k); 12 CFR 
225.2(o).
    \118\ The proposal's definition of control was similar to the 
definition under the BHC Act. See, section 2(a)(2) of the Bank 
Holding Company Act, 12 U.S.C. 1841(a)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commenters raised a number of concerns with the proposal's 
definitions of ``affiliate'' and ``subsidiary,'' and most of these 
concerns centered on both definitions' reliance on the definition of 
``control.'' The Agencies have responded to the commenters' concerns by 
omitting the proposed definition of ``control'' from the final rule. 
The term ``control'' is no longer used in the definitions of 
``affiliate'' and ``subsidiary.''
    While one commenter expressed support for the proposal's definition 
of control, the vast majority of commenters argued for a modified 
definition of control that did not use the 25 percent threshold. One 
suggestion was that these terms should be defined by reference to 
whether an affiliate or subsidiary is consolidated under accounting 
standards. A number of these commenters urged the Agencies to use a 
majority ownership test (51 percent or more) for determining control.
    Commenters also expressed particular concerns about the application 
of these definitions to investment funds, including during the seeding 
period. A number of commenters urged the Agencies to use the same 
criteria as the 2013 international framework as the basis for 
determining whether or not an investment fund is an affiliate of a fund 
sponsor.\119\ Commenters also argued that seed capital contributed by a 
fund sponsor should not be viewed as control even if the ownership by 
the fund sponsor exceeds 25 percent. One commenter, for example, 
suggested that passive investors should not be deemed to control even 
where they own more than 51 percent of the ownership interests of a 
fund.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \119\ The 2013 international framework states that investment 
funds that are managed by an investment adviser are considered 
distinct entities that are treated separately when applying the 
threshold as long as the funds are distinct legal entities that are 
not collateralized by or otherwise guaranteed or supported by other 
investment funds or the investment adviser in the event of fund 
insolvency or bankruptcy. One commenter suggested an investment fund 
separateness test to determine whether an investment fund is a 
separate legal entity. This commenter also urged the agencies to 
incorporate the concept of ``effective control'' as developed by the 
Financial Accounting Standards Board (``FASB'') to cover variable 
interest entities and special purpose entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commenters also expressed particular concerns about how the 
definitions applied to pension funds. One commenter argued that the 
sponsor of a pension should not be an affiliate of the pension fund by 
virtue of appointing trustees or directors of the pension fund. This 
commenter urged that pension plans should not be deemed to have any 
affiliates other than those entities to whom a covered swap entity has 
recourse for swap transactions with the pension fund. Other commenters 
argued that pension plans should be exempted from the definition of 
affiliate, expressing concerns that it could conflict with fiduciary 
obligations under ERISA.
    Using financial accounting as the trigger for affiliation, rather 
than a legal control test, should address many of the concerns raised 
by commenters. Although consolidation tests under relevant accounting 
standards must also be applied on a case-by-case basis, like the 
proposed rule's ``control'' test, the analysis has already been 
performed for companies that prepare their financial statements in 
accordance with relevant accounting standards. For companies that do 
not prepare these statements, the Agencies believe industry 
participants are more familiar with the relevant accounting standards 
and tests, and they will be less burdensome to apply. Additionally, the 
accounting consolidation analysis typically results in a positive 
outcome (consolidation) at a higher level of an affiliation 
relationship than the 25 percent voting interest standard of the legal 
control test, which is responsive to commenters' concerns that the 
proposed definitions were over-inclusive. Because there are 
circumstances where an entity holds a majority ownership interest and 
would not consolidate, the Agencies have reserved the right to include 
any other entity as an affiliate or subsidiary based on an Agency's 
conclusion that either company provides significant support to, or is 
materially subject to the risks or losses of, the other company. This 
provision is meant to leave discretion to the Agencies in order to 
prevent evasion--for example, where a swap dealer sets up shell joint 
ventures that are not consolidated in order to execute swap 
transactions and avoid the requirements of this rule.
    The Agencies believe that the modifications to the definitions of 
affiliate and subsidiary will address some of the concerns raised by 
commenters, including with respect to investment and pension funds. 
Investment funds generally are not consolidated with the asset manager 
other than during the seeding period or other periods in which the 
manager holds an outsized portion of the fund's interests though this 
may depend on the facts and circumstances. The Agencies believe that 
during these periods, when an entity may own up to 100 percent of the 
ownership interest of an investment fund, the investment fund should be 
treated as an affiliate. This approach to investment funds is similar 
to that in the 2013 international framework. The Agencies acknowledge 
that some accounting standards, such as GAAP

[[Page 74861]]

and IFRS variable interest standards, sometimes require consolidation 
between a sponsor or manager and a special purpose entity created for 
asset management, securitization, or similar purposes, under 
circumstances in which the manager does not hold interests comparable 
to a majority of equity or voting control share. On balance, the 
Agencies believe it is appropriate to treat these consolidated entities 
as affiliates of their sponsors or managers; they are structured with 
legal separation to address the concerns of passive investors, but the 
manager retains such levels of influence and exposure as to indicate 
its status is beyond that of another minority or passive investor. In 
the case of pension funds that are associated with a nonfinancial end 
user, the Agencies believe that consolidation of the pension fund with 
its parent would be the exception to the rule under applicable 
accounting standards. Even if consolidation is applicable for some 
pension funds, the swaps of the parent would, as a general matter, be 
exempt from the rule under TRIPRA, and would not be included in 
threshold amount calculations.
ii. Cross-Currency Swap
    The final rule defines a cross-currency swap with only minor 
modifications from the definition in the proposal, as a swap in which 
one party exchanges with another party principal and interest rate 
payments in one currency for principal and interest rate payments in 
another currency, and the exchange of principal occurs on the date the 
swap is entered into, with a reversal of the exchange at a later date 
that is agreed upon when the swap is entered into.\120\ As explained in 
greater detail below, the final rule, like the proposal, provides that 
the initial margin requirements for cross-currency swaps do not apply 
to the portion of the swap that is the fixed exchange of principal. 
This treatment of cross-currency swaps is consistent with the treatment 
recommended in the 2013 international framework. This treatment of 
cross-currency swaps also aligns with the determination by the 
Secretary of the Treasury to exempt foreign exchange swaps from the 
definition of swap as explained further below. Non-deliverable forwards 
would not be treated as cross-currency swaps for purposes of the final 
rule, and thus would be subject to the margin requirements set forth 
under the rule. No comments were received on this definition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \120\ The proposal used the term ``inception of the swap'' in 
this definition which the final rule replaces with ``the date the 
swap is entered into'' for consistency with other provisions in the 
final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

iii. Major Currencies
    ``Major currency'' is defined in the proposed and final rules to 
mean: (i) United States Dollar (USD); (ii) Canadian Dollar (CAD); (iii) 
Euro (EUR); (iv) United Kingdom Pound (GBP); (v) Japanese Yen (JPY); 
(vi) Swiss Franc (CHF); (vii) New Zealand Dollar (NZD); (viii) 
Australian Dollar (AUD); (ix) Swedish Kronor (SEK); (x) Danish Kroner 
(DKK); (xi) Norwegian Krone (NOK); or (xii) any other currency as 
determined by the relevant Agency.\121\ No comments were received on 
this definition. Immediately available cash funds that are denominated 
in a major currency are eligible collateral for initial margin for non-
cleared swaps with all counterparties and variation margin for non-
cleared swaps with financial end users, as described further in Sec.  
__.6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \121\ See the CFTC's regulation of Off-Exchange Retail Foreign 
Exchange Transactions and Intermediaries for this list of major 
currencies, 75 FR 55410 at 55412 (September 10, 2010).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

iv. Prudential Regulator
    Both the proposed and final rules define prudential regulator to 
have the meaning specified in section 1a(39) of the Commodity Exchange 
Act.\122\ Section 1a(39) of the Commodity Exchange Act defines the term 
``prudential regulator'' for purposes of the capital and margin 
requirements applicable to swap dealers, major swap participants, 
security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants. 
No comments were received on this definition. The entities for which 
each of the Agencies is the prudential regulator is set out in Sec.  
__.1 of each Agency's rule text.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \122\ See 7 U.S.C. 1a(39).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

v. Eligible Master Netting Agreement
    The final rule defines eligible master netting agreement as any 
written, legally enforceable netting agreement that creates a single 
legal obligation for all individual transactions covered by the 
agreement upon an event of default (including conservatorship, 
receivership, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding) provided 
that certain conditions are met. These conditions include requirements 
with respect to the covered swap entity's right to terminate the 
contract and liquidate collateral and certain standards with respect to 
legal review of the agreement to ensure it meets the criteria in the 
definition. The legal review must be sufficient so that the covered 
swap entity has a well-founded basis to conclude that, among other 
things, the contract would be found legal, binding, and enforceable 
under the law of the relevant jurisdiction and that the contract meets 
the other requirements of the definition.
    Since the proposal was issued, the Board and the OCC have issued an 
interim final rule (``QMNA IFR'') that became effective January 1, 
2015, that modifies the definition of qualifying master netting 
agreement (``QMNA'') used in their risk-based capital rules.\123\ This 
final rule contains a revised definition of EMNA that aligns with the 
QMNA definition in the QMNA IFR. The Agencies are aligning the 
definitions of QMNA and EMNA in order to minimize operational burden 
for a covered swap entity, which otherwise would have to make a 
separate determination as to whether its netting agreements meet the 
requirements of this rule as well as comply with the regulatory capital 
rules.\124\ However, like the proposal, the final rule uses the term 
``eligible master netting agreement'' to avoid confusion with and 
distinguish from the term used under the capital rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \123\ See 12 CFR 3.2, 12 CFR 217.2, and 12 CFR 324.2. Regulatory 
Capital Rules, Liquidity Coverage Ratio: Interim Final Revisions to 
the Definition of Qualifying Master Netting Agreement and Related 
Definitions, 79 FR 78287 (Dec. 30, 2014). The FDIC has proposed to 
make the same modification to its risk-based capital rule. 80 FR 
5063 (Jan. 30, 2015).
    \124\ See Sec.  __.12 of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Like the QMNA definition, the EMNA definition, includes a 
requirement that the agreement not include a walkaway clause, which is 
defined as a provision that permits a non-defaulting counterparty to 
make a lower payment than it otherwise would make under the agreement, 
or no payment at all, to a defaulter or the estate of a defaulter, even 
if the defaulter or the estate of the defaulter is a net creditor under 
the agreement.
    The proposed EMNA definition included additional language in the 
definition of walkaway clause that would expressly preclude an EMNA 
from including a clause that permits a non-defaulting counterparty to 
``suspend or condition payment'' to a defaulter or the estate of a 
defaulter, even if the defaulter or the estate of the defaulter is or 
otherwise would be, a net creditor under the agreement. In the interest 
of aligning the EMNA definition with the QMNA definition, this 
additional language is not being included in the final rule's 
definition of EMNA.\125\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \125\ The Agencies had also proposed to add to the walkaway 
clause in the proposed EMNA definition, ``or otherwise would be,'' 
which is not included in the final rule, also in the interest of 
aligning the EMNA and QMNA definitions. Walkaway clauses, including 
those that permit a party to suspend or condition payment, are not 
enforceable against the FDIC when acting as receiver or conservator 
of an insured depository institution or as receiver of a financial 
company under Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act, or against the FHFA 
when acting as a receiver or conservator of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, 
or a Federal Home Loan Bank. See 12 U.S.C. 1821(e)(8)(G); 12 U.S.C. 
5390(c)(8)(F); and 12 U.S.C. 4617(d)(8)(G).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 74862]]

    Several commenters argued that the ``suspend or condition payment'' 
language should be removed because it would prohibit an existing 
provision in the ISDA Master Agreement that permits a non-defaulting 
party to suspend payment to a defaulting counterparty. Because the 
Agencies have decided to delete the ``suspend or condition payment'' 
language in order to align the EMNA and QMNA definitions, these 
commenters' concerns regarding the impact of the additional proposed 
language on current provisions in the ISDA Master Agreement are 
moot.\126\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \126\ One commenter urged the Agencies not to ``outsource'' the 
EMNA definition to ISDA, noting that the vast majority of existing 
master netting agreements are governed by the ISDA Master Agreement. 
The commenter argued that the ISDA Master Agreement contains 
provisions that may be contrary to the interests of counterparties 
other than ISDA's large swap entity members, such as mandatory 
arbitration covenants. So long as an agreement meets the 
requirements of the EMNA definition, however, the Agencies are not 
endorsing, requiring, or prohibiting use of a particular master 
netting agreement in the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commenters generally expressed support for the recognition of 
foreign stays in the proposal's definition of EMNA.\127\ Like the 
proposal, the final rule's definition of EMNA contains a stay condition 
regarding certain insolvency regimes where rights can be stayed. In the 
final rule, the second clause of this condition has been modified to 
provide that any exercise of rights under the agreement will not be 
stayed or avoided under applicable law in the relevant jurisdictions, 
other than (i) in receivership, conservatorship, or resolution by an 
Agency exercising its statutory authority, or substantially similar 
laws in foreign jurisdictions that provide for limited stays to 
facilitate the orderly resolution of financial institutions, or (ii) in 
an agreement subject by its terms to any of the foregoing laws.\128\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \127\ However, at least one commenter expressed concern that 
allowing for foreign jurisdiction and contractual stays could limit 
important bankruptcy protections for commercial end users and argued 
that the rule should recognize and clearly state that market 
participants' rights to avoid stays and other limitations of their 
close-out rights should be protected. The Agencies note that the 
stay is very brief, applicable to all counterparties, and its 
potential value to systemic stability is quite high; therefore, on 
balance, the Agencies believe the brief stay is warranted.
    \128\ See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule. Minor technical 
modifications have been made to this provision in the final rule to 
align with the QMNA IFR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A few commenters argued that a limited stay under State insolvency 
and receivership laws applicable to insurance companies also should be 
recognized under this provision. The Agencies are not, at this time, 
modifying the final rule's definition of EMNA to recognize stays under 
State insolvency and receivership laws for insurance companies. Such a 
change would be inconsistent with the QMNA definition in the capital 
rules.
    Finally, a number of commenters expressed various concerns with the 
provision of the EMNA that requires a covered swap entity to conduct 
sufficient legal review to conclude with a well-founded basis (and to 
maintain sufficient written documentation of that legal review) that 
the agreement meets the requirements with respect to the covered swap 
entity's right to terminate the contract and liquidate collateral and 
that in the event of a legal challenge (including one resulting from 
default or from receivership, insolvency, liquidation, or similar 
proceeding), the relevant court and administrative authorities would 
find the agreement to be legal, valid, binding, and enforceable under 
the law of the relevant jurisdictions.\129\ These commenters urged that 
requiring a legal opinion would be expensive and may not be able to be 
given without qualification, meaning parties can never be certain that 
a contract is enforceable. The Agencies did not modify the substance of 
this provision of the EMNA definition in the final rule.\130\ These 
provisions are based on the QMNA definition, which has long been 
applied by depository institutions and holding companies pursuant to 
the banking agencies' capital rules.\131\ Neither the capital rules nor 
this final rule require an unqualified legal opinion; the rules set an 
outcome-based standard for a review that is sufficient so that an 
institution may conclude with a well-founded basis that, among other 
things, the contract would be found legal, binding, and enforceable 
under the law of the relevant jurisdiction and that the contract meets 
the other requirements of the definition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \129\ One commenter, for example, urged ``would'' should be 
changed to ``should'' as ``would'' is difficult to satisfy in 
bankruptcy courts making it difficult to state with certainty.
    \130\ To maintain consistency with the QNMA IFR, the Agencies 
revised paragraph (4)(i)(A), which identifies the scope of the legal 
review, to focus on paragraph (2), which specifies the parties' 
liquidation rights on a net basis.
    \131\ The QMNA IFR, which was issued after the swap margin 
proposed rule, contains a provision that requires an institution to 
comply with the same requirements and no comments were received on 
this provision in the QMNA IFR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

vi. State
    ``State'' is defined in both the proposal and final rule to mean 
any State, commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, 
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or 
the United States Virgin Islands. No comments were received on this 
definition. The purpose of this definition is to make clear these 
jurisdictions are within the United States for purposes of Sec.  __.9, 
which addresses the cross-border application of margin requirements.
vii. U.S. Government-Sponsored Enterprises
    Under the final rule, ``U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise'' 
means an entity established or chartered by the U.S. government to 
serve public purposes specified by Federal statute, but whose debt 
obligations are not explicitly guaranteed by the full faith and credit 
of the United States. This definition in the final rule is the same as 
that in the proposal, and no comments were received on this definition. 
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises currently include FCS banks, 
associations, and service corporations, Farmer Mac, the Federal Home 
Loan Banks, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Financing Corporation, and the 
Resolution Funding Corporation. In the future, Congress may create new 
U.S Government-sponsored enterprises, or terminate the status of 
existing U.S. Government-sponsored entities. This term is used in the 
definition of eligible collateral as described further in Sec.  __.6.
viii. Entity Definitions
    The Agencies are including a number of other definitions including 
``bank holding company,'' ``broker,'' ``dealer,'' ``depository 
institution,'' ``futures commission merchant,'' ``savings and loan 
holding company,'' and ``securities holding company'' that are defined 
by cross-reference to the relevant statute. Many of these terms are 
also used in the definition of ``financial end user'' or ``market 
intermediary,'' which is defined to mean a securities holding company, 
a broker, a dealer, a futures commission merchant, a swap dealer, or a 
security-based swap dealer. No comments were received on these 
definitions, and the Agencies have adopted them as proposed.

[[Page 74863]]

ix. Business Day and Day of Execution
    The terms ``business day'' and ``day of execution'' are newly 
defined terms in the final rule that were not defined in the proposal. 
``Business day'' is defined to mean any day other than a Saturday, 
Sunday, or legal holiday. ``Day of execution'' is defined with 
reference to the time at which the parties enter into a non-cleared 
swap. Because the location of the covered swap entity may be in a 
different time zone than the location of the counterparty, the ``day of 
execution'' definition provides special accommodations for the 
difference. The definition of ``day of execution'' is discussed in 
greater detail below under Sec.  __.3. These terms, which are used in 
Sec. Sec.  __.3 and __.4, are meant to provide additional clarity 
regarding the timing of margin requirements and address related 
concerns raised by commenters, as described in those sections below.

C. Section __.3: Initial Margin

    After reviewing the comments to the 2014 proposal, the Agencies 
have decided to adopt Sec.  __.3 of the rule largely as proposed, 
albeit with a limited number of changes to address concerns raised by 
commenters with respect to the calculation, collection, and posting of 
initial margin.
    Consistent with the 2014 proposal, the final rule requires a 
covered swap entity to collect initial margin when it engages in a non-
cleared swap with another covered swap entity. Because all swap 
entities will be subject to a prudential regulator, CFTC, or SEC margin 
rule that requires them to collect initial margin, the proposed rule 
will result in a collect-and-post system for all non-cleared swaps 
between swap entities.
    When a covered swap entity engages in a non-cleared swap with a 
financial end user with material swaps exposure,\132\ the final rule 
will require the covered swap entity to collect and post initial margin 
with respect to the non-cleared swap. Under the final rule, a covered 
swap entity transacting with a financial end user with material swaps 
exposure must (1) calculate its initial margin collection amount using 
an approved internal model or the standardized look-up table, (2) 
collect an amount of initial margin that is at least as large as the 
initial margin collection amount less any permitted initial margin 
threshold amount (which is discussed in more detail below), and (3) 
post at least as much initial margin to the financial end user with 
material swaps exposure as the covered swap entity would be required to 
collect if it were in the place of the financial end user with material 
swaps exposure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \132\ The calculation of ``material swaps exposure'' is 
addressed in more detail in the discussion of the definitions above 
under Sec.  __.2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies are not adopting a ``collect only'' approach for 
financial end user counterparties recommended by a number of financial 
industry commenters. The posting requirement under the final rule is 
one way in which the Agencies seek to reduce overall risk to the 
financial system, by providing initial margin to non-dealer swap market 
counterparties that are interconnected participants in the financial 
markets.\133\ Commenters representing public interest groups and asset 
managers supported this aspect of the Agencies' approach, stating that 
it not only would better protect financial end users from concerns 
about the failure of a covered swap entity, but also would require 
covered swap entities to account more fully for the risks of their 
swaps business.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \133\ Some of these commenters contrasted the Agencies' 2014 
proposed approach with those of European and Japanese regulators. In 
the United States, many financial end users operate outside of the 
jurisdiction of the prudential regulators to impose margin 
requirements. Thus, unlike the proposed Japanese and European 
requirements, which would cover a broader array of financial 
entities, a collect-only regime in the United States would be 
applicable only to covered swap entities and thus could leave a 
large number of financial entities with significant un-margined 
potential future exposures to their swap dealers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule permits a covered swap entity to select from two 
methods (the standardized look-up table or the internal margin model) 
for calculating its initial margin requirements as described in more 
detail in Sec.  __.8. In all cases, the initial margin amount required 
under the final rule is a minimum requirement; covered swap entities 
are not precluded from collecting additional initial margin (whether by 
contract or subsequent agreement with the counterparty) in such forms 
and amounts as the covered swap entity believes is appropriate.
1. Initial Margin Threshold
    The final rule does not require a covered swap entity to collect or 
post initial margin collateral to the extent that the aggregate un-
margined exposure either to or from its counterparty remains below $50 
million.\134\ In this regard, the final rule is generally consistent 
with the 2013 international framework and the 2014 proposal. The 
initial margin threshold amount of $50 million has been adjusted 
relative to the $65 million threshold in the proposed rule in the 
manner previously described.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \134\ The final rule defines initial margin threshold amount in 
Sec.  __.2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies believe that allowing covered swap entities to apply 
initial margin thresholds of up to $50 million is consistent with the 
rule's risk-based approach, as it will provide relief to smaller and 
less systemically risky counterparties while ensuring that initial 
margin is collected from those counterparties that pose greater 
systemic risk to the financial system. The initial margin threshold 
also should serve to reduce the aggregate amount of initial margin 
collateral required by the final rule.
    Under the final rule, the initial margin threshold applies on a 
consolidated entity level. It will be calculated across all non-
exempted \135\ non-cleared swaps between a covered swap entity and its 
affiliates and the counterparty and the counterparty's affiliates.\136\ 
The requirement to apply the threshold on a fully consolidated basis 
applies to both the counterparty to which the threshold is being 
extended and the counterparty that is extending the threshold.\137\ 
Applying this threshold on a consolidated entity level precludes the 
possibility that covered swap entities and their counterparties could 
create legal entities and netting sets that have no economic basis and 
are constructed solely for the purpose of applying additional 
thresholds to evade margin requirements. Although some commenters 
suggested the Agencies should not implement the threshold across the 
covered swap entity and counterparties on a consolidated basis, and 
instead rely on general anti-evasion authority to address efforts to 
exploit the threshold, the Agencies have not done so. The revisions to 
the affiliate and subsidiary definitions in the final rule, described 
above under Sec.  __.2, simplify implementation of the consolidated 
approach and should help address some of the concerns raised by 
commenters in this respect.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \135\ To the extent that a non-cleared swap transaction is 
exempt from the margin requirements pursuant to Sec.  __.1(d), as 
added by the interim final rule, consistent with TRIPRA, the final 
rule excludes the exempted swap transaction from the calculation of 
the initial margin threshold amount.
    \136\ The threshold may be allocated among entities within the 
consolidated group, at the agreement of the covered swap entity and 
the counterparties, but the total must remain below $50 million on a 
combined basis. For an example illustrating allocations, see the 
2014 proposal at 79 FR 57348, 57366 (Sept. 24, 2014).
    \137\ As discussed in connection with Sec.  __.11, below, 
calculation of the initial margin threshold for non-cleared swaps 
between a covered swap entity and its own affiliate is determined on 
a per-affiliate basis, with a $20 million per-affiliate threshold.

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[[Page 74864]]

    The Agencies note that the initial margin threshold represents a 
minimum requirement and should not be viewed as preventing parties from 
contracting with each other to require the collection of initial margin 
even when their exposures to one another are less than $50 million. For 
such transactions, the Agencies expect covered swap entities to make 
their own internal credit assessments when making determinations as to 
the credit and other risks presented by their specific counterparties. 
Therefore, a covered swap entity dealing with a counterparty it judges 
to be of high credit quality may determine that a counterparty-specific 
threshold of up to $50 million is appropriate.
    In response to commenters, and to clarify the Agencies' intent, the 
Agencies note that the $50 million threshold is measured as the amount 
of initial margin for the relevant portfolio of non-cleared swaps and 
non-cleared security-based swaps, pursuant to either the internal model 
or standardized initial margin table used by the covered swap 
entity.\138\ The Agencies have not incorporated suggestions by a 
commenter that the Agencies permit the threshold to be calculated in 
foreign currencies; conversion to USD can be readily accomplished and 
provides a measure of relative consistency in application from 
counterparty to counterparty within and across covered swap entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \138\ Although one central clearing commenter urged the Agencies 
to require covered swap entities to make granular disclosures about 
the utilization of the initial margin threshold to their investors, 
credit providers, and the central counterparties of which the 
covered swap entity is a member, the suggestion is beyond the scope 
of this margin rulemaking. The Agencies note the final rule does not 
prohibit a covered swap entity from providing this information, 
should it wish to negotiate that arrangement with an interested 
party.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, the Agencies have not incorporated suggestions by 
commenters for separate treatment of various arrangements under which 
the assets of a single investment fund vehicle or pension plan are 
treated as separate portfolios or accounts, each assigned some portion 
of the fund's or plan's total assets for purposes of managing them 
pursuant to different investment strategies or by different investment 
managers as agent for the fund or plan.\139\ Commenters said these 
``separate accounts'' are generally managed under documentation that 
caps the asset manager's ability to incur liabilities on behalf of the 
fund or plan at the amount of the assets allocated to the account. 
While the Agencies recognize these types of asset management approaches 
are well-established industry practice, and that separate managers 
acting for the same fund or plan do not currently take steps to inform 
the fund or plan of their non-cleared swap exposures on behalf of their 
principal on a frequent basis, the Agencies are not persuaded that it 
would be appropriate to extend each separate account its own initial 
margin threshold. Based on the comments, it appears the liability cap 
on each account manager often will be reflected in the fund's or plan's 
contract with the manager. If one manager breaches its limit, there 
could be cross-default implications for other managed accounts, and in 
periods of market stress, the cumulative effect of multiple managers' 
non-cleared swaps could, in turn, strain the fund's or plan's 
resources. Because all the swaps are transacted on behalf of a single 
legal principal, the Agencies do not believe that the subdivision of 
these separately managed accounts is sufficient to merit the extension 
of separate thresholds.\140\ Nevertheless, the Agencies expect that in 
most cases, two separate investment funds of a single asset manager 
would not be consolidated under the relevant accounting standards and 
thus would not be affiliates under this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \139\ One industry group commenter also cited as an example a 
securitization vehicle that creates separate issuances of asset-
backed securities through use of a series trust.
    \140\ Some commenters expressing this concern made the same 
point with respect to application of the material swaps exposure 
threshold, which is also calculated on a legal entity basis. The 
Agencies have the same reservations about subdividing the material 
swaps exposure test at the managed account level, and these 
reservations are even somewhat compounded given that the Agencies 
have revised the threshold to $8 billion in reflection of the 
financial end user's overall market exposure, instead of a covered-
swap-entity-specific exposure.
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2. Timing
    The final rule establishes the timing under which a covered swap 
entity must comply with the initial margin requirements set out in 
Sec.  __.3(a) and (b). Under Sec.  __.3(c) of the final rule, a covered 
swap entity, with respect to any non-cleared swap to which it is a 
party, must, on each business day, comply with the initial margin 
requirements for a period beginning on or before the business day 
following the day of execution of the swap and ending on the date the 
non-cleared swap is terminated or expires. ``Business day'' is defined 
in Sec.  __.2 to mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or legal 
holiday.\141\
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    \141\ A ``business day'' under the final rule is not limited by 
or tied to typical business hours. A swap dealer seeking to post or 
collect margin may make the transfer during a ``business day'' but 
at a time which is before or after typical business hours. So, for 
example, a posting that takes place at 10 p.m. local time on a 
Monday is still recognized as being made on Monday's business day 
under the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In practice, each covered swap entity typically will have a 
portfolio of swaps with a specific counterparty, and the covered swap 
entity will collect and post initial margin for that portfolio with 
that counterparty on a rolling basis. The final rule requires the 
covered swap entity to collect and post initial margin each business 
day for this portfolio of swaps, based on the initial margin amount 
calculated for that portfolio by the covered swap entity on the 
previous business day.\142\
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    \142\ Of course, if the initial margin amounts have not changed, 
or the change to the posting or collecting amount (combined with 
changes in the variation margin amount, as applicable) is less than 
the minimum transfer amount specified in Sec.  __.5(b), no posting 
or collection will be required.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As the covered swap entity and its counterparty enter into new 
swaps, adding them to the portfolio, these new swaps need to be 
incorporated into the covered swap entity's calculation of initial 
margin amounts to be posted and collected on this daily cycle. When a 
covered swap entity and its counterparty are located in the same or 
adjacent time zones, this is a straightforward process. However, when 
the covered swap entity is located in a distant time zone from the 
counterparty, or the two parties observe different sets of legal 
holidays, this can be less straightforward.
    The Agencies have added new provisions to the final rule to 
accommodate practical considerations that arise in these 
circumstances.\143\ The final rule requires the covered swap entity to 
post and collect initial margin on or before the end of the business 
day after the ``day of execution,'' as defined in Sec.  __.2 of the 
rule. The ``day of execution'' is determined with reference to the 
point in time at which the parties enter into the non-cleared swap. 
When the location of the covered swap entity is in a different time 
zone than the location of the counterparty, the ``day of execution'' 
definition provides three special accommodations for the difference. 
These accommodations are made in recognition of the fact that each of 
the two parties to the swap will, as a practical necessity, observe its 
own ``business day'' in transmitting

[[Page 74865]]

instructions to the third-party custodian.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \143\ The approach is patterned on principles incorporated in 
the CFTC's rulemaking on clearing execution, with differences the 
Agencies believe are appropriate in consideration of the bilateral 
nature of non-cleared swap margin and the non-standardized terms of 
non-cleared swaps. See Clearing Requirement Determination Under 
Section 2(h) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 77 FR 74,284 (Dec. 13, 
2012), available at: http://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@lrfederalregister/documents/file/2012-29211a.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    First, if at the time the parties enter into the swap, it is a 
different calendar day at the location of each party, the day of 
execution is deemed to be the latter of the two calendar days. For 
example, if a covered swap entity located in New York enters into a 
swap at 3:30 p.m. on Monday with a counterparty located in Japan, in 
the Japanese counterparty's location, it is 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, and 
the day of execution (for both parties) will be deemed to be Tuesday.
    Second, if a non-cleared swap is entered into between 4:00 p.m. and 
midnight in the location of a party, then such non-cleared swap shall 
be deemed to have been entered into on the immediately succeeding day 
that is a business day for both parties, and both parties shall 
determine the day of execution with reference to that business day. For 
example, if a covered swap entity located in New York enters into a 
swap at noon on Friday with a counterparty located in the U.K., in the 
U.K. counterparty's location, it is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, and the U.K. 
counterparty will be deemed to enter into the swap the following 
Monday. Or, if a covered swap entity located in New York enters into a 
swap at noon on Friday with a counterparty located in Japan, in the 
Japanese counterparty's location, it is 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, and the 
Japanese counterparty will be deemed to enter into the swap the 
following Monday. In both examples, the day of execution (for both 
parties) will be Monday.
    Third, if the day of execution determined under the foregoing rules 
is not a business day for both parties, the day of execution shall be 
deemed to be the immediately succeeding day that is a business day for 
both parties. For example, this addresses the outcome arising from a 
non-cleared swap entered into by a covered swap entity in New York at 
noon on Friday with a counterparty in Japan, where it would be 1:00 
a.m. on Saturday. Under the first provision, the latter calendar day 
would be deemed the day of execution, which would be Saturday. 
Accordingly, this third provision would operate to move the deemed day 
of execution to the next business day for both parties, i.e., Monday. 
As a further example under the same circumstances, if the Monday were a 
legal holiday in New York, the day of execution would then be deemed to 
be Tuesday for both parties.
    When a covered swap entity adds a new non-cleared swap to its 
portfolio with a specific counterparty, these three provisions may 
result in different outcomes as to the ``day of execution'' for that 
swap pursuant to the definition in Sec.  __.2. However, Sec.  __.3(c) 
consistently requires the covered swap entity to begin posting and 
collecting initial margin reflecting that swap no later than the end of 
the business day following that day of execution and thereafter collect 
and post on a daily basis. The Agencies believe the final rule should 
provide adequate time for the covered swap entity to include the new 
swap in the regular initial margin cycle, under which the covered swap 
entity calculates the initial margin posting and collection 
requirements each business day for a portfolio of swaps covered by an 
EMNA with a counterparty, and the independent custodian(s) for both 
parties to hold segregated eligible margin collateral in those amounts 
by the end of the next business day, pursuant to the respective 
instructions of the parties. The covered swap entity is required to 
continue including the swap in its determination of the initial margin 
posting and collection requirements for that portfolio until the date 
the swap expires or is terminated.
    All commenters that addressed the Agencies' proposed timing 
requirement for initial margin collection opposed it as unworkable. The 
basis for these objections included the fact that the settlement and 
delivery periods for many types of eligible margin securities are 
longer than the time allowed for margin collection under the proposed 
rule; the potential inability of financial end users to arrange for 
collateral transfers under the proposed rule's timeframes; and the 
difficulties encountered where the parties are in distant time zones. 
Other concerns included the fact that valuations are typically 
determined after market close and that the proposed rule did not 
include time for portfolio reconciliation and dispute resolution. 
Commenters proposed a number of alternatives, including moving to a T+2 
basis; requiring prompt margin calls no later than a T+1 or T+2 basis, 
with margin transfer occurring one or two days thereafter or according 
to the standard settlement cycle for the type of collateral; requiring 
margin collection and settlement weekly; or simply requiring margin 
collection on a prompt or reasonable basis.
    The Agencies have made limited adjustments to the final rule to 
accommodate operational concerns created by differences in time zones 
and legal holidays between the counterparties, but otherwise have 
retained the proposed approach. The Agencies recognize that the final 
rule requires initial margin to be posted and collected so quickly that 
covered swap entities and their counterparties may be required to take 
steps such as pre-positioning eligible margin collateral securities at 
the custodian and using readily-transferrable forms of eligible 
collateral, such as cash, to place additional margin quickly with the 
custodian from time to time, or to initially supply readily-
transferrable forms of eligible collateral and subsequently arrange to 
substitute other eligible margin collateral securities after the 
initial margin collateral has been delivered to the custodian and the 
minimum margin requirements have been satisfied. The Agencies also 
recognize that the final rule will require portfolio reconciliation and 
dispute resolution to be performed after initial margin has been 
collected, as adjustments to the original margin call, rather than 
before. While the Agencies recognize the incremental regulatory burden 
embedded in the final rule's timing requirement, the Agencies believe 
the additional delay that would be introduced by the commenters' 
alternatives would reduce the overall effectiveness of the margin 
requirements.
3. Transactions With Other Counterparties and Transactions Exempt from 
the Margin Requirements Pursuant to the Terrorism Risk Insurance 
Program Reauthorization Act
    The provisions of the final rule requiring a covered swap entity to 
collect initial margin amounts calculated under the standardized 
approach or an improved internal model apply only with respect to 
counterparties that are financial end users with material swaps 
exposure or swap entities.\144\ For other counterparties, Sec.  __.3(d) 
of the final rule directs covered swap entities to collect initial 
margin at such times and in such forms and amounts (if any) that the 
covered swap entity determines appropriately address the credit risk 
posed by the counterparty and the risks of such swaps.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \144\ The same is true with respect to the final rule's 
requirements for documentation, eligible collateral, and custody of 
initial margin collected by a covered swap entity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Consistent with the proposed rule, the types of counterparties 
covered by Sec.  __.3(d) are financial end users without a material 
swaps exposure, as well as financial entities the final rule 
specifically excludes from the definition of a ``financial end user'' 
(e.g., multilateral development banks).\145\ In

[[Page 74866]]

the proposed rule, the Agencies also applied Sec.  __.3(d) to all other 
counterparties. After the proposed rule was issued, Congress enacted 
TRIPRA which exempts the non-cleared swaps and security-based swaps of 
specific counterparties (that are not swap entities) from these 
regulatory margin requirements.\146\ Accordingly, Sec.  __3(d) of the 
final rule will apply to other nonfinancial counterparties on an even 
more limited scope than the Agencies proposed, covering nonfinancial 
counterparties outside the group of entities eligible for the clearing 
exceptions and exemptions referenced in TRIPRA and Sec.  __.1(d) as 
added by the interim final rule, as well as entities that are within 
that group but that are engaging in specific non-cleared swaps in a 
manner that does not satisfy the criteria for hedging or mitigating 
commercial risk within the meaning of those clearing exceptions and 
exemptions.\147\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \145\ These exclusions are contained in paragraph (2) of the 
definition of ``financial end user'' in Sec.  __.2 of the final 
rule.
    \146\ As directed by TRIPRA, the Agencies are issuing Sec.  
__.1(d) as an interim final rule with request for public comment.
    \147\ One commenter raised concerns about certain non-cleared 
matched commodity swaps that economically offset each other and that 
are used to hedge municipal prepayment transactions for the supply 
of long-term natural gas or electricity (referred to as ``Municipal 
Prepayment Transactions''). This commenter contended that each side 
of this matched pair of swaps could be subject to different margin 
treatment that could make these transactions prohibitively 
expensive. In particular, according to this commenter, the first or 
``front-end'' swap in this matched pair would be between a 
nonfinancial end user (typically a government gas supply agency) and 
a swap entity, while the second swap or ``back-end'' swap generally 
would be between a swap entity and a prepaid gas supplier that is a 
swap entity or other financial entity. The Agencies note that 
covered swap entities that are parties to these and other types of 
matched or offsetting swap transactions would need to evaluate each 
swap to determine whether the requirements of the final rule apply. 
Under the final rule, it is possible that one swap may be exempt 
from the requirements of the rule while an offsetting swap is 
subject to the final rule's requirements as these requirements are 
set on a risk-basis as required under the statute. This commenter 
also contended that the rule would cause counterparties to matched 
commodity swaps to face increased costs to the extent that the rules 
apply a capital charge to a covered swap entity in connection with 
these matched swaps. As provided in Sec.  __.12, the final rule 
references existing capital rules including any associated capital 
charge under existing capital rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Some commenters representing public interest groups raised concerns 
about the proposed rule's treatment of other counterparties. These 
concerns ranged from fears that large market players (such as the type 
of entities that once included Enron, among others) would be able to 
participate in the markets on an unmargined basis to disappointment 
that the Agencies did not at least include a prudential requirement for 
a specific internal exposure limit for commercial counterparties.\148\ 
Commenters representing commercial end users generally supported the 
proposed rule's approach and described it as consistent with prudent 
current market practice. While some commenters also questioned whether 
the proposed rule's treatment of other counterparties was consistent 
with the statutory directive to impose margin and capital requirements 
on all non-cleared swaps, the Agencies believe the approach is 
consistent with the Dodd-Frank Act's risk-based approach to 
establishing margin requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \148\ Another public interest group commenter stated that the 
treatment of other counterparties under the proposed rule should 
adhere to the CFTC end user exemptions to more clearly protect small 
commercial end users from procyclical margin requirements. The 
Agencies note the TRIPRA amendments appear to address this point.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

E. Section __.4: Variation Margin

1. Overview of the Final Rule
    After carefully reviewing the comments to the 2014 proposal, the 
Agencies have decided to adopt Sec.  __.4 of the rule largely as 
proposed, but also make a limited number of changes in the final rule 
to address concerns raised by commenters with respect to the 
calculation and exchange of variation margin.
    Consistent with the 2014 proposal and the final rule's provisions 
on initial margin, Sec.  ___.4 of the final rule requires a covered 
swap entity to collect variation margin when it engages in a non-
cleared swap transaction with another covered swap entity. Because all 
swap entities will be subject to a prudential regulator, CFTC, or SEC 
margin rule that requires them to collect variation margin, the final 
rule will result in a collect-and-post system for all non-cleared swaps 
between swap entities.
    When a covered swap entity engages in a non-cleared swap 
transaction with a financial end user, regardless of whether or not the 
financial end user has a material swaps exposure, the final rule will 
require the covered swap entity to collect and post variation margin 
with respect to the non-cleared swap. The final rule requires a covered 
swap entity to collect or post (as applicable) variation margin on non-
cleared swaps in an amount that is at least equal to the increase or 
decrease (as applicable) in the value of such swaps since the previous 
exchange of variation margin.
    Consistent with the 2014 proposal, a covered swap entity may not 
establish a threshold amount below which it need not exchange variation 
margin on swaps with a swap entity or financial end user counterparty 
(although transfers below the minimum transfer amount would not be 
required, as discussed in Sec.  __.5).
    The Agencies believe the bilateral exchange of variation margin 
will support the safety and soundness of the covered swap entity as 
well as effectively reduce systemic risk by protecting both the covered 
swap entity and its counterparty from the effects of a counterparty 
default.
2. ``Collecting'' and ``Posting'' Variation Margin
    Unlike the 2014 proposal, which used the terms ``pay'' and ``paid'' 
to refer to the transfer of variation margin, the final rule refers to 
variation margin in terms of ``post'' and ``collect.'' After carefully 
reviewing the comments on the 2014 proposal that addressed the 
appropriate characterization of the transfer of variation margin, the 
Agencies have determined that it is more appropriate to refer to 
variation margin collateral as having been ``posted,'' rather than 
``paid,'' consistent with the treatment of initial margin.
    Among the reasons underlying the Agencies' proposal to refer to 
variation margin in terms of payment was the existing market practice 
of swap dealers to exchange variation margin with other swap dealers in 
the form of cash. As is discussed below in the final rule's provisions 
on eligible collateral, the Agencies have concluded that it is 
appropriate to permit financial end users to use other, non-cash forms 
of collateral for variation margin. This revision to the nomenclature 
of the final rule is consistent with the Agencies' inclusion of 
eligible non-cash collateral for variation margin.
    In the context of cash variation margin, commenters also expressed 
concerns that the Agencies' choice of the ``pay'' nomenclature 
reflected an underlying premise of current settlement that may be 
inconsistent with various operational, accounting, tax, legal, and 
market practices. The Agencies use of the ``post'' and ``collect'' 
nomenclature for the final rule is not intended to reflect upon or 
alter the characterization of variation margin exchanges--either as a 
transfer and settlement or a provisional form of collateral--for other 
purposes in the market.
3. Variation Margin Definitions and Calculation of Market Value
    Under the final rule, ``variation margin'' means the collateral 
provided by one party to its counterparty to meet the performance of 
its obligations under one or more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared 
security-based swaps between

[[Page 74867]]

the parties as a result of a change in value of such obligations since 
the last time such collateral was provided.\149\ The amount of 
variation margin to be collected or posted (as appropriate) is the 
amount equal to the cumulative mark-to-market change in value to a 
covered swap entity of a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap, as measured from the date it is entered into (or, in the case of 
a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap that has a 
positive or negative value to a covered swap entity on the date it is 
entered into, such positive or negative value plus any cumulative mark-
to-market change in value to the covered swap entity of a non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap after such date), less the 
value of all variation margin previously collected, plus the value of 
all variation margin previously posted with respect to such non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap.\150\ The covered swap entity 
must collect this amount if the amount is positive, and post this 
amount if the amount is negative.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \149\ See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule.
    \150\ See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule defining ``variation 
margin amount.''
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    Several financial end user commenters stated that this aspect of 
the 2014 proposal was unclear with regard to the calculation of minimum 
variation margin requirements. Specifically, these commenters stated 
that the 2014 proposal appeared to require a covered swap entity to 
determine minimum variation margin requirements based on the market 
value of a swap calculated only from the covered swap entity's own 
perspective, rather than at a mid-market price consistent with current 
market practice. Commenters stated that the proposed approach would 
result in dealer exposures being over-collateralized and their 
counterparties' exposures being under-collateralized.
    The Agencies wish to clarify that the reference in the rule text to 
the ``cumulative mark-to-market change in value to a covered swap 
entity of a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap'' is 
not designed or intended to have the effect suggested by commenters. 
The market value used to determine the cumulative mark-to-market change 
will be mid-market prices, if that is consistent with the agreement of 
the parties.\151\ The final rule is consistent with market practice in 
this respect. The rule text's reference to ``change in value to a 
covered swap entity'' refers to whether the value change is positive or 
negative from the covered swap entity's standpoint. This ties to the 
final rule's requirement for the covered swap entity to post variation 
margin when the variation margin amount is positive, or collect 
variation margin when the variation margin amount is negative.
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    \151\ Additionally, the Agencies note that the final margin 
requirements should be viewed as minimums. To the extent that two 
counterparties agree to transfer collateral in addition to the 
minimum amount required by the final rule, and assuming that doing 
so would be consistent with safety and soundness, the final rule 
will not impede them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule also permits the calculation of variation margin 
amounts to recognize netting across the portfolio of non-cleared swaps 
transacted between the covered swap entity and its counterparty, 
subject to a number of conditions. These provisions of the rule have 
been relocated to Sec.  __.5 of the final rule, as discussed later in 
this SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
4. Frequency
    The final rule largely retains the proposed rule's requirement for 
variation margin to be posted or collected on a T+1 timeframe. The 
final rule requires variation margin to be posted or collected no less 
than once per business day, beginning on the business day following the 
day of execution. These provisions of the final rule operate in the 
same way as those discussed earlier in this SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, 
in the description of the final rule's initial margin requirements.
5. Transactions with ``Other Counterparties'' and Transactions Exempt 
from the Margin Requirements Pursuant to the Terrorism Risk Insurance 
Program Reauthorization Act
    Consistent with the 2014 proposal, the final rule requires a 
covered swap entity to exchange variation margin for non-cleared swaps 
with swap entities, and financial end users (regardless of whether the 
financial end user has a material swaps exposure). However, as 
discussed earlier in this SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, the enactment of 
TRIPRA exempts certain nonfinancial counterparties from the scope of 
this rulemaking for non-cleared swaps that hedge or mitigate commercial 
risk.\152\ For other counterparties, Sec.  __.4(c) of the final rule 
directs covered swap entities to collect variation margin at such times 
and in such forms and amounts (if any) that the covered swap entity 
determines appropriately address the credit risk posed by the 
counterparty and the risks of such swaps, consistent with the 2014 
proposal. These other counterparties include sovereign counterparties, 
financial entities the final rule specifically excludes from the 
definition of financial end user, nonfinancial counterparties outside 
the group of entities covered by the TRIPRA exemption, and nonfinancial 
counterparties within that group of entities but that are engaging in 
specific non-cleared swaps or in a manner that does not satisfy the 
criteria for hedging or mitigating commercial risk.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \152\ The Agencies proposed that covered swap entities collect 
variation margin from these so-called ``commercial end user'' 
counterparties at such times and in such forms and amounts (if any) 
that the covered swap entity determined appropriately addresses the 
credit risk posed by the counterparty and the risks of the non-
cleared swaps. This is the same treatment the prudential regulators 
proposed with respect to initial margin, and the views of commenters 
discussed earlier in this Supplementary Information on this aspect 
of the initial margin proposal were equally applicable to this 
aspect of the variation margin proposal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Overall, this aspect of the variation margin provisions of the 
final rule is consistent with those for initial margin. The one 
difference is that all transactions with financial end user 
counterparties are subject to the variation margin requirements, while 
only financial end user counterparties with material swaps exposure are 
subject to initial margin requirements. The Agencies generally believe 
it is appropriate to apply the minimum variation margin requirements to 
transactions with all financial entity counterparties, not just those 
with a material swaps exposure, because the daily exchange of variation 
margin is an important risk mitigant that (i) reduces the build-up of 
risk that may ultimately pose systemic risk; (ii) imposes a lesser 
liquidity burden than does initial margin; and (iii) reflects both 
current market practice and a risk management best practice.

F. Section __.5: Netting Arrangements, Minimum Transfer Amount and 
Satisfaction of Collecting and Posting Requirements

1. Netting Arrangements
    Section __.5(a) of the final rule permits a covered swap entity to 
calculate initial margin (using an initial margin model) or variation 
margin on an aggregate net basis across non-cleared swap transactions 
with a counterparty that are executed under an EMNA.\153\ Although the 
proposal provided that the margin requirements would not apply to non-
cleared swaps entered into before the rule's compliance dates, as a 
general

[[Page 74868]]

rule, the proposal provided that if an EMNA covered non-cleared swaps 
that were entered into before the applicable compliance date, those 
non-cleared swaps would be subject to the requirements of the rule and 
must be included in the aggregate netting portfolio for purposes of 
calculating the required margin.
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    \153\ Initial margin and variation margin amounts may not be 
netted against each other under the final rule. In addition, initial 
margin netting is only for the purposes of calculating the 
collection amount or post amount under an approved initial margin 
model, and these amounts may not be netted against each other.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    However, as discussed by several commenters, the Agencies recognize 
that covered swap entities and their counterparties may wish to 
separate netting portfolios under a single EMNA. Accordingly, the final 
rule provides that an EMNA may identify one or more separate netting 
portfolios that independently meet the requirement for close-out 
netting \154\ and to which, under the terms of the EMNA, the collection 
and posting of margin applies on an aggregate net basis separate from 
and exclusive of any other non-cleared swaps covered by the agreement. 
(These separate netting portfolios are commonly covered by separate 
credit support annexes to the EMNA.) This rule facilitates the ability 
of the parties to document two separate netting sets, one for non-
cleared swaps that are subject to the final rule and one for swaps that 
are not subject to the margin requirements.\155\ A netting portfolio 
that contains only non-cleared swaps entered into before the applicable 
compliance date is not subject to the requirements of the final rule. 
The rule does not prohibit the parties from including one or more pre-
compliance-date swaps in the netting portfolio of non-cleared swaps 
subject to the margin rule, but they will thereby become subject to the 
final rule's margin requirement, as part of the netting portfolio. 
Similarly, any netting portfolio that contains any non-cleared swap 
entered into after the applicable compliance date will subject the 
entire netting portfolio to the requirements of the final rule.
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    \154\ See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule (paragraph (1) of the 
EMNA definition).
    \155\ In addition, a covered swap entity may use a holding 
period equal to the shorter of five business days or the maturity of 
the portfolio for any swap that would be subject to clearing with an 
affiliate, provided these swaps must be netted separately from other 
swaps.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The netting provisions of the final rule also address the 
implications of status changes for counterparties. As discussed above, 
the final rule imposes a requirement to exchange initial margin only 
with respect to financial end users whose swap portfolios exceed the 
material swaps exposure threshold. This means a covered swap entity may 
accumulate a portfolio of swaps with a financial end user below the 
threshold, subject to a variation margin requirement, and later if the 
financial end user crosses the threshold, additional swaps entered into 
after that change in the financial end user's status will be subject to 
both initial and variation margin requirements. To address this 
possibility, the final rule extends the treatment of separate netting 
portfolios under a single ENMA beyond pre-compliance-date swaps to 
include separate netting portfolios for swaps entered into before and 
after a financial end user's change into a higher risk status.\156\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \156\ As discussed earlier, the change in status might also 
occur as a counterparty moves in or out of financial end user status 
entirely, or moves in or out of ``other counterparty'' status. The 
final rule extends the separate netting portfolio treatment to all 
status changes equally.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Also, to address circumstances in which, for example, a covered 
swap entity enters into a netting agreement with a counterparty whose 
liquidation regime is somewhat specialized and the covered swap entity 
cannot conclude after sufficient legal review on a well-founded basis 
that a netting agreement meets the definition of EMNA in Sec.  __.2, 
Sec.  __.5(a)(4) of the final rule requires the covered swap entity to 
collect the gross margin amount required but may still apply the 
netting provisions of the rule in determining the amount of margin it 
must post to the counterparty.
    The netting provisions in the final rule are modified from the 
proposal in order to provide clarifications that address implementation 
concerns raised by commenters. The proposed rule provided that if non-
cleared swaps entered into prior to the applicable compliance date were 
included in the EMNA, those swaps would be subject to the margin 
requirements.\157\ Under the proposal, a covered swap entity would have 
needed to establish a new EMNA to cover swaps entered into after the 
compliance date in order to exclude pre-compliance date swaps. A number 
of commenters argued that, in order to allow close-out netting, the 
final rule should not require new master agreements to separate pre- 
and post-compliance date swaps, and that parties should be permitted to 
use credit support annexes that are part of the EMNA instead of new 
master agreements to distinguish pre- and post-compliance date 
swaps.\158\ The final rule addresses these concerns and preserves 
close-out netting by allowing an EMNA to identify one or more separate 
netting portfolios to which the requirements of the final rule apply on 
an aggregate net basis. Thus, under the final rule, pre-compliance date 
swaps in the same EMNA as post-compliance date swaps would be subject 
to the requirements of the final rule unless they are treated under the 
EMNA as a separately identified netting portfolio.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \157\ The netting provisions in the proposal were in Sec.  
__.4(d) for variation margin and Sec.  __.8(b)(2) for initial 
margin.
    \158\ One commenter also requested clarification that the use of 
an EMNA does not prevent use of a master-master netting agreement. 
The final rule requires that any non-cleared swaps that are netted 
for purposes of calculating the margin requirements under the final 
rule are subject to an EMNA that meets the definition in Sec.  __.2 
of the final rule regardless of whether or not there is a master-
master EMNA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A few commenters also contended that counterparties should be able 
to exchange margin on a net basis even where a counterparty is subject 
to an insolvency regime that may not satisfy the EMNA definition (e.g., 
certain U.S. pension funds and insurance companies). Certain commenters 
similarly urged that the final rule should permit the collection and 
posting on a net basis in foreign jurisdictions without legal 
frameworks that recognize concepts such as netting. The Agencies 
believe it would be inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of 
the rule to permit a covered swap entity to net a counterparty's non-
cleared swap obligations to the covered swap entity in determining 
margin collection amounts, unless the covered swap entity can conclude 
on a well-founded basis that the netting provisions of the agreement 
can be enforced against the counterparty (as required in accordance 
with the final rule's definition of the EMNA). However, commenters 
noted that requiring covered swap entities to post collateral on a 
gross basis under circumstances in which there is a risk the 
counterparty's liquidating agent or receiver might not observe the 
netting requirement actually exposes the covered swap entity to greater 
risk. The final rule addresses these concerns by allowing the covered 
swap entity to post the net amount to the counterparty where it cannot 
conclude that an agreement meets the EMNA definition. In cases where 
the EMNA does not meet the definition in Sec.  __.2, however, the 
covered swap entity must still collect the gross amount of margin 
required under the final rule, even if it negotiates to post margin to 
the counterparty on a net basis.
    Certain commenters urged that non-cleared swaps should be permitted 
to be netted against any other products and exposures if such netting 
is legally enforceable. The Agencies declined to incorporate this 
request in the final rule. The Agencies do not believe that it

[[Page 74869]]

would be appropriate for margin requirements for non-cleared swaps to 
be offset by netting other products or exposures across markets against 
other products that may present different concerns about safety and 
soundness or financial stability, or that are not subject to similar 
associated margin requirements. Such treatment appears inconsistent 
with the purposes of the Dodd-Frank Act.
2. Minimum Transfer Amount
    The final rule provides for a minimum transfer amount for the 
collection and posting of margin by covered swap entities. The final 
rule does not require a covered swap entity to collect or post margin 
from or to any individual counterparty unless and until the combined 
amount of initial and variation margin that must be collected or posted 
under the final rule, but has not yet been exchanged with the 
counterparty, is greater than $500,000.\159\ This minimum transfer 
amount is consistent with the 2013 international framework and has been 
adjusted relative to the amount that appeared in the 2014 proposal in 
the manner previously described.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \159\ See Sec.  __.5(b) of the final rule. The minimum transfer 
amount only affects the timing of margin collection; it does not 
change the amount of margin that must be collected once the $500,000 
threshold is crossed. For example, if the margin amount due from (or 
to) the counterparty were to increase from $500,000 to $800,000, the 
covered swap entity would be required to collect the entire $800,000 
(subject to application of any applicable initial margin threshold 
amount).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies received a few comments suggesting that the minimum 
transfer amount should be applied separately to initial margin and 
variation margin. The final rule has been modified from the proposal to 
make clear that the minimum transfer amount applies to the combined 
amount of initial and variation margin. The Agencies believe that the 
proposal's minimum transfer amount of $500,000 is appropriately sized 
to generally alleviate the operational burdens associated with making 
de minimis margin transfers and that the amount applies to both initial 
and variation margin transfers on a combined basis. Another commenter 
requested confirmation that the rule allows a minimum transfer amount 
but does not require it. In response to this comment, the Agencies 
confirm that the minimum transfer amount is allowed but not required 
under the final rule, and parties are free to collect and post margin 
below that amount.
3. Satisfaction of Collecting and Posting Requirements
    Under Sec.  __.5(c) of the final rule, a covered swap entity shall 
not be deemed to have violated its obligation to collect or post 
initial or variation margin from or to a counterparty if: (1) The 
counterparty has refused or otherwise failed to provide or accept the 
required margin to or from the covered swap entity; and (2) the covered 
swap entity has (i) made the necessary efforts to collect or post the 
required margin, or has otherwise demonstrated upon request to the 
satisfaction of the appropriate Agency that it has made appropriate 
efforts to collect or post the required margin, or (ii) commenced 
termination of the non-cleared swap with the counterparty promptly 
following the applicable cure period and notification requirements.
    The Agencies received a comment on this provision suggesting that, 
since financial end users would be required to exchange margin with a 
covered swap entity in amounts determined by the covered swap entity's 
models, the final rule should allow for a dispute resolution process 
acceptable to both the covered swap entity and its counterparty. Under 
the final rule, disputes that may arise between a covered swap entity 
and its counterparty should be handled pursuant to the terms of the 
relevant contract or agreement and in the normal course of business. A 
covered swap entity would not be deemed to have violated its obligation 
to collect or post initial or variation margin from, or to a 
counterparty, if the counterparty is acting in accordance with agreed-
upon practices to settle a disputed trade.

G. Section __.6: Eligible Collateral

    After reviewing the comments to the 2014 proposal, the Agencies 
have decided to make a number of changes to the final rule with respect 
to the list of eligible collateral.
1. Variation Margin
    With respect to variation margin, the 2014 proposal would have 
limited eligible collateral to immediately available cash funds, 
denominated either in USD or in the currency in which payment 
obligations under the non-cleared swap are required to be settled. 
However, after reviewing comments from financial end users of 
derivatives, such as insurance companies, mutual funds, and pension 
funds, the Agencies have expanded the list of eligible variation margin 
for non-cleared swaps between a covered swap entity and financial end 
users. These commenters generally argued that limiting variation margin 
to cash is inconsistent with current market practice for financial end 
users; is incompatible with the 2013 international framework agreement; 
and would drain the liquidity of these financial end users by forcing 
them to hold more cash. In response to these comments, the final rule 
permits assets that are eligible as initial margin to also be eligible 
as variation margin for swap transactions between a covered swap entity 
and financial end user, subject to the applicable haircuts for each 
type of eligible collateral.\160\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \160\ Variation margin is never subject to the segregation 
requirements set forth in Sec.  _.7 of the final rule, regardless of 
whether it consists of cash or non-cash collateral.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This change aligns the rule more closely with market practice. 
Commenters indicated many types of financial end users exchange 
variation margin with their swap dealers in the form of non-cash 
collateral that is compatible with the assets they hold as investments. 
This practice permits them to maximize their investment income and 
minimize margin costs, even though these assets are subject to 
valuation haircuts when posted as variation margin.
    The Agencies note however (as described in the 2014 proposal) that 
most of the variation margin by total volume continues to be in the 
form of cash exchanged between swap dealers.\161\ Therefore, consistent 
with the 2014 proposal, variation margin exchanged by a covered swap 
entity with another swap entity must be in the form of immediately 
available cash funds. Some commenters representing public interest 
groups favored limiting variation margin exchanged between covered swap 
entities to cash, whereas some commenters representing the financial 
sector expressed concern that regulators in other key market 
jurisdictions have not proposed comparable variation margin 
restrictions. The Agencies continue to believe that limiting variation 
margin exchanged between swap entities to cash is consistent with 
regulatory and industry initiatives to improve standardization and 
efficiency in the OTC swaps market. Swap entities have access to cash, 
and its continued use as variation margin between swap entities will 
reduce the potential for disputes over the value of variation margin 
collateral, due to the absence of

[[Page 74870]]

associated market and credit risks. Also, in periods of severe market 
stress, the ultimate liquidity of cash variation margin exchanged 
between covered swap entities--which occupy a key position to provide 
and maintain trading liquidity in the market for non-cleared swaps--
should assist in preserving the financial integrity of that market and 
the stability of the U.S. financial system.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \161\ According to the 2015 ISDA margin survey, 77 percent of 
variation margin received and 77 percent of variation margin 
delivered is in the form of cash, https://www2.isda.org/functional-areas/research/surveys/margin-surveys/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    However, for reasons discussed below, the Agencies are revising the 
final rule to expand the denominations of immediately available cash 
funds that are eligible. Whereas the 2014 proposal only recognized USD 
or the currency of settlement, the final rule expands the category to 
include any major currency.\162\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \162\ The final rule defines the following as a ``major 
currency'': United States Dollar (USD); Canadian Dollar (CAD); Euro 
(EUR); United Kingdom Pound (GBP); Japanese Yen (JPY); Swiss Franc 
(CHF); New Zealand Dollar (NZD); Australian Dollar (AUD); Swedish 
Kronor (SEK); Danish Kroner (DKK); Norwegian Krone (NOK); and any 
other currency as determined by the prudential regulator of the 
covered swap entity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Initial Margin
    With respect to initial margin, the final rule includes an 
expansive list of eligible collateral that is largely consistent with 
the list set forth in the 2014 proposal.\163\ Specifically, in addition 
to immediately available cash funds, denominated in any major currency 
or the currency of settlement, the final rule provides that the 
following collateral may be posted or collected, as appropriate, in 
satisfaction of the minimum initial margin requirements:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \163\ In the proposed rule, the FCA proposed a new definition of 
``investment grade'' for collateral posted or collected by FCS 
institutions that is identical to 12 CFR 1.2(d). The FCA did not 
receive any comments on this proposed definition of ``investment 
grade.'' The FCA is adopting this definition in the final rule 
because it implements section 939A of the Dodd-Frank Act and is 
compatible with the FCA's safety and soundness authority.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     A security that is issued by, or unconditionally 
guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by, the 
U.S. Department of the Treasury;
     A security that is issued by, or unconditionally 
guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by, a 
U.S. government agency (other than the U.S. Department of the Treasury) 
whose obligations are fully guaranteed by the full faith and credit of 
the U.S. government;
     A security that is issued by, or fully guaranteed as to 
the timely payment of principal and interest by, the European Central 
Bank or a sovereign entity that is assigned no higher than a 20 percent 
risk weight under applicable regulatory capital rules;
     A publicly traded debt security issued by, or an asset-
backed security fully guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal 
and interest by a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise that is 
operating with capital support or another form of direct financial 
assistance from the U.S. government that enables the repayments of the 
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise's eligible securities;
     A publicly traded debt security, but not an asset-backed 
security, that is issued by a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise not 
operating with capital support or another form of direct financial 
assistance from the U.S. government and that the covered swap entity 
determines is ``investment grade'' (as defined by the appropriate 
prudential regulator);
     A security that is issued by or unconditionally guaranteed 
as to the timely payment of principal and interest by the Bank for 
International Settlements, the International Monetary Fund, or a 
multilateral development bank;
     A publicly traded debt security that the covered swap 
entity determines is ``investment grade'' (as defined by the 
appropriate prudential regulator);
     A publicly traded common equity security that is included 
in the Standard and Poor's Composite 1500 Index, an index that a 
covered swap entity's supervisor in a foreign jurisdiction recognizes 
for the purposes of including publicly traded common equity as initial 
margin, or any other index for which a covered swap entity can 
demonstrate that the equities represented are as liquid and readily 
marketable as those included in the Standard and Poor's Composite 1500 
Index;
     Certain redeemable government bond funds, described below; 
and
     Gold.
    In contrast to broad commenter concerns about the proposal's 
restrictive treatment of eligible collateral for variation margin, 
commenters addressing initial margin eligible collateral either 
generally supported the proposed asset categories or sought limited 
modifications. Commenters representing public interest groups supported 
the Agencies' rationale in the 2014 proposal of limiting initial margin 
collateral so as to exclude assets prone to excessive exposures to 
credit, market, or foreign exchange risk in times of market stress. 
Some of these commenters questioned the Agencies' inclusion of 
equities, expressing concern about the idiosyncratic risks of equity 
issuers. The Agencies are preserving this aspect of the proposal in the 
final rule, including the requirement for a minimum 15 percent haircut 
on equities in the S&P 500 Index and a minimum 25 percent haircut for 
those in the S&P 1500 Composite Index but not in the S&P 500 
Index.\164\ The Agencies note that, even with these restrictions 
designed to address liquidity and volatility, covered swap entities 
should also take concentrations into account, and prudently manage 
their acceptance of initial margin collateral, with the idiosyncratic 
risk of equity--and publicly traded debt--issuers in mind. Some public 
interest group commenters urged the Agencies to perform annual reviews 
of the eligible collateral categories and the haircuts. However, the 
Agencies believe that it is important to consider longer time periods 
incorporating periods of market stress, and the Agencies calibrated the 
rule's minimum haircuts accordingly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \164\ Although equities included in the S&P 500 Index are also 
included in the S&P 1500 Composite Index, equities in the S&P 500 
Index are subject to the 15 percent minimum haircut, not the 25 
percent minimum haircut.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commenters representing the interests of asset managers, mutual 
funds, and other institutional asset managers asked the Agencies to 
expand the list of eligible collateral to include money market mutual 
funds and bank certificates of deposit, in the interests of providing 
financial end users with a higher yield than cash held by the margin 
custodian and more liquidity than direct holdings of government or 
corporate bonds. To accommodate this concern, the final rule adds 
redeemable securities in a pooled investment fund that holds only 
securities that are issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as to the 
timely payment of principal and interest by, the U.S. Department of the 
Treasury, and cash funds denominated in USD. To provide a parallel 
collateral option for non-cleared swap portfolios in denominations 
other than USD, the pooled investment fund may be structured to invest 
in a pool of securities that are denominated in a common currency and 
issued by, or fully guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal 
and interest by, the European Central Bank or a sovereign entity that 
is assigned no higher than a 20 percent risk weight under applicable 
regulatory capital rules, and cash denominated in the same currency.
    The final rule requires these pooled investment vehicles to issue 
redeemable securities representing the holder's proportional interest 
in the fund's net assets, issued and redeemed only on the basis of the 
fund's net assets prepared each business day after the holder

[[Page 74871]]

makes its investment commitment or redemption request to the fund. 
These criteria are similar to those used for bank trust department 
common trust funds and common investment funds, to facilitate liquidity 
of the redeemable securities while still protecting holders of the 
fund's securities from dilution. The final rule also provides that 
assets of the fund may not be transferred through securities lending, 
securities borrowing, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase 
agreements, or similar arrangements. This is to ensure consistency with 
the prohibition under Sec.  __.7 against custodian rehypothecation of 
initial margin collateral.
    Consistent with the 2014 proposal, the final rule generally does 
not include asset-backed securities (``ABS''), including mortgage-
backed securities (``MBS''), within the permissible category of 
publicly traded debt securities. However, ABS are included as eligible 
collateral if they are issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as to 
the timely payment of principal and interest by, the U.S. Department of 
the Treasury or another U.S. government agency whose obligations are 
fully guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States 
government; or if they are fully guaranteed by a U.S. GSE that is 
operating with capital support or another form of direct financial 
assistance received from the U.S. government that enables repayment of 
the securities.
    Publicly traded debt securities (that are not ABS) issued by GSEs 
are included in eligible collateral as long as the issuing GSE is 
either operating with capital support or another form of direct 
financial assistance received from the U.S. government that enables 
full repayment of principal and interest on these securities, or the 
covered swap entity determines the securities are ``investment grade'' 
(as defined by the appropriate prudential regulator).
    Although the Agencies received several comments concerning the 
proposal's treatment of GSE securities, only modest changes have been 
made in the final rule. Commenters who asked the Agencies to consider 
GSE securities as eligible collateral for variation margin joined many 
others who opposed limiting variation margin collateral to cash only, a 
topic that was addressed in greater detail above.
    Commenters stated that GSE debt securities already are widely used 
as collateral for non-cleared swaps and should continue to be eligible 
under the final rule given their historically low levels of volatility. 
A smaller number of the commenters argued that GSE MBS also should be 
eligible collateral given that markets have accepted GSE MBS as liquid, 
high-quality securities along with other GSE debt. A number of 
commenters suggested that GSE debt securities and MBS should qualify as 
eligible collateral, regardless of whether or not the GSE is operating 
with capital support or another form of financial assistance from the 
United States. Some commenters also questioned why the minimum haircut 
for debt securities of GSEs (operating without capital support or other 
financial assistance from the United States) is not lower than the 
minimum haircuts applicable to corporate debt. Another concern that 
some commenters raised is that the capital and margin rule for non-
cleared swaps differs in its treatment of GSE securities from the 
liquidity coverage ratio rule that the Board, OCC, and FDIC issued in 
2014.\165\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \165\ See 79 FR 61439 (October 10, 2014) (Liquidity Coverage 
Ratio: Liquidity Risk Measurement Standards).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In the final rule, the Agencies recognize the unique nature of GSE 
securities by placing them in a category separate from both securities 
issued directly by U.S. government agencies and those from non-GSE, 
private sector issuers. However, the Agencies continue to believe the 
final rule should treat GSE securities differently depending on whether 
or not the GSE enjoys explicit government support, in the interests of 
both the safety and soundness of covered swap entities and the 
stability of the financial system. GSE debt obligations are not 
explicitly guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. 
government. Existing law, however, authorizes the U.S. Treasury to 
provide lines of credit, up to a specified amount, to certain GSEs in 
the event they face specific financial difficulties. An act of Congress 
would be required to provide adequate support if, for example, a GSE 
were to experience severe difficulty in selling its securities in 
financial markets because investors doubted its ability to meet its 
financial obligations.\166\ The treatment of GSE securities by market 
participants as if those securities were nearly equivalent to U.S. 
Treasury securities in the absence of explicit U.S. Treasury support 
creates a potential threat to financial market stability, especially if 
vulnerabilities arise in markets where one or more GSEs are dominant 
participants, as occurred during the summer of 2008. The final rule's 
differing treatment of GSE collateral based on whether or not the GSE 
has explicit support of the U.S. government helps address this source 
of potential financial instability and recognizes that securities 
issued by an entity explicitly supported by the U.S. government might 
well perform better during a crisis than those issued by an entity 
operating without such support. The final rule adopts the approach that 
was used in the proposed rule and assigns the same minimum haircut to 
both corporate obligations and the debt securities of GSEs that are 
operating without capital support or another form of financial 
assistance from the United States. From the Agencies' perspective, this 
approach facilitates appropriate due diligence when a party considers 
the creditworthiness of a GSE security that it may accept as 
collateral.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \166\ Congress provided such support with the passage of the 
Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 and with the Housing and Economic 
Recovery Act of 2008.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To avoid so-called ``wrong-way risk,'' the final rule retains the 
2014 proposal's provision excluding any securities issued by the 
counterparty or any of its affiliates. To avoid general wrong-way risk, 
the final rule continues to exclude securities issued by a bank holding 
company, a savings and loan holding company, a foreign bank, a 
depository institution, a market intermediary, or any company that 
would be one of the foregoing if it were organized under the laws of 
the United States or any State, or an affiliate of one of the foregoing 
institutions. For the same reason, the Agencies have expanded this 
restriction in the final rule also to exclude securities issued by a 
non-bank systemically important financial institution designated by the 
Financial Stability Oversight Council. These entities are financial in 
nature and, like banks or market intermediaries, would be expected to 
come under significant financial stress in the event of a period of 
financial stress. Accordingly, the Agencies believe that it is also 
appropriate to restrict securities issued by these entities as eligible 
margin collateral to ensure that collected collateral is free from 
significant sources of ``wrong-way risk''.
    The final rule does not allow a covered swap entity to fulfill the 
rule's minimum margin requirements with any assets not included in the 
eligible collateral list, which is comprised of assets that should 
remain liquid and readily marketable during times of financial stress. 
The use of alternative types of collateral to fulfill regulatory margin 
requirements would introduce concerns with pro-cyclicality (for 
example, the changes in the liquidity, price volatility, or wrong-way 
risk of collateral during a period of financial stress could exacerbate 
that stress) and could undermine efforts to ensure that collateral is 
subject to low credit, market, and liquidity risk. Therefore,

[[Page 74872]]

the final rule limits the recognition of margin collateral to the 
aforementioned list of assets.
    Counterparties that wish to make use of assets that do not qualify 
as eligible collateral under the final rule still would be able to 
pledge those assets with a lender in a separate collateral 
transformation arrangement, using the cash or other eligible collateral 
received from that separate arrangement to meet the minimum margin 
requirements.
3. Currency of Settlement, Collateral Valuation, and Haircuts
    For those assets whose values may show volatility during times of 
stress, the final rule imposes an 8 percent cross-currency haircut, and 
standardized prudential supervisory haircuts that vary by asset class. 
When determining how much collateral will be necessary to satisfy the 
minimum initial margin requirement for a particular transaction, a 
covered swap entity must apply the relevant standardized prudential 
supervisory haircut to the value of the eligible collateral. The final 
rule's haircuts guard against the possibility that the value of non-
cash eligible margin collateral could decline during the period between 
when a counterparty defaults and when the covered swap entity closes 
out that counterparty's swap positions.
    The Agencies have revised the cross-currency haircut applicable to 
eligible collateral under the final rule. The cross-currency haircut 
will apply whenever the eligible collateral posted (as either variation 
or initial margin) is denominated in a currency other than the currency 
of settlement, except that in the case of variation margin in 
immediately available cash funds in any major currency are never 
subject to the haircut. The amount of the cross-currency haircut 
remains 8 percent, as it was in the 2014 proposal. The Agencies' have 
decided to eliminate the haircut on variation margin provided in 
immediately available cash funds denominated in all major currencies 
because the cash funds are liquid at the point of counterparty default, 
and there are robust markets in the major currencies that allow 
conversion or hedging to the currency of settlement or termination at 
relatively low cost. The Agencies are including in the final rule the 
cross-currency haircut for all eligible non-cash variation and initial 
margin collateral, in consideration of the limitations on market 
liquidity that can frequently arise on those assets in periods of 
market stress.
    In response to commenters' request for clarification, the Agencies 
have revised the final rule text for the cross-currency haircut to 
refer to the ``currency of settlement,'' and have eliminated the 
corresponding formulation offered for comment in the 2014 
proposal.\167\ Commenters requested that the Agencies provide guidance 
about the rule's application to current market practice incorporating 
contractual provisions specifying an agreed-upon currency of 
settlement, transport, transit currencies and termination 
currencies.\168\
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    \167\ The 2014 proposal was formulated as ``the currency in 
which payment obligations under the swap are required to be 
settled.'' Proposed Rule, Sec.  __.6(a)(1)(ii). In the Supplementary 
Information published as part of the 2014 proposal, the Agencies 
addressed this language, noting that the entirety of the contractual 
obligations between the parties should be considered, including the 
terms of a master agreement governing the non-cleared swaps. The 
Agencies requested comment whether current market practices that 
would raise difficulties or concerns about identifying the 
appropriate settlement currency, from a contractual or operational 
standpoint. 79 FR 57348, 57371 (September 24, 2014).
    \168\ The guidance the Agencies are providing about currencies 
of settlement is specific to the application of this final rule on 
margin collecting and posting requirements for non-cleared swaps.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In identifying the ``currency of settlement'' for purposes of this 
final rule, the Agencies will look to the contractual and operational 
practice of the parties in liquidating their periodic settlement 
obligations for a non-cleared swap in the ordinary course, absent a 
default by either party. To provide greater clarity, the Agencies have 
added a new definition of ``currency of settlement'' to the rule. The 
Agencies have defined ``currency of settlement'' to mean a currency in 
which a party has agreed to discharge payment obligations related to a 
non-cleared swap, a non-cleared security-based swap, a group of non-
cleared swaps, or a group of non-cleared security-based swaps subject 
to a master agreement at the regularly occurring dates on which such 
payments are due in the ordinary course.
    For eligible non-cash initial margin collateral, the final rule 
expressly carves out of the cross-currency haircut assets denominated 
in a single termination currency designated as payable to the non-
posting counterparty as part of the EMNA. The final rule accommodates 
agreements under which each party has a different termination currency. 
If the non-posting counterparty has the option to select among more 
than one termination currency as part of the agreed-upon termination 
and close-out process, the agreement does not meet the final rule's 
single termination currency condition. However, the single termination 
currency condition does not rule out an EMNA establishing more than one 
discrete netting set and establishing separate margining and early 
termination provisions for such a select netting set with its own 
single termination currency.\169\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \169\ As discussed above, the final rule permits discrete 
netting sets under a single eligible master netting agreement, 
subject to conditions specified in Sec.  __.5(a)(3)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As an alternative to the 8 percent cross-currency haircut, 
commenters urged the Agencies to permit any cross-currency sensitivity 
between the swap portfolio credit exposure and the margin collateral 
provided against that exposure to be measured as a component of the 
margin required to be exchanged under the rule. The Agencies are 
concerned this alternative presupposes the covered swap entity's 
certain knowledge, at the time margin amounts must be determined, of 
the collateral denomination to be posted by the counterparty in 
response to the margin call and the denomination of future settlement 
payments. The likelihood of such information being predictably 
available to the covered swap entity is not consistent with commenters' 
depiction of the amount of optionality exercised with respect to these 
factors by swap market participants in current market practice.
    The 8 percent foreign currency haircut--to the extent it arises in 
application of the final rule--is additive to the final rule's 
standardized prudential supervisory haircuts that vary by asset class. 
These haircuts--set forth in Appendix B to the final rule--are 
unchanged from the 2014 proposal. They have been calibrated to be 
broadly consistent with valuation changes observed during periods of 
financial stress, as noted above. Although commenters suggested the 
Agencies permit covered swap entities to determine haircuts through the 
firm's internal models, the Agencies believe the simpler and more 
transparent approach of the standardized haircuts is more than adequate 
to establish appropriately conservative discounts on eligible 
collateral. The final rule permits initial margin calculations to be 
performed using an initial margin model in recognition of the fact that 
swaps and swap portfolios are characterized by a number of complex and 
inter-related risks that depend on the specifics of the swap and swap 
portfolio composition and are difficult to quantify in a simple, 
transparent and cost-effective manner. The exercise of establishing 
appropriate haircuts based on asset class of eligible collateral across 
long exposure periods is much simpler as the risk associated

[[Page 74873]]

with a position in any particular margin eligible asset can be 
reasonably and transparently determined with readily available data and 
risk measurement methods that are widely accepted.
    Finally, because the value of collateral may change, a covered swap 
entity must monitor the value and quality of collateral previously 
collected or posted to satisfy minimum initial margin requirements. If 
the value of such collateral has decreased, or if the quality of the 
collateral has deteriorated so that it no longer qualifies as eligible 
collateral, the covered swap entity must collect or post additional 
collateral of sufficient value and quality to ensure that all 
applicable minimum margin requirements remain satisfied on a daily 
basis.
4. Other Collateral
    Commenters representing commercial end users, such as energy sector 
firms, agricultural producers and processors, and manufacturing firms, 
requested that the Agencies confirm that these counterparties, which 
were not subject to minimum initial margin determined under the 
standardized approach or internal model of the covered swap entity in 
the 2014 proposal, could continue using the diverse types of assets and 
guarantees they currently employ in securing and supporting their non-
cleared swap transactions with swap dealers. Consistent with the 2014 
proposal, Sec.  __.6(f) of the final rule states that covered swap 
entities may collect or post initial variation margin that is not 
required pursuant to the rule in any form of collateral.
    The Dodd-Frank Act provides that in prescribing margin 
requirements, the Agencies shall permit the use of noncash collateral, 
as the Agencies determine to be consistent with (1) preserving the 
financial integrity of markets trading swaps; and (2) preserving the 
stability of the U.S. financial system. The Agencies believe that the 
eligibility of certain non-cash collateral, subject to the conditions 
and restrictions contained in the final rule, is consistent with the 
Dodd-Frank Act, because the use of such non-cash collateral is 
consistent with preserving the financial integrity of markets by 
trading swaps and preserving the stability of the U.S. financial 
system. The non-cash collateral permitted is highly liquid and 
resilient in times of stress and the rule does not permit collateral 
exhibiting significant wrong-way risk. The use of different types of 
eligible collateral pursuant to the requirements of the final rule 
should also incrementally increase liquidity in the financial system.

G. Section __.7: Segregation of Collateral

    The final rule establishes minimum standards for the safekeeping of 
collateral. Section __.7(a) addresses requirements for when a covered 
swap entity posts any collateral other than variation margin. Posting 
collateral to a counterparty exposes a covered swap entity to risks in 
recovering such collateral in the event of its counterparty's 
insolvency. To address these risks and to protect the safety and 
soundness of the covered swap entity, Sec.  __.7(a) requires a covered 
swap entity that posts any collateral other than variation margin with 
respect to a non-cleared swap to require that such collateral be held 
by one or more custodians that are not the covered swap entity, its 
counterparty, or an affiliate of either counterparty. This requirement 
applies to initial margin posted by a covered swap entity pursuant to 
Sec.  __.3(b), as well as other collateral that is not variation margin 
that is not required by this rule but is posted by a covered swap 
entity for other reasons, including negotiated arrangement with its 
counterparty, such as initial margin posted to a financial end user 
that does not have material swaps exposure or initial margin posted to 
another covered swap entity even though the amount was less than the 
$50 million initial margin threshold amount.
    Section __.7(b) addresses requirements for when a covered swap 
entity collects initial margin required by Sec.  __.3(a). Under Sec.  
__.7(b), the covered swap entity shall require that initial margin 
collateral collected pursuant to Sec.  __.3(a) be held at one or more 
custodians that are not the covered swap entity, its counterparty, or 
an affiliate of either counterparty. Because the collection of initial 
margin does not expose the covered swap entity to the same risk of 
counterparty default as when a covered swap entity posts collateral, 
the segregation requirements for initial margin that a covered swap 
entity collects are less stringent than the requirements for posting 
collateral. As a result, Sec.  __.7(b) applies only to initial margin 
that a covered swap entity collects as required by Sec.  __.3(a), 
rather than all collateral collected.
    For collateral subject to Sec.  __.7(a) or (b), Sec.  __.7(c) 
requires the custodian to act pursuant to a custodial agreement that is 
legal, valid, binding, and enforceable under the laws of all relevant 
jurisdictions, including in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency, or 
similar proceedings. Such a custodial agreement must prohibit the 
custodian from rehypothecating, repledging, reusing or otherwise 
transferring (through securities lending, securities borrowing, 
repurchase agreement, reverse repurchase agreement, or other means) the 
funds or other property held by the custodian. Cash collateral may be 
held in a general deposit account with the custodian if the funds in 
the account are used to purchase other forms of eligible collateral, 
such eligible noncash collateral is segregated pursuant to Sec. __.7, 
and such purchase takes place within a time period reasonably necessary 
to consummate such purchase after the cash collateral is posted as 
initial margin.\170\
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    \170\ As described in Sec.  __.6, collateral other than certain 
forms of cash is subject to a haircut. As a result, when cash 
collateral is used to purchase other forms of eligible collateral, a 
haircut will need to be applied.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section ___.7(d) provides that, notwithstanding this prohibition on 
rehypothecating, repledging, reusing or otherwise transferring the 
funds or property held by the custodian, the posting party may 
substitute or direct any reinvestment of collateral, including, under 
certain conditions, collateral collected pursuant to Sec.  __.3(a) or 
posted pursuant to Sec.  __.3(b).
    In particular, for initial margin collected pursuant to Sec.  
___.3(a) or posted pursuant to Sec.  ___.3(b), the posting party may 
substitute only funds or other property that meet the requirements for 
eligible collateral under Sec.  __.6 and where the amount net of 
applicable discounts described in Appendix B would be sufficient to 
meet the requirements of Sec.  __.3. The posting party also may direct 
the custodian to reinvest funds only in assets that would qualify as 
eligible collateral under Sec.  __.6 and ensure that the amount net of 
applicable discounts described in Appendix B would be sufficient to 
meet the initial margin requirements of Sec.  __.3. In the cases of 
both substitution and reinvestment, the final rule requires the covered 
swap entity to ensure that the value of eligible collateral net of 
discounts that is collected or posted remains equal to or above the 
minimum requirements contained in Sec.  __.3. In addition, the 
restrictions on the substitution and reinvestment of collateral 
described above do not apply to cases where a covered swap entity has 
posted or collected more collateral than is required under Sec. __.3. 
In such cases, the initial margin that has been posted or collected in 
satisfaction of Sec.  __.3 is subject to the restrictions, but any 
additional collateral that has been posted is not subject to the 
restrictions. As noted above, any additional collateral that has been 
collected by the

[[Page 74874]]

covered swap entity is not subject to any of the requirements of Sec.  
__.7.
    No segregation of variation margin. Section 7 does not require 
collateral that is collected or posted as variation margin to be held 
by a third-party custodian or subject such collateral to restrictions 
on rehypothecation, repledging, or reuse. Consequently, subject to 
negotiations between the counterparties, a covered swap entity could 
collect cash posted to it in satisfaction of Sec.  __.4(b) from a 
counterparty without establishing a separate account for the 
counterparty. Similarly, a covered swap entity's counterparty would not 
be required to segregate cash funds posted as variation margin by the 
covered swap entity. The same is true with respect to eligible non-cash 
collateral exchanged as variation margin with a financial end user 
pursuant to Sec.  __.6(b); the segregation and custody requirements of 
Sec.  __.7 do not apply.
    Section __.6(b) of the final rule permits eligible non-cash 
collateral to be posted as variation margin for swaps between a covered 
swap entity and a financial end user. In such circumstances, a covered 
swap entity or its financial end user counterparty could reach an 
agreement under which either party could itself hold non-cash 
collateral posted by the other and such non-cash collateral could be 
rehypothecated, repledged, or reused.
    The Agencies received several comments regarding Sec.  __.7. 
Several commenters that operate as custodian banks requested 
clarification whether the final rule's prohibition against the 
custodian rehypothecating, repledging, reusing or otherwise 
transferring initial margin funds or property means that a custodian 
bank is not permitted to accept cash funds that it holds pursuant to 
Sec.  __.7 as a general deposit, and use such funds as it would any 
other funds placed on deposit with it.
    Under Sec.  __.6, eligible collateral for initial margin includes 
``immediately available cash funds'' that are denominated in a major 
currency or the currency of settlement for the non-cleared swap. It is 
not practical for cash funds to be held by a custodian as currency that 
remains the property of the posting party with a security interest 
being granted to its counterparty, e.g., by placing such currency in a 
safety deposit box or in the custodian's vault. Rather, the custodian 
banks explained in their joint comment letter that, under their current 
business practices, when a customer provides them with cash funds to 
hold as a custodian, the custodian bank accepts the funds as a general 
deposit, with the funds becoming property of the custodian bank and the 
customer holding a contractual debt obligation, i.e., a general deposit 
account, of the custodian bank. When holding cash under the arrangement 
described by the custodian bank commenters, a custodian is, in fact, 
not a custodian of a discrete asset but rather a recipient of cash 
funds under a contractual arrangement that establishes a debt 
obligation to be paid on demand--i.e., the custodian is acting as a 
bank. When such a customer has pledged cash funds as collateral under 
the arrangements described by the custodian bank commenters, the 
customer's property interest is the deposit account liability that the 
custodian bank owes to the customer.
    Posting a general deposit account as initial margin raises unique 
concerns that are not present when eligible non-cash collateral is 
posted as initial margin. Permitting initial margin collateral to be 
held in the form of a deposit liability of the custodian bank is 
inconsistent with the final rule's prohibition against rehypothecation 
of such collateral. In addition, employing a deposit liability of the 
custodian bank--or another depository institution--is inconsistent with 
the final rule's prohibition in Sec.  __.6(d) against use of 
obligations issued by a financial firm, because of ``wrong way'' risk. 
On the other hand, as a practical matter, it is very difficult to 
eliminate cash entirely. For example, the final rule's T+1 margin 
collection requirement means that it will often be necessary to use 
cash to cover the first days of a margin call. In addition, income 
generated by non-cash assets in custody will be paid in cash. 
Collateral reinvestments involving replacement of one category of non-
cash asset with another category of non-cash asset may create cash 
balances between settlements. While the parties all have strong 
business incentives to manage and limit these cash fund balances, 
eliminating them entirely would result in a number of inefficiencies.
    To address these concerns, the Agencies have revised the final rule 
to allow cash funds that are placed with a custodian bank in return for 
a general deposit obligation to serve as eligible initial margin 
collateral only in specified circumstances. However, the rule requires 
the posting party to direct the custodian to re-invest the deposited 
funds into eligible non-cash collateral of some type, or the posting 
party to deliver eligible non-cash collateral to substitute for the 
deposited funds. As noted above, the appropriate haircut must be 
applied. This reinvestment must occur within a reasonable period of 
time after the initial placement of cash collateral to satisfy the 
initial margin requirement, and the amount of eligible collateral must 
be sufficient to cover the initial margin amount in light of the 
applicable haircut on the non-cash collateral pursuant to Appendix B of 
the final rule.
    Covered swap entities must appropriately oversee their own initial 
margin collateral posting and that of their counterparties in order to 
constrain the use of cash funds, and achieve efficient reinvestment of 
cash funds in excess of operational and liquidity needs into eligible 
margin securities. The banking agencies have long required banking 
organizations that engage in material swaps activities to create and 
maintain counterparty credit risk exposure management practices, 
including policies and procedures appropriate to evaluate and manage 
exposures that could arise not only from margin collateral liquidity 
and operational concerns, but also collateral-product correlations, 
volatility, and concentrations.\171\ In connection with implementing 
the final rule, covered swap entities should ensure these procedures 
are adequate to assess the levels of cash necessary under the 
circumstances of each counterparty relationship, and to ensure the 
custodian will be directed to reinvest the remainder in non-cash 
collateral promptly, or that the posting party will substitute non-cash 
assets promptly, as applicable.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \171\ See, e.g., Interagency Supervisory Guidance on 
Counterparty Credit Risk Management (2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Several commenters supported the requirement that initial margin be 
held at a third party custodian that was not affiliated with either the 
covered swap entity or its counterparty. Some commenters, however, 
requested that the final rule allow affiliated custodians. These 
commenters expressed concern about complexities that additional parties 
bring to the relationship, as well as reservations about the capacity 
and availability of established custodians in the marketplace. After 
considering these comments, the Agencies have retained the requirement 
that the custodian be unaffiliated with either the covered swap entity 
or its counterparty. On balance, the Agencies are more concerned that 
customer confidence in a particular covered swap entity could be 
correlated with customer confidence in the affiliated custodian, 
especially in times of high market stress, whereas the use of 
independent custodians should offer counterparties a greater measure of 
confidence. Thus, the Agencies believe

[[Page 74875]]

that it is necessary for the safety and soundness of covered swap 
entities and to minimize risk to the financial system that collateral 
be held by a custodian that is neither a counterparty to the swap nor 
an affiliate of either counterparty. This arrangement protects both 
counterparties from the risk of the initial margin being held as part 
of one counterparty's estate (or its affiliate's estate) in the event 
of failure, and therefore not available to the other counterparty.
    Section __.7(c)(2) requires that the custodial agreement be a 
legal, valid, binding, and enforceable agreement under the laws of all 
relevant jurisdictions. Some commenters requested that the final rule 
clarify that the only relevant jurisdiction is that of the custodian. 
The ultimate purpose of the custody agreement is twofold: (1) that the 
initial margin be available to a covered swap entity when its 
counterparty defaults and a loss is realized that exceeds the amount of 
variation margin that has been collected as of the time of default; and 
(2) that the initial margin be returned to the covered swap entity 
after its swap obligations have been fully discharged.
    The jurisdiction of the custodian is one of the relevant 
jurisdictions for these purposes. Thus, a covered swap entity must 
conduct sufficient legal review to conclude with a well-founded basis 
and maintain sufficient written documentation of that legal review that 
in the event of a legal challenge, including one resulting from default 
or from receivership, conservatorship, insolvency, liquidation, or 
similar proceedings of the custodian, the relevant court or 
administrative authorities would find the custodial agreement to be 
legal, valid, binding, and enforceable by the covered swap entity under 
the law applicable to the custodian. A covered swap entity would also 
be expected to establish and maintain written procedures to monitor 
possible changes in relevant law and to ensure that the agreement 
continues to be legal, valid, binding, and enforceable under that law.
    The jurisdiction of a covered swap entity's counterparty, however, 
is also a relevant jurisdiction. The covered swap entity would need to 
ascertain whether, if a counterparty were to become insolvent, or 
otherwise be placed under the control of a resolution authority, there 
would be a legal basis to set aside the custodial arrangement, allowing 
the resolution authority to reclaim for the estate assets that the 
counterparty had placed with the custodian. Thus, the covered swap 
entity would have to conduct a sufficient legal review to conclude with 
a well-founded basis that in the event of a legal challenge, including 
one resulting from default or from receivership, conservatorship, 
insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceedings of the counterparty, 
the relevant court or administrative authorities would find the 
custodial agreement to be legal, valid, binding, and enforceable by the 
covered swap entity under the law applicable to the counterparty.
    Several commenters requested that the segregation requirement be 
optional, rather than required. The Agencies proposed the mandatory 
custodian requirements in Sec.  __.7 aware that sections 4s(l) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act and section 3E(f) of the Securities Exchange Act 
require a swap dealer and security-based swap dealer, respectively, to 
provide a counterparty with the option of requiring that its funds or 
other property supplied as initial margin be held in a segregated 
account at an independent third-party custodian. The Agencies continue 
to believe that requiring initial margin collateral to be segregated at 
an independent third-party custodian will help to ensure the safety and 
soundness of covered swap entities subject to the rule and offset the 
risk to the financial system arising from the use of non-cleared swaps.
    The Agencies believe that requiring a covered swap entity to place 
initial margin collateral it collects at an independent third party 
custodian will provide greater customer confidence that the collateral 
will be available to be returned upon the closeout of a swap, 
particularly in times of financial stress. Additionally, the Agencies 
believe requiring a covered swap entity to ensure that any initial 
margin collateral it posts is placed at an independent third-party 
custodian will enhance the safety and soundness of the covered swap 
entity by protecting it from the risk that initial margin collateral 
could be held as part of the counterparty's estate in the event of the 
counterparty's failure.
    Several commenters requested that the final rule allow greater 
flexibility in segregation arrangements. These commenters requested 
that the final rule permit arrangements such as title transfer and 
charge-back of margin, segregation of margin on the books of the 
covered swap entity or within an affiliate if such collateral is 
insulated from the covered swap entity's insolvency. The Agencies do 
not believe that the alternative arrangements suggested by the 
commenters adequately ensure the safety and soundness of the covered 
swap entity nor adequately offset the risk to the financial system 
arising from the use of non-cleared swaps.
    One commenter recommended that the final rule allow limited 
rehypothecation that would meet the requirements of the 2013 
international framework if a model for such rehypothecation could be 
developed for use by counterparties. The commenter also noted that 
other regulators may permit rehypothecation and, if so, a prohibition 
would create a competitive disadvantage for market participants subject 
to the Agencies' rule. However the commenter did not propose a specific 
model for limited rehypothecation. The Agencies have not revised the 
proposed regulation to accommodate a potential future model that may be 
developed. Should such a model be developed, the Agencies could 
consider such a model at that time.
    One commenter requested that the final rule clarify that the 
required custodian arrangements be tri-party, i.e., entered into 
pursuant to an agreement between the covered swap entity, its 
counterparty, and the custodian. The commenter expressed concern that 
if a covered swap entity's counterparty is not a party to the custodial 
agreement, it would not be in contractual privity with the unaffiliated 
custodian, and the covered swap entity essentially would exercise 
exclusive control over its counterparty's initial margin. The Agencies 
believe the specific structure of the custody arrangements required by 
the rule are better left, on balance, to negotiations of the parties, 
in accordance with the specific concerns of those parties. Tri-party 
custody may be an optimal arrangement for some firms, while for others, 
it has not typically been sought under established market practice.

H. Section __.8: Initial Margin Models and Standardized Amounts

1. Initial Margin Models
    As in the proposed rule, the final rule adopts an approach whereby 
covered swap entities may calculate initial margin requirements using 
an approved initial margin model. As in the case of the proposal, the 
final rule also requires that the initial margin amount be set equal to 
a model's calculation of the potential future exposure of the non-
cleared swap consistent with a one-tailed 99 percent confidence level 
over a 10-day close-out period. More specifically, under the final 
rule, initial margin models must capture all of the material risks that 
affect the non-cleared swap including material non-linear

[[Page 74876]]

price characteristics of the swap.\172\ For example, the initial margin 
calculation for a swap that is an option on an underlying asset, such 
as an option on a credit default swap contract, would be required to 
capture material non-linearities arising from changes in the price of 
the underlying asset or changes in its volatility. Moreover, the margin 
calculations for derivatives in distinct product-based asset classes, 
such as equity and credit, must be performed separately without regard 
to derivatives contracts in other asset classes. Each derivative 
contract must be assigned to a single asset class in accordance with 
the classifications in the final rule (i.e., foreign exchange or 
interest rate, commodity, credit, and equity). The presence of any 
common risks or risk factors across asset classes cannot be recognized 
for initial margin purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \172\ See Sec.  __.8(d)(9) of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies' belief is that these modeling standards should ensure 
a robust initial margin regime for non-cleared swaps that sufficiently 
limits systemic risk and reduces potential counterparty exposures.
    Some commenters suggested that the proposal's requirement that the 
model include all material non-linear price characteristics in the 
underlying non-cleared swap was too stringent and should be relaxed. 
The Agencies have decided to retain this aspect of the quantitative 
modeling requirements in the final rule. The Agencies are concerned 
that the non-cleared swap market will be comprised of a large number of 
complex and bespoke swaps that will display significant non-linear 
price characteristics that will have a direct effect on their risk 
exposure. Accordingly, the final rule requires that all material non-
linear price characteristics of the non-cleared swap be considered in 
assessing the risk of the swap. There may be non-linear price 
characteristics of a particular non-cleared swap that are not material 
in assessing its risk profile. In such cases these non-linear price 
characteristics need not be explicitly included in the initial margin 
model. The Agencies expect that in determining whether or not a given 
non-linear price characteristic is material, covered swap entities will 
engage in a holistic review of the non-cleared swap's risk profile and 
make determinations based on the totality of the non-cleared swap's 
risks.
    All initial margin models must be approved by a covered swap 
entity's prudential regulator before being used for margin calculation 
purposes. In the event that a model is not approved, initial margin 
calculations would have to be performed according to the standardized 
initial margin approach that is detailed in appendix A and discussed 
below.
    In addition to the requirement that the models appropriately 
capture all material sources of risk, as discussed above, the final 
rule contains a number of standards and criteria that must be satisfied 
by initial margin models. These standards relate to the technical 
aspects of the model as well as broader oversight and governance 
standards. These standards are broadly similar to modeling standards 
that are already required for internal regulatory capital models of 
banks.
    More specifically, under the final rule a covered swap entity must 
periodically, and no less than annually, review its initial margin 
model in light of developments in financial markets and modeling 
technologies and make appropriate adjustments to the model. Relatedly, 
the data used to calibrate and execute the initial margin model must 
also be reviewed no less frequently than annually to ensure that the 
data is appropriate for the products for which initial margin is being 
calculated. Different, additional or more granular data series may, at 
certain times, become available that would provide more accurate 
measurements of the risks that the initial margin model is intended to 
capture.
    In addition to this regular review process, the final rule also 
requires that robust oversight, control and validation mechanisms be in 
place to ensure the integrity and validity of the initial margin model 
and related processes. More specifically, the final rule requires that 
the model be independently validated prior to implementation and on an 
ongoing basis which would also include a monitoring process that 
includes back-tests of the model and related analyses to ensure that 
the level of initial margin being calculated is consistent with the 
underlying risk of the swap being margined. Initial margin models must 
also be subject to explicit escalation procedures that would make any 
significant changes to the model subject to internal review and 
approval before taking effect. Under the final rule, any such review 
and approval must be based on demonstrable analysis that the change to 
the model results in a model that is consistent with the requirements 
of Sec.  __.8. Furthermore, under the final rule, any such changes or 
extensions of the initial margin model must be communicated to the 
relevant Agency 60 days prior to taking effect to give the Agency the 
opportunity to rescind its prior approval or subject it to additional 
conditions.
    Some commenters suggested that the model governance, control and 
oversight standards of the proposed rule were too strict and should not 
be so closely aligned with the model governance requirements for bank 
capital models. One commenter suggested that since initial margin 
amounts must be agreed to between counterparties, it is not practical 
to require strict model governance standards.
    The Agencies believe that strong model governance, oversight and 
control standards are crucial to ensuring the integrity of the initial 
margin model so as to provide for margin requirements that are 
commensurate with the risk of non-cleared swaps. Moreover, the Agencies 
are aware that there will be incentives to economize on initial margin 
and that strong governance standards that are intended to result in 
robust and risk-appropriate initial margin amounts is of critical 
importance. One commenter suggested that the initial margin model not 
be required to be back-tested against the initial margin requirements 
for similar cleared swaps. In light of the clear competitive forces 
that will exist between cleared and non-cleared swaps, the Agencies 
believe that it is appropriate to compare the initial margin 
requirements of non-cleared swaps to those of similar cleared swaps. 
Further, the Agencies understand that comparable cleared swaps with 
observable initial margin standards may not always be available given 
the complexity and variety of non-cleared swaps. Nevertheless, the 
Agencies believe that where similar swaps trade on a cleared and non-
cleared basis, such comparisons are useful and informative.
    One commenter suggested that where a covered swap entity is 
regulated by a foreign regulator and the foreign regulator has approved 
an initial margin model on the basis of comparable standards, the 
Agencies should defer to the approval of the foreign regulator and 
should not require Agency approval of the initial margin model. While 
the Agencies appreciate the global nature of the swaps market as well 
as the requirement to engage in close cross-border coordination with 
foreign regulators, the Agencies are required by statute to require 
initial and variation margin requirements that are appropriate for the 
risk of the non-cleared swaps. Accordingly, each Agency must find that 
any covered swap entity subject to its regulation is in compliance with 
all aspects of that Agency's margin requirements including the 
standards for initial margin models. Accordingly, while the

[[Page 74877]]

Agencies expect to coordinate and communicate with foreign regulators 
regarding covered swap entities that are regulated by both the Agencies 
and foreign regulators, the final rule requires any quantitative 
initial margin model to adhere to the standards of the final rule and 
be approved by the relevant Agency.
    One commenter suggested that the frequency with which data must be 
reviewed and revised as necessary should be annual rather than monthly 
to better align with other aspects of the proposal that require certain 
governance processes to be conducted on an annual rather than monthly 
basis. The Agencies believe that harmonizing the frequency with which 
certain model governance processes must be performed will reduce the 
costs associated with the regular oversight and maintenance of the 
initial margin model without meaningfully altering the overall 
standards for model governance. Accordingly, the final rule requires 
that data used in the initial margin model be reviewed and revised as 
necessary on an annual rather than monthly basis.
    Initial margin models will be reviewed for approval by the 
appropriate Agency upon the request of a covered swap entity. Models 
that are reviewed for approval will be analyzed and subjected to a 
number of tests by the appropriate Agency to ensure that the model 
complies with the requirements of the final rule. Given that covered 
swap entities may engage in highly specialized business lines with 
varying degrees of intensity, it is expected that specific initial 
margin models may vary across covered swap entities. Accordingly, the 
specific analyses that will be undertaken in the context of any single 
model review may have to be tailored to the specific uses for which the 
model is intended. The nature and scope of initial margin model reviews 
are expected to be generally similar to reviews that are conducted in 
the context of other model review processes such as those relating to 
the approval of internal models for bank regulatory capital purposes. 
Initial margin models will also undergo periodic supervisory reviews to 
ensure that they remain compliant with the requirements of the proposed 
rule and are consistent with existing best practices over time.
    Given the complexity and diverse nature of non-cleared swaps it is 
expected that covered swap entities may choose to make use of vendor 
supplied products and services in developing their own initial margin 
models. The final rule does not place any limits or restrictions on the 
use of vendor supplied model components such as specific data feeds, 
computing environments or calculation engines beyond those requirements 
that must be satisfied by any initial margin model. In particular, the 
relevant Agency will conduct a holistic review of the entire initial 
margin model and assess whether the model and related inputs and 
processes meet the requirements of the final rule.
    To the extent that a covered swap entity uses vendor supplied 
inputs in conjunction with its own internal inputs and processes, an 
Agency's model approval decision will apply to the specific initial 
margin model used by a covered swap entity and not to a generally 
available vendor supplied model. To the extent that one or more vendors 
provide models or model-related inputs (e.g., calculation engines) 
that, in conjunction with the covered swap entities' own internal 
methods and processes, are part of an approved initial margin model, an 
Agency may also approve those vendor models. Model-related inputs may 
also be approved for use by other covered swap entities though that 
determination will be made on a case-by-case basis depending on the 
entirety of the processes that are employed in the application of the 
vendor supplied inputs and models by a covered swap entity.
a. Ten-Day Close-Out Period Assumption.
    Since non-cleared swaps are expected to be less liquid than cleared 
swaps, the final rule specifies a minimum close-out period for the 
initial margin model of 10 business days, compared with a typical 
requirement of 3 to 5 business days used by CCPs.\173\ Moreover, the 
required 10-day close-out period assumption is consistent with 
counterparty credit risk capital requirements for banks. Accordingly, 
to the extent that non-cleared swaps are expected to be less liquid 
than cleared swaps and to the extent that related capital rules which 
also mitigate counterparty credit risk similarly require a 10-day 
close-out period assumption, the Agencies' view is that a 10-day close-
out period assumption for margin purposes is appropriate.\174\
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    \173\ See Sec.  __.8(d)(1) of the final rule.
    \174\ In cases where a swap has a remaining maturity of less 
than 10 days, the remaining maturity of the swap, rather than 10 
days, may be used as the close-out period in the margin model 
calculation.
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    Under the final rule, the initial margin model calculation must be 
performed directly over a 10-day close out period. In the context of 
bank regulatory capital rules, a long horizon calculation (such as 10 
days) may, under certain circumstances, be indirectly computed by 
making a calculation over a shorter horizon (such as 1 day) and then 
scaled to the longer 10-day horizon according to a fixed rule to be 
consistent with the longer 10-day horizon. The rule does not provide 
this option to covered swap entities using an approved initial margin 
model. The Agencies' view is that the rationale for allowing such 
indirect calculations that rely on scaling shorter horizon calculations 
to longer horizons has largely been based on computational and cost 
considerations that were material in the past but are much less now, in 
light of advances in computational speeds and reduced computing costs.
    The Agencies received a number of comments concerning the length of 
the assumed close-out period used in the initial margin calculations. 
One commenter suggested the 10-day period was too long and suggested a 
close-out period of three to five days was adequate to ensure 
sufficient time to close out or hedge a defaulting counterparty's swap 
contract. Another commenter suggested a 10-day close-out period was too 
short and the resulting initial margins would not always be larger and 
more conservative than initial margins charged on cleared swaps.
    The Agencies believe that a ten-day close-out period is appropriate 
for determining the level of initial margin in the final rule. Non-
cleared swaps are expected to be less liquid and less frequently traded 
than cleared swaps which typically require initial margin amounts 
consistent with a three to five day close-out period. Accordingly, it 
is appropriate that the close-out period applied to non-cleared swaps 
be longer than that which is generally applied to cleared swaps. At the 
same time, the Agencies are aware that it may not be the case that the 
regulatory minimum required initial margin on a non-cleared swap will 
always be larger than the initial margin required on any related 
cleared swap as margining practices at CCPs vary from one CCP to 
another and may exceed minimum required margin levels due to the 
specific risk of the swap in question or the margining practices of the 
CCP. Moreover, given the complexity and diversity of the non-cleared 
swap market, the Agencies believe that it is not possible and 
unnecessary to prescribe a specific and different close-out horizon for 
each type of non-cleared swap that may exist in the marketplace. The 
Agencies do believe that it is appropriate for a covered swap entity to 
use a close-out period longer than ten-days in those

[[Page 74878]]

circumstances in which the specific risk of the swap indicates that 
doing so is prudent. In terms of specifying a regulatory minimum 
requirement, however, the Agencies believe that a ten-day close-out 
period is sufficiently long to generally guard against the heightened 
risk of less liquid, non-cleared swaps.
b. Recognition of Portfolio Risk Offsets.
    The final rule permits a covered swap entity to use an internal 
initial margin model that reflects offsetting exposures, 
diversification, and other hedging benefits within four broad risk 
categories: commodities, credit, equity, and foreign exchange and 
interest rates (considered together as a single asset class) when 
calculating initial margin for a particular counterparty if the non-
cleared swaps are executed under the same EMNA.\175\ The final rule 
does not permit an initial margin model to reflect offsetting 
exposures, diversification, or other hedging benefits across those 
broad risk categories.\176\ As a specific example, if a covered swap 
entity entered into two non-cleared credit swaps and two non-cleared 
commodity swaps with a single counterparty under an EMNA, the covered 
swap entity could use an approved initial margin model to perform two 
separate initial margin calculations: The initial margin collection 
amount calculation for the non-cleared credit swaps and the initial 
margin collection amount calculation for the non-cleared commodity 
swaps. Each calculation could recognize offsetting and diversification 
within the non-cleared credit swaps and within the non-cleared 
commodity swaps. The result of the two separate calculations would then 
be summed together to arrive at the total initial margin collection 
amount for the four non-cleared swaps (two non-cleared credit swaps and 
two non-cleared commodity swaps).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \175\ See Sec.  __.8(d)(3) of the final rule.
    \176\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies received comments on a range of issues that broadly 
relate to the recognition of portfolio risk offsets.
c. Single Commodity Asset Class
    One commenter requested that the rule specify only a single 
commodity asset class rather than the four separate asset classes that 
were specified in the proposal (agricultural commodities, energy 
commodities, metal commodities and other commodities). Under the 
proposal, initial margin on non-cleared commodity swaps would be 
calculated separately for each sub-asset class within the broader 
commodities asset class. The commenter suggested that there are 
significant and relatively stable correlations across related commodity 
categories that should not be ignored for hedging and margining 
purposes. The commenter also noted that commodity index swaps are a 
significant source of non-cleared commodity swap activity and that 
these swaps comprise exposures to each of the four commodity sub-asset 
classes that were identified in the proposal. Accordingly, the 
commenter suggested, implementing the proposal's four separate sub-
asset class categories would not be appropriately risk sensitive and 
would be difficult and burdensome to implement for a significant class 
of commodity swaps.
    The Agencies have considered this comment and have decided to group 
all non-cleared commodity swaps into a single asset class for initial 
margin calculation purposes. The Agencies believe that there is enough 
commonality across different commodity categories to warrant 
recognition of conceptually sound and empirically justified risk 
offsets. Moreover, the Agencies note that both the proposal and the 
final rule take a relatively broad view of the other asset classes: 
Equity, credit, interest rates and foreign exchange. In prescribing the 
granularity of the asset classes there is a clear trade-off between 
simplicity and certainty around the stability of hedging relationships 
in narrowly defined asset classes and the greater flexibility and risk 
sensitivity that is provided by broader asset class distinctions. 
Therefore, the Agencies have decided to adopt a commodity asset class 
definition that is consistent with the other three asset classes and is 
appropriate in light of current market practices and conventions.
d. Risk Offsets Between Asset Classes
    One commenter suggested that the margin requirements should be more 
reflective of risk offsets that exist between disparate asset classes 
such as equity and commodities. As was expressed in the proposal, 
however, the Agencies are of the view that the qualitative and 
quantitative basis for allowing for risk offsets among non-cleared 
swaps within a given, and relatively broad, asset class such as 
equities is conceptually stronger and better supported by historical 
data and experience than is the basis for recognizing such offsets 
across disparate asset classes such as foreign exchange and 
commodities. Non-cleared swaps that trade within a given asset class, 
such as equities, are likely to be subject to similar market 
fundamentals and dynamics as the underlying instruments themselves 
trade in related markets and represent claims on related financial 
assets. In such cases, it is more likely that a stable and systematic 
relationship exists that can form the conceptual and empirical basis 
for applying risk offsets.
    To the contrary, non-cleared swaps in disparate asset classes such 
as foreign exchange and commodities are generally unlikely to be 
influenced by similar market fundamentals and dynamics that would 
generally suggest a stable relationship upon which reasonable risk 
offsets could be based. Rather, to the extent that empirical data and 
analysis suggest some degree of risk offset exists between swaps in 
disparate asset classes, this relationship may change unexpectedly over 
time in ways that could demonstrably change and weaken the assumed risk 
offset. Accordingly, the Agencies have decided to allow for risk 
offsets that have a sound conceptual and empirical basis across non-
cleared swaps within the broad asset classes of equity, credit, 
commodity, and interest rates and foreign exchange but not to allow 
risk offsets across swaps in differing asset classes. Moreover, the 
Agencies note that the final asset class described above is interest 
rates and foreign exchange taken as a group. Accordingly, the final 
rule will allow conceptually sound and empirically supported risk 
offsets between an interest rate swap on a foreign interest rate and a 
currency swap in a foreign currency.
e. Offsets Across Risk Factors
    Some commenters suggested that initial margin models should allow 
for offsets across risk factors even if these risk factors are present 
in non-cleared swaps across multiple asset classes such as equity and 
credit. For example, the commenters stated that both an equity swap and 
a credit swap may be exposed to some amount of interest rate risk. The 
commenters suggested that the interest rate risk inherent in the equity 
and credit swaps should be recognized on a portfolio basis so that any 
offsetting interest rate exposure across the two swaps could be 
recognized in the initial margin model. This approach would effectively 
require that all non-cleared swaps be described in terms of a number of 
``risk factors'' and the initial margin model would consider the 
exposure to each risk factor separately. The initial margin amount 
required on a portfolio of non-cleared swaps would then be computed as 
the sum of the amounts required for each risk factor.
    This ``risk factor'' based approach described above is different 
from the Agencies' proposal. Under the proposal,

[[Page 74879]]

initial margin on a portfolio of non-cleared swaps was calculated on a 
product-level basis. In terms of the above example, initial margin 
would have been calculated separately for the equity swap and 
calculated separately for the credit swap. In the case of both the 
equity and credit swap, interest rate risk in the swap would have been 
modeled and measured without regard to the interest rate exposure of 
the other swap. The total initial margin requirement would have been 
the sum of the initial margin requirement for the equity swap and the 
credit swap. Accordingly, no offset would have been recognized between 
any potentially offsetting interest rate exposure in the equity and 
credit swap.
    The Agencies have considered the commenters' ``risk factor'' based 
approach described above and have decided not to adopt this approach, 
but to adopt the Agencies' proposed approach in the final rule for a 
number of reasons.
    First, a product-based approach to calculating initial margin is 
clear and transparent. In many market segments it is quite common to 
report and measure swap exposures on a product-level basis.\177\ As an 
example, the Bank for International Settlements regularly publishes 
data on the outstanding notional amounts of OTC derivatives on a 
product-level basis. In addition, existing trade repositories, such as 
the DTCC global trade repositories for interest rate and credit swaps, 
report credit and interest rate derivatives on a product-level basis. 
Moreover, a risk factor based approach has the potential to be opaque 
and unwieldy. Modern derivative pricing models that are used by banks 
and other market participants may employ hundreds of risk factors that 
are not standardized across products or models.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \177\ http://www.bis.org/statistics/dt1920a.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    While it is the case that some swaps may have hybrid features that 
make it challenging to assign them to one specific asset class, the 
Agencies believe that the incidence of this occurrence will be 
relatively uncommon and can be dealt with under the final rule. In 
particular, as of December 2014, the Bank for International Settlements 
reported that of the roughly $630 trillion in gross notional 
outstanding, roughly 3.6 percent of these contracts cannot be allocated 
to one of the following broad asset categories: Foreign exchange, 
interest rate, equity, commodity and credit. The Agencies also note 
that this fraction has declined from roughly 6.6 percent in June 2012 
which suggests that the challenges associated with such hybrid swaps 
are declining over time. In such cases where the allocation of a 
particular non-cleared swap to a specific asset class is not 
uncontroversial, the Agencies expect an allocation to be made based on 
whichever broad asset class represents the preponderance of the non-
cleared swap's overall risk profile.
    Second, a product-level initial margin model is well aligned with 
current practice for cleared swaps. Some clearinghouses that offer 
multiple swaps for clearing, such as the CME, do allow for risk offsets 
within an asset class but do not generally allow for any risk offsets 
across asset classes. Again, as a specific example, the CME offers both 
cleared interest rate and credit default swaps. The CME's initial 
margin model is a highly sophisticated risk management model that does 
allow for offsetting among different credit swaps and among different 
interest rate swaps but does not allow for risk offsets between 
interest rate and credit swaps. This approach to calculating initial 
margin also provides a significant amount of transparency as market 
participants, regulators and the public can assess the extent to which 
trading activity in specific asset classes generates counterparty 
exposures that require initial margin. To the extent that some risk 
factors may cut across more than one asset class, the use of a risk-
factor-based margining approach would make evaluating the quantum of 
risk posed by the trading activity in any one set of products difficult 
to measure and manage on a systematic basis which poses significant 
challenges to users of non-cleared swaps as well as regulators and the 
broader public who have an interest in monitoring and evaluating the 
risks of different non-cleared swap activities.
    Third, the Agencies note that the final rule's product-level 
approach to initial margin explicitly allows for risk offsets though 
the precise form of these offsets differs from a ``risk factor'' based 
approach. The Agencies believe that conceptually sound and empirically 
justified risk offsets for initial margin are appropriate and have 
included such offsets in the final rule. In general, there are a large 
number of possible approaches that could be taken to allow for such 
offsets. The Agencies have considered the alternatives raised by the 
commenters and have adopted in the final rule an approach to 
recognizing risk offsets that provides for a significant amount of 
hedging and diversification benefits while also promoting transparency 
and simplicity in the margining framework.
f. Product Offsets
    Some commenters suggested that for the purposes of calculating 
model-based initial margin amounts, portfolio offsets should be 
recognized between non-cleared swaps, cleared swaps and other products 
such as positions in securities. The Agencies' authority under the 
Dodd-Frank Act for prescribing margin requirements on non-cleared swaps 
relates only to non-cleared swaps and not to other products even if 
those products are themselves, at times, traded in conjunction with 
non-cleared swaps. In particular, sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-
Frank Act require that the margin requirements be ``imposed on all 
swaps that are not cleared'' and that those requirements ``be 
appropriate for the risk associated with non-cleared swaps held as a 
swap dealer or major swap participant.'' \178\ The Agencies believe 
that it is appropriate for the margin requirements to be reflective of 
the risks in a covered swap entity's portfolio of non-cleared swaps and 
not to recognize risks--either as offsets or sources of additional 
risk--from other products that are not subject to the margin 
requirements of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \178\ See Dodd-Frank Act sections 731 and 764.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

g. Stress Calibration
    In addition to a time horizon of 10 trading days and a one-tailed 
confidence level of 99 percent, the final rule requires the initial 
margin model to be calibrated to a period of financial stress.\179\ In 
particular, the initial margin model must employ a stress period 
calibration for each broad asset class (commodity, credit, equity, and 
interest rate and foreign exchange). The stress period calibration 
employed for each broad asset class must be appropriate to the specific 
asset class in question. While a common stress period calibration may 
be appropriate for some asset classes, a common stress period 
calibration for all asset classes would be considered appropriate only 
if it is appropriate for each specific underlying asset class. Also, 
the time period used to inform the stress period calibration must 
include at least one year, but no more than five years of equally-
weighted historical data. This final rule's requirement is intended to 
balance the tradeoff between shorter and longer data spans. Shorter 
data spans are sensitive to evolving market conditions but may also 
overreact to short-term and idiosyncratic spikes in volatility, 
resulting in procyclical margin requirements. Longer data spans are 
less sensitive to short-term market

[[Page 74880]]

developments but may also place too little emphasis on periods of 
financial stress, resulting in lower initial margins. Also, the 
requirement that the data be equally weighted will establish a degree 
of consistency in model calibration while also ensuring that particular 
weighting schemes do not result in procyclical margin requirements 
during short-term bouts of heightened volatility.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \179\ See Sec.  __.8(d)(13) of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Calibration to a stress period helps to ensure that the resulting 
initial margin requirement is robust to a period of financial stress 
during which swap entities and financial end user counterparties are 
more likely to default, and counterparties handling a default are more 
likely to be under pressure. The stress calibration requirement also 
reduces the systemic risk associated with any increase in margin 
requirements that might occur in response to an abrupt increase in 
volatility during a period of financial stress, as initial margin 
requirements will already reflect a historical stress event.
    One commenter suggested that the overall level of the proposed 
initial margin requirements were too high and that the proposed 
requirement to calibrate the initial margin model to a period of 
financial stress was too conservative. The Agencies have considered 
this comment but continue to believe that the overall level of the 
initial margin requirements is consistent with the goals of prescribing 
margin requirements that are appropriate for the risk of non-cleared 
swaps and the safety and soundness of the covered swap entity. 
Moreover, the requirement to calibrate the initial margin model to a 
period of financial stress has two important benefits. First, margin 
requirements that are consistent with a period of financial stress will 
help to ensure that counterparties are sufficiently protected against 
the type of severe financial stresses that are most likely to have 
systemic consequences. Second, calibrating margins to a period of 
financial stress should have the effect of reducing the extent to which 
margins are pro-cyclical. Specifically, since margin levels will be 
consistent with a period of above average market volatility and risk, a 
moderate rise in risk levels should not require any increase or re-
evaluation of margin levels. In this sense, margin requirements will be 
less likely to increase abruptly following a market shock. There may be 
circumstances in which the financial system experiences a significant 
financial stress that is even greater than the stress to which initial 
margins have been calibrated. In these cases, initial margin 
requirements will rise as margin levels are re-calibrated to be 
consistent with the new and greater stress level. The Agencies expect 
such occurrences to be relatively infrequent and, ultimately, any risk-
sensitive and empirically-based method for calibrating a risk model 
must exhibit some sensitivity to changing financial market risks and 
conditions.
h. Cross-Currency Swaps
    As discussed above, an approved initial margin model must generally 
account for all of the material risks that affect the non-cleared swap. 
An exception to this requirement has been made in the specific case of 
cross-currency swaps. In a cross-currency swap, one party exchanges 
with another party principal and interest rate payments in one currency 
for principal and interest rate payments in another currency, and the 
exchange of principal occurs upon the inception of the swap, with a 
reversal of the exchange of principal at a later date that is agreed 
upon at the inception of the swap.
    Under the final rule, an initial margin model need not recognize 
any risks or risk factors associated with the foreign exchange 
transactions associated with the fixed exchange of principal embedded 
in a cross-currency swap as defined in Sec.  __.2 of the final rule. 
The initial margin model must recognize all risks and risk factors 
associated with all other payments and cash flows that occur during the 
life of the cross-currency swap. In the context of the standardized 
margin approach, described in Appendix A and further below, the gross 
initial margin rates have been set equal to those for interest rate 
swaps. This treatment recognizes that cross-currency swaps are subject 
to risks arising from fluctuations in interest rates but does not 
recognize any risks associated with the fixed exchange of principal 
since principal is typically not exchanged on interest rate swaps.
i. Frequency of Margin Calculation
    The final rule requires that an approved initial margin model be 
used to calculate the required initial margin collection amount on a 
daily basis. In cases where the initial margin collection amount 
increases, this new amount must be used as the basis for determining 
the amount of initial margin that must be collected from a financial 
end user with material swaps exposure or a swap entity counterparty. In 
addition, when a covered swap entity faces a financial end user with 
material swaps exposure, the covered swap entity must also calculate 
the initial margin collection amount from the perspective of its 
counterparty on a daily basis. In the event that this amount increases, 
the covered swap entity must use this new amount as the basis for 
determining the amount of initial margin that it must post to its 
counterparty. In cases where this amount decreases, the new amount 
would represent the new minimum required amount of initial margin. 
Accordingly, any previously collected or posted collateral in excess of 
this amount would represent additional initial margin collateral that, 
subject to bilateral agreement, could be returned.
    The use of an approved initial margin model may result in changes 
to the initial margin collection amount on a daily basis for a number 
of reasons. First, the characteristics of the swaps that have a 
material effect on their risk may change over time. As an example, the 
credit quality of a corporate reference entity upon which a credit 
default swap contract is written may undergo a measurable decline. A 
decline in the credit quality of the reference entity would be expected 
to have a material impact on the initial margin model's risk assessment 
and the resulting initial margin collection amount. More generally, as 
the swaps' relevant risk characteristics change, so will the initial 
margin collection amount. In addition, any change to the composition of 
the swap portfolio that results in the addition or deletion of swaps 
from the portfolio would result in a change in the initial margin 
collection amount. Second, the underlying parameters and data that are 
used in the model may change over time as underlying conditions change. 
As an example, in the event that a new period of financial stress is 
encountered in one or more asset classes, the initial margin model's 
risk assessment of a swap's overall risk may change as a result. While 
the stress period calibration is intended to reduce the extent to which 
small or moderate changes in the risk environment influence the initial 
margin model's risk assessment, a significant change in the risk 
environment that affects the required stress period calibration could 
influence the margin model's overall assessment of the risk of a swap. 
Third, quantitative initial margin models are expected to be maintained 
and refined on a continuous basis to reflect the most accurate risk 
assessment possible with available best practices and methods.\180\ As 
best

[[Page 74881]]

practice risk management models and methods change, so too may the risk 
assessments of initial margin models.
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    \180\ Section__.8(c)(3) of the final rule would require any 
material change to the model be communicated to the relevant Agency 
before taking effect. The Agencies, however, do anticipate that some 
changes will be made to initial margin models on an ongoing basis 
consistent with regular and ongoing maintenance and oversight that 
will not require Agency notification.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Standardized Initial Margins
    Under the final rule, covered swap entities that are either unable 
or unwilling to make the technology and related infrastructure 
investments necessary to maintain an initial margin model may elect to 
use standardized initial margins. The standardized initial margins are 
detailed in Appendix A of the final rule.
a. Gross Initial Margins and Recognition of Offsets Through the 
Application of the Net-to-Gross Ratio
    Under the final rule, standardized initial margins depend on the 
asset class (commodity, equity, credit, foreign exchange and interest 
rate) and, in the case of credit and interest rate asset classes, 
further depend on the duration of the underlying non-cleared swap.
    In addition, the standardized initial margin requirement allows for 
the recognition of risk offsets through the use of a net-to-gross ratio 
in cases where a portfolio of non-cleared swaps is executed under an 
EMNA. The net-to-gross ratio compares the net current replacement cost 
of the non-cleared portfolio (in the numerator) with the gross current 
replacement cost of the non-cleared portfolio (in the denominator). The 
net current replacement cost is the cost of replacing the entire 
portfolio of swaps that are covered under the EMNA. The gross current 
replacement cost is the cost of replacing those swaps that have a 
strictly positive replacement cost under the EMNA. As an example, 
consider a portfolio that consists of two non-cleared swaps under an 
EMNA in which the mark-to-market value of the first swap is $10 (i.e., 
the covered swap entity is owed $10 from its counterparty) and the 
mark-to-market value of the second swap is -$5 (i.e., the covered swap 
entity owes $5 to its counterparty). Then the net current replacement 
cost is $5 ($10-$5), the gross current replacement cost is $10, and the 
net-to-gross ratio would be 5/10 or 0.5.\181\
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    \181\ Note that in this example, whether or not the 
counterparties have agreed to exchange variation margin has no 
effect on the net-to-gross ratio calculation, i.e., the calculation 
is performed without considering any variation margin payments. This 
is intended to ensure that the net-to-gross ratio calculation 
reflects the extent to which the non-cleared swaps generally offset 
each other and not whether the counterparties have agreed to 
exchange variation margin. As an example, if a swap dealer engaged 
in a single sold credit derivative with a counterparty, then the 
net-to-gross calculation would be 1.0 whether or not the dealer 
received variation margin from its counterparty.
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    The net-to-gross ratio and gross standardized initial margin 
amounts (provided in Appendix A) are used in conjunction with the 
notional amount of the transactions in the underlying swap portfolio to 
arrive at the total initial margin requirement as follows: Standardized 
Initial Margin=0.4 x Gross Initial Margin + 0.6 x NGR x Gross Initial 
Margin where:

Gross Initial Margin= the sum of the notional value multiplied by 
the appropriate initial margin requirement percentage from Appendix 
A of each non-cleared swap under the EMNA; and NGR= net-to-gross 
ratio

As a specific example, consider the two-swap portfolio discussed above. 
Suppose further that the swap with the mark-to-market value of $10 is a 
sold 5-year credit default swap with a notional value of $100 and the 
swap with the mark-to-market value of -$5 is an equity swap with a 
notional value of $100. The standardized initial margin requirement 
would then be:
    [0.4 x (100 x 0.05 + 100 x 0.15) + 0.6 x 0.5 x (100 x 0.05 + 100 x 
0.15)]=8+6=14.
    The Agencies further note that the calculation of the net-to-gross 
ratio for margin purposes must be applied only to swaps subject to the 
same EMNA and that the calculation is performed across transactions in 
disparate asset classes within a single EMNA such as credit and equity 
in the above example (i.e., all non-cleared swaps subject to the same 
EMNA and subject to the final rule's requirements can net against each 
other in the calculation of the net-to-gross ratio, as opposed to the 
modeling approach that allows netting only within each asset class). 
This approach is consistent with the standardized counterparty credit 
risk capital requirements. Also, the equations are designed such that 
benefits provided by the net-to-gross ratio calculation are limited by 
the standardized initial margin term that is independent of the net-to-
gross ratio, i.e., the first term of the standardized initial margin 
equation which is 0.4 x Gross Initial Margin. Finally, if a 
counterparty maintains multiple non-cleared swap portfolios under one 
or multiple EMNAs, the standardized initial margin amounts would be 
calculated separately for each portfolio with each calculation using 
the gross initial margin and net-to-gross ratio that is relevant to 
each portfolio. The total standardized initial margin would be the sum 
of the standardized initial margin amounts for each portfolio. One 
commenter suggested that the Agencies adopt an altogether different 
approach to computing standardized initial margins in a manner 
consistent with the standardized approach for measuring counterparty 
credit risk exposures that was finalized and published by the BCBS in 
March 2014. This approach is intended to be used in bank regulatory 
capital requirements for the purposes of computing capital requirements 
for counterparty credit risk resulting from OTC derivative exposures.
    The Agencies have decided not to adopt this approach in the final 
rule for several reasons. First, the standardized approach for 
counterparty credit risk has been developed for counterparty capital 
requirement purposes and, while clearly related to the issue of initial 
margin for non-cleared swaps, it is not entirely clear that this 
framework can be transferred to a simple and transparent standardized 
initial margin framework without modification. Second, the standardized 
counterparty credit risk approach that has been published by the BCBS 
is not intended to become effective until January 2017 which follows 
the initial compliance date of the final rule. Accordingly, the 
Agencies expect that some form of the standardized approach will be 
proposed by U.S. banking regulators prior to January 2017. Following 
the notice and comment period, a final rule for capitalizing 
counterparty credit risk exposures will be finalized in the United 
States. Once these rules are in place and effective it may be 
appropriate to consider adjusting the approach in this rule to 
standardized initial margins. Prior to the new capital rules being 
effective in the United States for the purpose for which they were 
intended, the Agencies do not believe it would be appropriate to 
incorporate the standardized approach to counterparty credit risk that 
has been published by the BCBS into the final margin requirements for 
non-cleared swaps.
    One commenter suggested modifying the proposed approach to 
standardized initial margin amounts to reflect greater granularity. 
Among other things, this commenter suggested increasing the number of 
asset categories recognized by the standardized initial margin table. 
In the final rule, the Agencies have adopted the proposed approach to 
standardized initial margins. The Agencies acknowledge the desire to 
reflect greater granularity in the standardized approach but also note 
that the approach in the final rule distinguishes among four separate 
asset classes and various maturities. The Agencies also note that no 
commenter

[[Page 74882]]

provided a specific and fully articulated suggestion on how to modify 
the standardized approach to achieve greater flexibility without 
becoming overly burdensome. The Agencies also note that the 
standardized initial margins are a minimum margin requirement. 
Accordingly, covered swap entities and their counterparties are free to 
develop standardized margin schedules that reflect greater granularity 
than the final rule's standardized approach so long as the resulting 
amounts would in all circumstances be at least as large as those 
required by the final rule's standardized approach to initial margin. 
Accordingly, the final rule affords covered swap entities and their 
counterparties the opportunity to develop simple and transparent margin 
schedules that reflect the granular and specific nature of the swap 
activity being margined.
b. Calculation of the Net-to-Gross Ratio for Initial Margin Purposes
    The final rule's standardized approach to initial margin depends on 
the calculation of a net-to-gross ratio. In the context of performing 
margin calculations, it must be recognized that at the time non-cleared 
swaps are entered into it is often the case that both the net and gross 
current replacement cost is zero. This precludes the calculation of the 
net-to-gross ratio. In cases where a new swap is being added to an 
existing portfolio that is being executed under an existing EMNA, the 
net-to-gross ratio may be calculated with respect to the existing 
portfolio of swaps. In cases where an entirely new swap portfolio is 
being established, the initial value of the net-to-gross ratio should 
be set to 1.0. After the first day's mark-to-market valuation has been 
recorded for the portfolio, the net-to-gross ratio may be re-calculated 
and the initial margin amount may be adjusted based on the revised net-
to-gross ratio.
c. Frequency of Margin Calculation
    The final rule requires that the standardized initial margin 
collection amount be calculated on a daily basis. In cases where the 
initial margin collection amount increases, this new amount must be 
used as the basis for determining the amount of initial margin that 
must be collected from a financial end user with material swaps 
exposure or a swap entity. In addition, when a covered swap entity 
faces a financial end user with material swaps exposure, the covered 
swap entity must also calculate the initial margin collection amount 
from the perspective of its counterparty on a daily basis. In the event 
that this amount increases, the covered swap entity must use this new 
amount as the basis for determining the amount of initial margin that 
it must post to its counterparty. In the event that this amount 
decreases, this new amount would also serve as the basis for the 
minimum required amount of initial margin. Accordingly, any previously 
collected or posted initial margin over and above the new requirement 
could, subject to bilateral agreement, be returned.
d. Daily Calculation
    As in the case of internal-model-generated initial margins, the 
margin calculation under the standardized approach must also be 
performed on a daily basis. Since the standardized initial margin 
calculation depends on a standardized look-up table (presented in 
appendix A), there is somewhat less scope for the initial margin 
collection amounts to vary on a daily basis. At the same time, however, 
there are some factors that may result in daily changes in the initial 
margin collection amount resulting from standardized margin 
calculations. First, any changes to the notional size of the swap 
portfolio that arise from any addition or deletion of swaps from the 
portfolio would result in a change in the standardized margin amount. 
As an example, if the notional amount of the swap portfolio increases 
as a result of adding a new swap to the portfolio then the standardized 
initial margin collection amount would increase. Second, changes in the 
net-to-gross ratio that result from changes in the mark-to-market 
valuation of the underlying swaps would result in a change in the 
standardized initial margin collection amount. Third, changes to 
characteristics of the swap that determine the gross initial margin 
(presented in appendix A) would result in a change in the standardized 
initial margin collection amount. As an example, the gross initial 
margin applied to interest rate swaps depends on the duration of the 
swap. An interest rate swap with a duration between zero and two years 
has a gross initial margin of one percent while an interest rate swap 
with duration of greater than two years and less than five years has a 
gross initial margin of two percent. Accordingly, if an interest rate 
swap's duration declines from above two years to below two years, the 
gross initial margin applied to it would decline from two to one 
percent. Accordingly, the standardized initial margin collection amount 
will need to be computed on a daily basis to reflect all of the factors 
described above.
3. Combined Use of Internal Model Based and Standardized Initial 
Margins
    The Agencies expect that some covered swap entities may choose to 
adopt a mix of internal models and standardized approaches to 
calculating initial margin requirements. For example, it may be the 
case that a covered swap entity engages in some swap transactions on an 
infrequent basis to meet client demands but the level of activity does 
not warrant all of the costs associated with building, maintaining and 
overseeing a quantitative initial margin model. Further, some covered 
swap entity clients may value the transparency and simplicity of the 
standardized approach. In such cases, the Agencies expect that it would 
be acceptable to use the standardized approach to margin such swaps.
    Under certain circumstances it may be appropriate to employ both a 
model based and standardized approach to calculating initial margins. 
At the same time, the Agencies are aware that differences between the 
standardized approach and internal model based margins across different 
types of swaps could be used to ``cherry pick'' the method that results 
in the lowest margin requirement. Rather, the choice to use one method 
over the other should be based on fundamental considerations apart from 
which method produces the most favorable margin results. Similarly, the 
Agencies do not anticipate there should be a need for covered swap 
entities to switch between the standardized or model-based margin 
method for a particular counterparty, absent a significant change in 
the nature of the entity's swap activities. The Agencies expect covered 
swap entities to provide a rationale for changing methodologies to 
their supervisory Agency if requested. The Agencies will monitor for 
evasion of the swap margin requirements through selective application 
of the model and standardized approach as a means of lowering the 
margin requirements.

I. Section __.9: Cross-Border Application of Margin Requirements

    In global markets, counterparties organized in different 
jurisdictions often transact in non-cleared swaps. Section 9 of the 
final rule addresses the cross-border applicability of the proposed 
margin rules to covered swap entities.
1. Excluded Swaps
    Section __.9 of the final rule excludes from coverage of the rule's 
margin requirements any foreign non-cleared swap of a foreign covered 
swap

[[Page 74883]]

entity.\182\ A ``foreign covered swap entity'' is any covered swap 
entity that is not (i) an entity organized under U.S. or State law, 
including a U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a foreign bank; (ii) 
a branch or office of an entity organized under U.S. or State law; or 
(iii) an entity that is a subsidiary of an entity organized under U.S. 
or State law. Accordingly, under the final rule, only a covered swap 
entity that is organized under foreign law and is not a subsidiary of a 
U.S. company (such as a foreign bank) would be eligible for treatment 
as a foreign covered swap entity; neither a foreign branch of a U.S. 
bank nor a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. company would be considered a 
foreign covered swap entity under the final rule. The swap activities 
of the foreign branch or subsidiary have the potential to expose the 
U.S. bank or parent to significant legal, contractual, or reputational 
risks. Transactions of a foreign branch or subsidiary of a U.S. company 
could also have direct and significant connection with activities in, 
and effect on, commerce of the United States and therefore affect 
systemic risk in the United States. Similarly, neither a U.S. branch of 
a foreign bank nor a U.S. subsidiary of a foreign company would be 
considered a foreign covered swap entity under the final rule, since 
they operate directly in the United States.
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    \182\ Section 2(i) of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended by 
section 722 of the Dodd-Frank Act, provides that the provisions of 
the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended by section 722 of the 
Commodity Exchange Act relating to swaps ``shall not apply to 
activities outside the United States unless those activities . . . 
have a direct and significant connection with activities in, or 
effect on, commerce of the United States.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule's definition of ``foreign non-cleared swap or 
foreign non-cleared security-based swap'' covers any non-cleared swap 
of a foreign covered swap entity to which neither the counterparty nor 
any guarantor (on either side) is (i) an entity organized under U.S. or 
State law, including a U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a foreign 
bank or a natural person who is a resident of the United States; (ii) a 
branch or office of an entity organized under U.S. or State law; or 
(iii) a swap entity that is a subsidiary of an entity organized under 
U.S. or State law. As a result, foreign non-cleared swaps could include 
swaps with a foreign bank or with a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. bank 
or bank holding company, so long as neither the subsidiary nor the U.S. 
parent is a covered swap entity. A foreign swap would not include a 
swap with a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or a U.S. branch or 
subsidiary of a foreign bank.
    The final rule's approach to excluded swaps largely follows the 
proposed approach with a few minor modifications. The foreign non-
cleared swap definition has been modified to make clear that a natural 
person resident of the United States cannot be the guarantor of a swap 
that would qualify for the foreign exclusion. In addition, this 
definition has been modified to make clear that neither the 
counterparty nor the guarantor can be a swap entity (as opposed to a 
covered swap entity, as proposed) that is a subsidiary of an entity 
that is organized under the laws of the United States or any State.
    One commenter urged that U.S. branches and agencies of foreign 
banks transacting with foreign counterparties with no guarantee from a 
U.S. entity should be able to treat their non-cleared swaps as excluded 
foreign swap transactions that are not subject to this rule because the 
branch is part of the same legal entity as its foreign parent.\183\ The 
Agencies have not modified the final rule to treat transactions of a 
U.S. branch or agency of a foreign bank with a foreign counterparty 
that is not guaranteed by a U.S. entity as a foreign non-cleared swap 
of a foreign covered swap entity. Such branches and agencies clearly 
operate within the United States and could pose risk to the U.S. 
financial system. Moreover, and as described further below, such U.S. 
branches and agencies of foreign banks would be eligible for 
substituted compliance under the final rule and be able to comply with 
a foreign margin rule if the Agencies make a comparability 
determination with respect to the applicable foreign margin rule.
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    \183\ This commenter argued that, at a minimum, application of 
the final rule should depend solely on whether the swap is booked to 
the U.S. branch or agency and that the location of personnel or 
agents should have no bearing on whether the swap gives rise to 
risks to the United States financial system. Another commenter 
stated that it is not clear whether margin rules would apply if a 
swap transaction with a foreign counterparty is booked by a foreign 
swap entity but arranged, negotiated, or executed by persons 
operating from a U.S. branch of such swap entity. The Agencies would 
generally consider the entity to which the swap is booked as the 
counterparty for purposes of this section.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Another commenter urged that the final rule should not apply to a 
covered swap entity that is a subsidiary of a U.S. parent where the 
subsidiary is not guaranteed by the U.S. entity. The Agencies have not 
modified the rule in this manner, as subsidiaries of a U.S. covered 
swap entity could pose risk to the U.S. covered swap entity and the 
U.S. financial system. As described more fully below, however, these 
subsidiaries may be able to take advantage of substituted compliance 
determinations under the final rule.
    In the proposed rule, the definitions of foreign covered swap 
entity and foreign non-cleared swap included a test that looked to the 
existence of ``control'' by an entity organized under the laws of the 
United States. One commenter expressed concern about the proposal's 
lack of clarity with respect to the meaning of ``control'' in these 
circumstances. The final rule has been modified in these two provisions 
to replace ``controlled by'' with the term ``subsidiary'' which is 
defined by reference to financial consolidation in section 2 of the 
final rule.\184\ The Agencies believe that these modifications address 
this commenter's concerns with respect to the proposal's use of the 
definition of ``control.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \184\ See Sec.  __.2 of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Certain commenters also expressed concern that the proposed rule 
did not make clear when a counterparty was a U.S. person for purposes 
of determining whether a swap qualified as a foreign non-cleared swap, 
which would be excluded under the proposed rule. One commenter, for 
example, suggested that the final rule adopt a ``U.S. person'' 
definition to make clear how foreign covered swap entities can 
determine whether a counterparty that is a financial end user is either 
a U.S. or foreign entity.\185\ Similarly, another commenter urged the 
Agencies to incorporate a ``principal place of business'' test into the 
definition of foreign non-cleared swap or foreign non-cleared security-
based swap.\186\ The Agencies have not adopted the changes recommended 
by these commenters but have retained the bright-line proposed test 
that looks to the jurisdiction of organization. As a consequence, the 
Agencies would consider the place of incorporation of a particular 
entity to be the location of the entity for purposes of this rule.
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    \185\ One commenter cited CFTC Proposal, 79 FR 59898 at 59916 
(October 3, 2014), arguing that an investment company based in the 
Cayman Island with U.S. investors that enters into a non-cleared 
swap with a foreign covered swap entity cannot be sure whether it 
would be subject to U.S. laws.
    \186\ This commenter argued that the proposal classifies funds 
organized outside of the United States but with a U.S. principal 
place of business through a U.S.-based fund manager as a foreign 
entity and recommended following the approach of the CFTC and SEC in 
their cross-border guidance. Two commenters stated that the Agencies 
should adopt the CFTC entity-level approach.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Guarantees
    The requirement that no U.S. entity may guarantee either party's 
obligation under the swap in order for the swap to

[[Page 74884]]

be excluded from the rule is intended to prevent instances where a U.S. 
entity, through a guarantee, effectively assumes ultimate 
responsibility for the performance of a counterparty's obligations 
under the swap. In particular, the Agencies are concerned that, without 
such a requirement, swaps could be structured in a manner that would 
evade application of the margin requirements to U.S. swaps. Swaps 
guaranteed by a U.S. entity would also have a direct and significant 
connection with activities in, and an effect on, commerce of the United 
States and thus affect systemic risk in the United States.
    Section __.9(g) of the final rule defines ``guarantee'' to mean an 
arrangement pursuant to which one party to a non-cleared swap has 
rights of recourse against a third-party guarantor, with respect to its 
counterparty's obligations under the non-cleared swap. For these 
purposes, a party to a non-cleared swap has rights of recourse against 
a guarantor if the party has a conditional or unconditional legally 
enforceable right to receive or otherwise collect, in whole or in part, 
payments from the guarantor with respect to its counterparty's 
obligations under the swap. In addition, any arrangement pursuant to 
which the guarantor has a conditional or unconditional legally 
enforceable right to receive or otherwise collect, in whole or in part, 
payments from any other third-party guarantor with respect to the 
counterparty's obligations under the non-cleared swap, such arrangement 
will be deemed a guarantee of the counterparty's obligations under the 
swap by the other guarantor. The definition of guarantee has 
implications for the swaps that are excluded from the rule as well as 
for the swaps that are eligible for a compliance determination under 
Sec.  __.9(d) and the ability to meet the requirements of Sec.  __.9(f) 
in jurisdictions where segregation is unavailable.
    In the proposal, the Agencies requested comment on whether the rule 
should clarify and define the concept of ``guarantee'' to better ensure 
that those swaps that pose risks to U.S. insured depository 
institutions would be included within the scope of the rule. Some 
commenters urged the Agencies to define the term ``guarantee.'' While 
one commenter supported use of a broad definition of guarantee that 
includes cross-default provisions, keepwell arrangements or liquidity 
puts, another commenter argued that a guarantee should be defined to 
constitute an express, legally enforceable arrangement providing 
foreign counterparties with recourse to the U.S. guarantor. Another 
commenter argued that cross-default provisions would not generally give 
a swap counterparty any direct right of access against the specified 
entity and should not be treated as a guarantee.
    In order to provide additional clarity on the meaning of guarantee 
for purposes of Sec.  __. 9, the final rule requires one party to have 
rights of recourse against a third-party guarantor; however, in order 
to address potential concerns about evasion, the Agencies will deem a 
guarantee to exist, if the third-party guarantor has a guarantee from 
one or more additional third-party guarantors, with respect to the 
obligations under the non-cleared swap. The Agencies believe that a 
definition of ``guarantee'' that is narrowly targeted to the particular 
swap obligation provides clarity through a bright-line test that can be 
applied consistently and is appropriately limited in scope. For 
example, if a foreign registered German Bank covered swap entity 
(``Party W'') enters into a swap with a non-covered swap entity, 
foreign subsidiary of a U.S. covered swap entity (``Party X''), and 
Party X has a guarantee from a third-party guarantor that is a foreign 
affiliate of Party X (``Party Y''), who then, in turn has a guarantee 
from its U.S. covered swap entity parent entity (``Parent Z''), the 
Agencies would deem a guarantee to exist between Party X and Parent Z, 
on Party X's swap obligations.
3. Substituted Compliance
    In addition to the exclusion for certain swaps described above, the 
final rule would permit certain covered swap entities to comply with a 
foreign regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps if the Agencies 
jointly determine that such foreign regulatory framework is comparable 
to the requirements of the Agencies' rule. The development of the 2013 
international framework makes it more likely that regulators in 
multiple jurisdictions will adopt margin rules for non-cleared swaps 
that are comparable. In light of the 2013 international framework, the 
final rule would allow certain non-U.S. covered swap entities to comply 
with the margin requirements of the final rule by complying with a 
foreign jurisdiction's margin requirements, subject to the Agencies' 
determination that the foreign rule is comparable to this final rule 
and appropriate for the safe and sound operation of the covered swap 
entity, taking into account the risks associated with the non-cleared 
swaps. These determinations would be made on a jurisdiction-by-
jurisdiction basis. Furthermore, the Agencies' determination may be 
conditional or unconditional. The Agencies could, for example, 
determine that certain provisions of the foreign regulatory framework 
are comparable to the requirements of the final rule but that other 
aspects are not comparable for purposes of substituted compliance.
    Under the final rule, certain types of covered swap entities 
operating in foreign jurisdictions would be able to meet the 
requirement of the final rule by complying with the foreign requirement 
in the event that a comparability determination is made by the 
Agencies, regardless of the location of the counterparty, provided that 
the covered swap entity's obligations under the swap are not guaranteed 
by a U.S. entity (other than a U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a 
foreign bank) or by a natural person who is a U.S. resident. If a 
covered swap entity's obligations under a swap are guaranteed by a U.S. 
entity or natural person who is a U.S. resident, the swap would not be 
eligible for substituted compliance. Foreign covered swap entities 
(defined as discussed above) and foreign subsidiaries of U.S. 
depository institutions or Edge or agreement corporations would be 
eligible to take advantage of a comparability determination.
    In addition, U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks would be 
permitted to comply with the foreign requirement for which a 
determination was made, provided their obligations under the swap are 
not guaranteed by a U.S. entity or by a natural person who is a 
resident of the United States. While such branches and agencies clearly 
operate within the United States, this treatment reflects the principle 
that branches and agencies are part of the parent organization. Under 
this approach, foreign branches and agencies of U.S. banks would not be 
eligible for substituted compliance and would be required to comply 
with the U.S. requirement for the same reason. The Agencies are aware 
of concerns regarding potential competitive disadvantages that could 
arise as U.S. covered swap entities compete with U.S. branches and 
agencies of foreign banks in the market for non-cleared swaps. The 
Agencies' believe that this concern would be addressed through the 
comparability determination process. A foreign jurisdiction with a 
substantially different margin requirement that resulted in a 
demonstrable competitive advantage over U.S. covered swap entities is 
unlikely to have processes that are comparable to the U.S. compliance 
requirements. Moreover, a foreign margin requirement that provides 
significant competitive advantages to

[[Page 74885]]

foreign entities through a lower margin requirement would result in a 
general increase in systemic risk and weaker incentives for central 
clearing, relative to the U.S. margin requirements. Accordingly, it is 
unlikely that such foreign requirements would be determined comparable 
by the Agencies, in which case the U.S. branch or agency of a foreign 
bank would be required to comply with the U.S. requirement.
    Certain commenters urged the Agencies to permit substituted 
compliance for comparable rules to the greatest possible degree in 
order to mitigate cross-border conflicts and inconsistencies in the 
application of margin requirements. A number of comments expressed 
concern about the application of multiple different sets of rules on 
cross-border swap transactions, which they argued could deter cross-
border swap transactions. A few commenters argued that counterparties 
should be able to agree which of their jurisdictions' margin 
requirements will apply to a swap, as long as both jurisdictions' 
requirements are consistent with international standards. The Agencies 
believe that the availability of substituted compliance determinations 
in the final rule serve to mitigate these concerns while at the same 
time ensuring that applicable margin rules in a foreign jurisdiction 
would be comparable to this final rule.
    Some commenters argued that foreign branches of U.S. swap entities 
as well as foreign covered swap entities that are guaranteed by a U.S. 
entity \187\ should be able to take advantage of substituted compliance 
determinations. Some of these commenters argued that foreign branches 
of U.S. swap entities and foreign covered swap entities that are 
guaranteed by a U.S. entity would be subject to foreign margin 
requirements and that making substituted compliance available to them 
is necessary to avoid conflicts with foreign laws. The Agencies have 
declined to modify the final rule in this respect as transactions of a 
foreign branch of a U.S. entity could have a direct and significant 
connection with activities in, and effect on, commerce of the United 
States. While such branches and agencies clearly operate within a 
foreign jurisdiction, this treatment reflects the principle that 
branches and agencies are part of the parent, as noted above. The 
requirement that no U.S. affiliate may guarantee the counterparty's 
obligation was intended to prevent instances where such an affiliate, 
through a guarantee, effectively assumes ultimate responsibility for 
the performance of the counterparty's obligations under the swap. In 
particular, the Agencies are concerned that, without such a 
requirement, swaps with a U.S. counterparty could be structured, 
through the use of an overseas affiliate, in a manner that would evade 
application of the proposed margin requirements to U.S. swaps. Swaps 
guaranteed by a U.S. entity would also have a direct and significant 
connection with activities in, and an effect on, commerce of the United 
States and thus affect systemic risk in the United States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \187\ One commenter argued that if the Agencies decide to apply 
the final rule to foreign swap transactions based on the presence of 
a U.S. guarantee, they should only do so if that guarantee 
constitutes an express legally enforceable arrangement providing 
foreign swap counterparties with recourse to the U.S. guarantor. As 
noted above, the final rule defines the term ``guarantee'' for 
purposes of this section.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies have, however, modified the final rule to make clear 
that there is no restriction on the U.S. branch, or agency of a foreign 
bank providing a guarantee to a covered swap entity eligible for 
compliance with a foreign margin regime. The Agencies believe that 
since a U.S. branch or agency of a foreign bank can be the covered swap 
entity eligible for substituted compliance, there should be no 
restriction on guarantees by these entities.
4. Substituted Compliance for Posting to Foreign Counterparties
    Under the final rule, if a foreign counterparty is subject to a 
foreign regulatory framework that has been determined to be comparable 
by the Agencies, a covered swap entity's posting requirement would be 
satisfied by posting (in amount, form, and at such time) as required by 
the foreign counterparty's margin collection requirement, provided that 
the foreign counterparty does not have a guarantee from an entity 
organized under the laws of the United States or any State (including a 
U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a foreign bank) or a natural 
person who is resident of the United States or a branch or office of an 
entity organized under the laws of the United States or any State. In 
these cases, the collection requirement of the foreign counterparty 
would suffice to ensure two-way exchange of margin. For example, if a 
U.S. bank that is a covered swap entity enters into a swap with a 
foreign hedge fund that does not have a U.S. guarantee and that is 
subject to a foreign regulatory framework for which the Agencies have 
made a comparability determination, the U.S. bank must collect the 
amount of margin as required under the U.S. rule, but need post only 
the amount of margin that the foreign hedge fund is required to collect 
under the foreign regulatory framework.
    One commenter argued that allowing a U.S. entity to rely on 
substituted compliance only in connection with its obligation to post 
initial margin would make a U.S. covered swap entity uncompetitive in 
foreign markets. Certain commenters suggested that if one counterparty 
to a swap is subject to a comparable foreign regulation, the entire 
transaction should be eligible for substituted compliance.\188\ The 
final rule has not been modified in this respect. One commenter urged 
that covered swap entities should not be required to post margin in 
cross-border transactions.\189\ The Agencies also have not modified the 
rule to provide that covered swap entities are not required to post 
margin in transactions with foreign counterparties as this would be 
inconsistent with the overall approach of the final rule that generally 
requires two-way margin. As described above, the Agencies also believe 
that requiring a covered swap entity to post margin to other financial 
entities could forestall a build-up of potentially destabilizing 
exposures in the financial system. The final rule's approach therefore 
is designed to ensure that covered swap entities transacting with other 
swap entities and with financial end users in non-cleared swaps will be 
collecting and posting appropriate minimum margin amounts with respect 
to those transactions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \188\ One commenter explained that it could disadvantage non-
U.S. hedge funds if one set of regulations does not govern any 
particular transaction and recommended adoption of the CFTC's 
``entity-level approach'' where a hedge fund that enters into a swap 
with a non-U.S. swap dealer that is not guaranteed by a U.S. person, 
substituted compliance would be possible if the parties elect to 
follow the rules of a foreign regime). Another commenter provided an 
example where a foreign covered swap entity operating in a 
jurisdiction where there has been no comparability determination 
transacts with a counterparty in a jurisdiction where there has been 
a comparability determination.
    \189\ This commenter recommended following the approach set out 
in the EU and Japanese Margin Proposals.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule is modified from the proposal to contain the 
additional limitation that the counterparty cannot have a guarantee 
from a U.S. entity. The purpose of this change was to align with the 
CFTC cross-border proposal. The Agencies also believe that, in order 
for a counterparty to be able to collect pursuant to a foreign margin 
framework, the counterparty should not be guaranteed by a U.S. entity. 
This modification is also in alignment with the CFTC's cross-border 
proposal.

[[Page 74886]]

5. Compliance Determinations
    The final rule provides that the Agencies will jointly make a 
determination regarding the comparability of a foreign regulatory 
framework that will focus on the outcomes produced by the foreign 
framework as compared to the U.S. framework. Moreover, as margin 
requirements are complex and have a number of related aspects (e.g., 
margin posting requirements, margin collection requirements, model 
requirements, eligible collateral, and segregation requirements), the 
Agencies would take a holistic view of the foreign regulatory framework 
that appropriately considers the outcomes produced by the entire 
framework. More specifically, the Agencies generally will not require 
that every aspect of a foreign regulatory framework be comparable to 
every aspect of the U.S. framework, but will require that the outcomes 
achieved by both frameworks are comparable. The Agencies propose to 
consider factors such as the scope, objectives, and specific provisions 
of the foreign regulatory framework and the effectiveness of the 
supervisory compliance program administered, and the enforcement 
authority exercised, by the relevant foreign regulatory authorities.
    The Agencies would accept requests for a comparability 
determination for a foreign regulatory framework from a covered swap 
entity that is eligible for substituted compliance under the final 
rule. Once the Agencies make a favorable comparability determination 
for a foreign regulatory framework, any covered swap entity that could 
comply with the foreign framework will be allowed to do so (i.e., they 
will not have to make a specific request). The Agencies expect to 
consult with the relevant foreign regulatory authorities before making 
a determination.
    Certain commenters expressed support for the Agencies' proposal to 
take a holistic view of the foreign regulatory framework that considers 
outcomes produced by the entire framework. A few commenters urged the 
Agencies to evaluate foreign regulations based on the 2013 
international framework when making substituted compliance 
determinations. One commenter urged the Agencies to provide specific 
standards and conditions that will be used in determinations. The 
Agencies expect that substituted compliance determinations will be on a 
case-by-case basis, would consider a number of aspects related to 
margin requirements, and could be partial.
    One commenter argued that trade associations and foreign regulators 
should be allowed to make requests for a substituted compliance 
determination with respect to a foreign regulatory framework. The 
Agencies continue to believe it is appropriate to accept such requests 
only from covered swap entities that are subject to the requirements 
under the final rule and have not modified the final rule to accept 
requests from trade groups or foreign regulators. Moreover, and as 
explained above, the Agencies plan to consult with the relevant foreign 
regulatory authorities prior to making a determination with respect to 
substituted compliance.
6. Jurisdictions Where Segregation Is Unavailable
    Section __.9(f) is a new provision in the final rule that is meant 
to address concerns raised by commenters on the proposal. A number of 
commenters argued that the Agencies should incorporate a de minimis 
exception for swap activities conducted in jurisdictions for which 
substituted compliance is not available, including in jurisdictions 
that do not have a legal framework to support netting and 
segregation.\190\
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    \190\ One commenter noted that the CFTC conditioned the 
exception on the volume of such transactions not exceed five percent 
of the total aggregate volume of swaps entered into by the U.S. swap 
entity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section __.9(f) provides that the requirements to post and 
segregate collateral do not apply to a non-cleared swap entered into by 
a foreign branch of a U.S. depository institution or a foreign 
subsidiary of a U.S. depository institution, Edge corporation, or 
agreement corporation if certain requirements are met, including:
     Inherent limitations in the legal or operational 
infrastructure in the foreign jurisdiction make it impracticable for 
the covered swap entity and the counterparty to post any form of 
eligible initial margin collateral recognized pursuant to Sec.  __.6(b) 
in compliance with the segregation requirements of Sec.  __.7;
     The covered swap entity is subject to foreign regulatory 
restrictions that require the covered swap entity to transact [in] the 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with the 
counterparty through an establishment within the foreign jurisdiction 
and do not accommodate the posting of collateral for the non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap outside the jurisdiction;
     The counterparty to the non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap is not, and the counterparty's obligations under 
the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap are not 
guaranteed by: (i) An entity organized under the laws of the United 
States or any State or a natural person who is a resident of the United 
States; or (ii) A branch or office of an entity organized under the 
laws of the United States or any State;
     The covered swap entity collects initial margin for the 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap in accordance with 
Sec.  __.3(a) in the form of cash pursuant to Sec.  __.6(b)(1), and 
posts and collects variation margin in accordance with Sec.  __.4(a) in 
the form of cash pursuant to Sec.  __.6(b)(1); and
     The [Agency] provides the covered swap entity with prior 
written approval for the covered swap entity's reliance on this 
subsection for the foreign jurisdiction.
    An Agency would only provide a covered swap entity with prior 
written approval to engage in swap transactions pursuant to this Sec.  
__. 9(f) where the swap entity met all of the conditions described 
above. In particular, a covered swap entity would need to demonstrate 
that foreign regulatory restrictions would not allow the swap to occur 
in another jurisdiction that would accommodate the posting and 
segregation of collateral.
7. Transition Period
    Certain commenters suggested a transition period between when a 
comparability determination is published and when the margin rules go 
into effect so that substituted compliance determinations are made 
prior to implementation of the final rule.\191\ Section __.1(e) of the 
final rule describes the phase-in period for the final rule established 
under the international framework. To the extent that a covered swap 
entity becomes subject to the requirements of this final rule prior to 
the Agencies making a substituted compliance determination, the covered 
swap entity would be subject to the U.S. margin rule until such time as 
a comparability determination is made by the Agencies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \191\ One commenter urged the Agencies to make comparability 
determinations for other major jurisdictions with, or shortly 
following, the final rule without the need for an application 
process to enable market participants to take comparability 
requirements into account during the implementation process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

J. Section __.10: Documentation of Margin Matters

    Under the final rule, a covered swap entity must execute trading 
documentation with each counterparty that is a swap entity or a 
financial end

[[Page 74887]]

user regarding credit support arrangements. The documentation must 
provide the covered swap entity the contractual rights and obligations 
to collect and post initial and variation margin in such amounts, in 
such form, and under such circumstances as are required by the rule. 
The documentation must also specify the methods, procedures, rules, and 
inputs for determining the value of each non-cleared swap for purposes 
of calculating variation margin and the procedures by which any 
disputes concerning the valuation of non-cleared swaps or the valuation 
of assets collected or posted as initial margin or variation margin may 
be resolved. Finally, the documentation must also describe the methods, 
procedures, rules, and inputs used to calculate initial margin for non-
cleared swaps entered into between the covered swap entity and the 
counterparty.
    In the proposed rule, the Agencies requested comment on whether the 
final rule should deem compliance with the applicable CFTC or SEC 
documentation requirement as compliance with this rule. A few 
commenters recommended against deferring to the CFTC documentation 
requirements, arguing that those requirements are deficient for 
purposes of resolving disputes related to initial margin, while other 
commenters recommended that the documentation requirements be removed 
or simplified because the issue is already addressed in CFTC 
regulations.
    The Agencies have decided to include the proposed documentation 
standards in the final rule with certain revisions in light of 
comments. The Dodd-Frank Act amended the Commodity Exchange Act and the 
Securities Exchange Act to require the Commissions to adopt 
documentation standards for the swap entities they regulate.\192\ To 
date, the SEC has not adopted documentation standards for security-
based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants related 
to margin.\193\
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    \192\ Commodity Exchange Act section 4s(i), 7 U.S.C. 6s(i); 
Securities Exchange Act section 15F(i), 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(i).
    \193\ To date, the SEC has adopted standards with respect to 
confirmations for security-based swaps. 77 FR 55904 (September 11, 
2012).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    While the CFTC has established requirements regarding documentation 
for swap dealers and major swap participants that are similar to those 
being adopted by the Agencies, important differences remain.\194\ For 
example, the Agencies' final rule requires that covered swap entities 
address in their documentation dispute resolution procedures for 
disputes regarding the value of swaps as well as the value of assets 
collected or posted as margin. The CFTC documentation rule, however, 
only requires procedures for resolving disputes regarding the value of 
swaps, not the value of collateral, and such procedures for resolving 
swap valuation disputes need not be addressed if the documentation 
addresses alternative methods for determining the value of a swap in 
the event of the unavailability or other failure of input required to 
value the swap.\195\ Given the important role that documentation will 
play in implementing the margin requirements set out in this final rule 
and the importance of those requirements for the safety and soundness 
of covered swap entities, the Agencies believe it is essential for them 
to adopt documentation requirements pursuant to their own authorities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \194\ 17 CFR 504(b)(4).
    \195\ 17 CFR 504(b)(4)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Certain commenters recommended against requiring parties to lock in 
either at the inception of their trading relationship or upon the 
relevant compliance date for margin requirements on non-cleared swaps 
dispositive valuation methods as opposed to agreed steps and processes 
for arriving at valuations. Other commenters wrote that the 
documentation section is overly prescriptive in requiring that the 
documentation specify inputs used in determining initial and variation 
margin because the inputs may vary from swap to swap and will change 
over the lifetime of the swap. Instead, the commenter recommended that 
the focus should be on requiring parties to share the actual inputs 
being used to determine initial margin and variation margin at any 
particular point in time upon request. To address these concerns, in 
the final rule, a covered swap entity's documentation would need to 
describe its methods, procedures, rules, and inputs for determining the 
value of non-cleared swaps, rather than specify such elements for 
initial margin.

K. Section __.11: Special Rules for Affiliate Swaps

    The final rule contains a special section for swaps between a 
covered swap entity and its affiliates. This section provides that the 
requirements of the rule generally apply to a non-cleared swap or non-
cleared security-based swap with an affiliate unless the swap is 
excluded from coverage under Sec.  __.1(d) or a special rule applies. 
This section also makes clear that to the extent of any inconsistency 
between this section and any other provision of the final rule, this 
special section will apply.
    As an example, collection of initial margin is not addressed in 
this special section. Since there is no special provision for 
collection of margin for affiliate swaps, the requirements of Sec.  
_.3(a) apply and a covered swap entity is required to collect initial 
margin from its affiliate pursuant to Sec.  _.3(a) under the final 
rule. When a covered swap entity transacts with another swap entity 
that is an affiliate, the covered swap entity must collect at least the 
amount of initial margin required under the final rule.\196\ Likewise, 
the swap entity counterparty also will be required, under margin rules 
that are applicable to that swap entity, to collect a minimum amount of 
initial margin from the covered swap entity. Accordingly, covered swap 
entities will both collect and post a minimum amount of initial margin 
when transacting with another swap entity. Where a covered swap entity 
transacts with another swap entity that is an affiliate, this will 
result in a collect-and-post regime for initial margin among affiliated 
swap entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \196\ CFTC and SEC rules will determine the collection 
requirement for a swap entity that is not a covered swap entity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section __.11(b)(1) provides that the requirement for a covered 
swap entity to post initial margin under Sec.  __.3(b) does not apply 
with respect to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap 
with a counterparty that is an affiliate. As Sec.  __.3(b) generally 
requires posting to financial end user counterparties with material 
swaps exposures, covered swap entities would not need to post initial 
margin to affiliate counterparties that are financial end users with 
material swaps exposure. However, the final rule requires that a 
covered swap entity calculate the amount of initial margin that would 
be required to be posted to an affiliate that is a financial end user 
with material swaps exposure pursuant to Sec.  __.3(b) and provide 
documentation of such amount to each affiliate on a daily basis.
    In addition, under the final rule, each affiliate may be granted an 
initial margin threshold of $20 million for purposes of calculating the 
amount of initial margin to be collected from an affiliate counterparty 
in accordance with Sec.  __.3(a) or for calculating the amount of 
initial margin that would have been posted to an affiliate counterparty 
in order to provide documentation of this amount to the affiliate. The 
final rule also provides that, for purposes of this calculation, an 
entity shall not count a non-cleared

[[Page 74888]]

swap or non-cleared security-based swap that is exempt pursuant to 
Sec.  __.1(d), as added by the interim final rule.
    To the extent that a covered swap entity collects from an affiliate 
initial margin required by Sec.  __.3(a) in the form of collateral 
other than cash, the covered swap entity may serve as the custodian for 
the non-cash collateral or have an affiliate serve as the custodian. 
Such non-cash initial margin collateral collected by a covered swap 
entity would be subject to all the other requirements of the rule. 
However, initial margin collateral collected from an affiliate in cash 
would be subject to all of the requirements of the rule, including the 
requirement in Sec.  __.7 for a third-party custodian that is not an 
affiliate of the covered swap entity. Altering the requirement in Sec.  
__.7(b) that non-cash initial margin collateral be held at a custodian 
that is neither the covered swap entity or the affiliate, or an 
affiliate of either party, for non-cleared swaps between a covered swap 
entity and its affiliate is appropriate because the Agencies expect 
there will be increased transparency for inter-affiliate transactions, 
use of common valuation modeling, which will lower the likelihood of 
valuation discrepancies, and greater ease in transferring non-cash 
collateral between affiliates than would otherwise be the case for 
swaps with an unaffiliated counterparty.
    The final rule also provides that an inter-affiliate swap that 
would have been required to be cleared but for a clearing exemption 
will be subject to the initial margin collection requirement. The 
covered swap entity may, however, choose to calculate the initial 
margin amount using a 5-day margin period of risk instead of a 10-day 
margin period of risk under Sec.  __.8(d)(1). The final rule permits a 
covered swap entity using the standardized approach to reduce the 
initial margin amount on these transactions by 30 percent, in line with 
the general provision that risk and initial margin increase with the 
square root of the holding period horizon and the square root of five 
divided by 10 is roughly 0.7. However, the final rule does not permit a 
covered swap entity to compute its initial margin requirement on a 
portfolio basis with swaps that are margined on a 5-day basis with 
those swaps that are margined on a 10-day basis. Rather, the covered 
swap entity must calculate initial margin separately for those swaps 
margined on a 5-day basis and those swaps margined on a 10-day 
basis.\197\ The total initial margin that the final rule provides must 
be collected on the portfolio is equal to the aggregate initial margin 
required to be collected on the netting sets with a 5-day holding 
period and that which is required to be collected on the netting sets 
with a 10-day holding period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \197\ Among swaps margined on a 5-day basis the covered swap 
entity must calculate the initial margin requirements in accordance 
with all of the requirements of Sec.  __.8. Likewise when computing 
the initial margin requirements for swaps margined on a 10-day basis 
the covered swap entity must comply with all of the requirements of 
Sec.  __.8.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For additional clarity, this section of the rule also provides that 
a covered swap entity shall collect and post variation margin with 
respect to a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with 
any counterparty that is an affiliate as provided in Sec.  __.4. As in 
the case of initial margin, the final rule provides that variation 
margin is not required on any swap that is exempt pursuant to Sec.  
__.1(d), as added by the interim final rule.
    The proposal would have covered swaps between banks that are 
covered swap entities and their affiliates that are financial end 
users, including affiliates that are subsidiaries of a bank, such as 
operating subsidiaries, Edge Act subsidiaries, agreement corporation 
subsidiaries, financial subsidiaries, and lower-tier subsidiaries of 
such subsidiaries. In the preamble to the proposal, the Agencies noted 
that other applicable laws require transactions between banks and their 
affiliates to be on an arm's length basis. In particular, section 23B 
of the Federal Reserve Act provides that many transactions between a 
bank and its affiliates (as defined under that rule) \198\ must be on 
terms and under circumstances, including credit standards, that are 
substantially the same or at least as favorable to the bank as those 
prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with or involving 
nonaffiliated companies.\199\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \198\ The Agencies note that the Federal Reserve Act and the 
Board's Regulation W define ``affiliate'' differently than the term 
is defined in this final rule. See 12 U.S.C. 371c(b); 12 CFR 223.2.
    \199\ 12 U.S.C. 371c-1(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commenters including members of Congress were generally critical of 
this aspect of the proposal. Specifically, a significant number of 
commenters argued that requiring margin generally, and initial margin 
in particular, on all inter-affiliate swaps was unnecessary for 
systemic stability. These commenters asserted that inter-affiliate 
swaps are often conducted for internal risk management reasons, and 
such swaps do not increase the overall risk profile or leverage of the 
group. Instead, commenters argued, requiring margin on inter-affiliate 
swaps could discourage effective risk-management, increase group-wide 
third-party credit risk, and reduce liquidity. Commenters also argued 
for consistency with other international swap margin proposals that 
generally would not require margin on inter-affiliate swaps. Commenters 
also argued that requiring margin for inter-affiliate swaps would 
undermine the exemption from clearing requirements for such swaps. 
Finally, commenters criticized the proposal's coverage of affiliate 
swaps as duplicative of the restrictions and requirements under 
sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act.
    While some commenters urged that any required margin for inter-
affiliate swaps should be limited to variation margin, which is already 
generally exchanged among affiliate counterparties, certain commenters 
suggested alternatives to a full two-way collect-and-post regime for 
initial margin for affiliate swaps. For example, a number of commenters 
proposed that instead of each covered swap entity posting and 
collecting segregated initial margin to and from its affiliate, the 
covered swap entity would only collect from its affiliate (subject to a 
wholly owned subsidiary exemption and a de minimis exemption) and the 
covered swap entity would be permitted to segregate the initial margin 
within its group, so as to prevent undue third-party custodial risk. 
These commenters further argued that certain highly regulated 
affiliates like U.S. bank holding companies should benefit from an 
exception to initial margin requirements. These commenters further 
urged that if the Agencies decided a one-way initial margin requirement 
is not adequate, the Agencies should permit the common parent of an 
affiliate pair to post a single amount of segregated initial margin in 
which each affiliate would have a security interest. The Agencies 
believe that the modifications in the final rule address many of the 
concerns raised by commenters with respect to the treatment of inter-
affiliate swaps. The final rule requires a covered swap entity to 
collect initial margin from swap entity and financial end user 
affiliates as suggested by some commenters. As noted above, this will 
result in a collect-and-post regime where two covered swap entities 
that are affiliates transact with each other. However, a covered swap 
entity would not be required to post initial margin to affiliates that 
are financial end users. A covered swap entity would, however, be 
required to calculate the amount of initial margin

[[Page 74889]]

that would be required to be posted to an affiliate under Sec.  __.3(b) 
for affiliates that are financial end users with material swaps 
exposure and provide documentation of such amount to each such 
affiliate on a daily basis. Documenting the amount of initial margin 
that would be posted to affiliates will help promote strong risk 
management practices as covered swap entities will have an additional 
real time measure of the amount of risk that is being incurred on swaps 
with their affiliate counterparties.
    In addition, two-way variation margin, which many commenters 
indicated was already market practice, would be required on inter-
affiliate swaps where a covered swap entity transacts with a swap 
entity or financial end user affiliate. The Agencies believe that these 
modifications, combined with the revised definitions of affiliate and 
subsidiary, should address many of the concerns raised by commenters on 
the proposed rule.
    The final rule also modifies the initial margin threshold 
requirement of the proposal for affiliate swaps. Commenters requested 
clarification on how the proposed rule's $65 million initial margin 
threshold would be applied for inter-affiliate transactions with a 
covered swap entity. The final rule provides that a covered swap entity 
may apply a $20 million initial margin threshold to each of its 
affiliates. For example, if a covered swap entity engages in three 
inter-affiliate swaps with an initial margin amount of $100 million 
each with three separate affiliates, the total amount of initial margin 
that the covered swap entity would be required to collect would be 
(($100m-$20m) + ($100m-$20m) + ($100m-$20m)) = $240m.
    In addition, as suggested by commenters, a covered swap entity may 
elect to use an affiliated custodian bank to hold non-cash collateral 
received as initial margin, provided that the restrictions on 
rehypothecating, repledging, or reusing such collateral in Sec.  
__.7(c) of the final rule will also apply to such non-cash collateral. 
However, the affiliated custodian bank will not be permitted to hold 
initial margin cash collateral, which must be held at a third-party 
custodian and promptly reinvested in non-cash collateral pursuant to 
Sec.  __.6.
    Some commenters urged the Agencies to clarify that a holding 
company may provide margin required to be collected by a covered swap 
entity from an affiliate. Section __.3(a) of the final rule requires a 
covered swap entity to collect initial margin from a counterparty that 
is a financial end user with material swap exposure or that is a swap 
entity. This requirement applies to both affiliate and non-affiliate 
counterparties. The rule does not prohibit the margin that a covered 
swap entity must collect on swaps with its affiliated counterparty from 
being supplied by the parent holding company. For example, a covered 
swap entity may act as custodian for non-cash collateral of its parent 
holding company. To the extent the non-cash collateral was not 
encumbered to secure some other obligation of the parent holding 
company (either to the covered swap entity, another affiliate, or 
unrelated party), the holding company may arrange with its affiliate to 
use this excess non-cash collateral to satisfy the covered swap 
entity's requirement to collect initial margin under this rule.\200\ 
Under the final rule, the covered swap entity must have full authority 
to apply this non-cash collateral to the affiliate's obligations in the 
event of default, free of any claim by the parent holding company that 
would interfere with the covered swap entity's rights in the non-cash 
collateral. Moreover, no aspect of the arrangement may compromise or 
condition the restrictions on treatment of initial margin collateral in 
the final rule, including the segregation and rehypothecation 
requirements of Sec. Sec.  __.7 and __.11, or the covered swap entity's 
interests in the collateral.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \200\ The holding company may provide cash collateral to the 
covered swap entity provided that the cash collateral is subject to 
the requirements of the final rule. Under the final rule, cash 
collateral that a covered swap entity acquires to meet the 
requirement to collect initial margin from an affiliate under Sec.  
__.3(a), including cash provided by a holding company, must be held 
at a custodian that is neither the covered swap entity nor an 
affiliate, subject to the requirements of Sec.  __.7(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act require that the margin 
requirements offset the greater risk to swap entities from the use of 
swaps that are not cleared and help ensure the safety and soundness of 
the covered swap entity and are appropriate for the risk associated 
with the non-cleared swap entity. The Agencies believe that the 
modifications in the final rule are responsive to the commenters' 
concerns about the proposal's requirement that covered swap entities 
collect and post initial margin from and to affiliates and are also 
consistent with the statute. The requirement for covered swap entities 
to collect initial margin from, but not to post initial margin to, 
affiliates should help to protect the safety and soundness of covered 
swap entities in the event of an affiliated counterparty default. At 
the same time, the final rule does not permit such inter-affiliate 
swaps, which may be significant in number and notional amount, to 
remain unmargined and thus to pose a risk to systemic stability. 
Further, applying a lower threshold amount to each affiliate should 
permit smaller, end-user types of affiliates to benefit from a lower, 
but non-zero, amount of credit that can be extended to them, while 
ensuring that the covered swap entity collects initial margin from its 
larger affiliates with higher numbers and notional amounts of swaps. 
Similarly, permitting inter-affiliate swaps that are not cleared 
pursuant to an exemption from clearing to use a 5-day margin period of 
risk recognizes that such swaps are typically standardized and, thus, 
appropriate for a treatment that recognizes their lesser risk. The 
Agencies believe that the final rule's provisions for inter-affiliate 
swaps balance the concerns raised by commenters about the impact of 
full two-way margin on inter-affiliate swaps while at the same time, 
consistent with the statute, taking into account the risk of these 
swaps and protecting the safety and soundness of covered swap entities.
    Finally, the Agencies note that banks may be subject to additional 
regulatory restrictions on inter-affiliate swap transactions, such as 
those that may be required by sections 23A and 23B of the Federal 
Reserve Act. Compliance with the margin requirements in this final rule 
does not ensure compliance with other related regulatory requirements 
that may also limit or otherwise regulate inter-affiliate swap 
transactions and banks would be expected to comply with all required 
regulatory requirements related to inter-affiliate swap transactions.

L. Section __.12: Capital

    The Agencies are adopting this section of the rule as proposed. The 
proposal would have required a covered swap entity to comply with any 
risk-based and leverage capital requirements already applicable to that 
covered swap entity as part of its prudential regulatory regime. In the 
last few years, the banking agencies have strengthened regulatory 
capital requirements for banking organizations through adoption of the 
revised capital framework as well as through other rulemakings.\201\ 
The

[[Page 74890]]

revised capital framework introduced a new common equity tier 1 capital 
ratio and a supplementary leverage ratio, raised the minimum tier 1 
ratio and, for certain banking organizations, raised the leverage 
ratio, implemented strict eligibility criteria for regulatory capital 
instruments, and introduced a standardized methodology for calculating 
risk-weighted assets. Further, the revised capital framework adopted by 
the banking agencies and the proposal were intended to operate as 
complementary regimes that minimize or eliminate duplication of 
requirements. Accordingly, the final rule, unchanged from the proposal, 
requires a covered swap entity to comply with risk-based and leverage 
capital requirements already applicable to the covered swap entity as 
follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \201\ See 78 FR 62018 (October 11, 2013) and 79 FR 20754 (April 
14, 2014). The revised capital framework also reorganized the 
banking agencies' capital adequacy guidelines into a harmonized, 
codified set of rules, located at 12 CFR part 3 (national banks and 
Federal savings associations); 12 CFR part 217 (state member banks, 
bank holding companies, and savings and loan holding companies); 12 
CFR part 324 (state nonmember banks and state savings associations). 
The requirements of 12 CFR parts 3, 217 and 324 became effective on 
January 1, 2014, for banking organizations subject to the advanced 
approaches capital rules, and as of January 1, 2015 for all other 
banking organizations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     In the case of covered swap entities that are banking 
organizations,\202\ the elements of the revised capital framework that 
are applicable to the covered entity and have been adopted by the 
appropriate Federal banking agency under 12 U.S.C. 3907 and 3909 
(International Lending Supervision Act), 12 U.S.C. 1462(s) (Home 
Owners' Loan Act), and section 38 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act 
(12 U.S.C. 1831o);
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \202\ Banking organizations include national banks, state member 
banks, state non-member banks, Federal savings associations, state 
savings associations, top-tier bank holding companies domiciled in 
the United States not subject to the Board's Small Bank Holding 
Company Policy Statement (12 CFR part 225, appendix C), as well as 
top-tier savings and loan holding companies domiciled in the United 
States, other than (i) savings and loan holding companies subject to 
the Board's Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement and (ii) 
certain savings and loan holding companies that are substantially 
engaged in insurance underwriting or commercial activities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     In the case of a foreign bank, any state branch or state 
agency of a foreign bank, the capital standards that are applicable to 
such covered entity under the Board's Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.2(r)(3)) 
or the Board's Regulation YY (12 CFR part 252);
     In the case of an Edge corporation or an Agreement 
corporation, the capital standards applicable to an Edge corporation 
engaged in banking pursuant to the Board's Regulation K (12 CFR 
211.12(c));
     In the case of any ``regulated entity'' under the Federal 
Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as 
amended (i.e., Fannie Mae and its affiliates, Freddie Mac and its 
affiliates, and the Federal Home Loan Banks), the risk-based capital 
level or such other amount applicable to the covered swap entity as 
required by the Director of FHFA pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 4611;
     In the case of Farmer Mac, the capital adequacy 
regulations set forth in 12 CFR part 652; and
     In the case of any FCS institution (other than Farmer 
Mac), the capital regulations set forth in 12 CFR part 615.\203\ The 
FCA proposed revisions to the capital rules for all FCS institutions, 
except Farmer Mac, that are broadly consistent with Basel III.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \203\ See Sec.  __.12 of final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies did not receive comment on these capital-related 
provisions. The Agencies believe that compliance with the regulatory 
capital rules described above is sufficient to offset the greater risk, 
relative to the risk of centrally cleared swaps, to the swap entity and 
the financial system arising from the use of non-cleared swaps, and 
would help ensure the safety and soundness of the covered swap entity. 
In particular, the regulatory capital rules incorporated by reference 
into the final rule have already addressed, in a risk-sensitive and 
comprehensive manner, the safety and soundness risks posed by a covered 
swap entity's swaps positions.\204\ In addition, the Agencies believe 
that these regulatory capital rules sufficiently take into account and 
address the risks associated with the swaps positions of a covered swap 
entity. As a result, the Agencies have not adopted any particular 
separate capital requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \204\ For example, with respect to interest rate, foreign 
exchange rate, credit, equity and precious metal derivative 
contracts that are not cleared, banking organizations subject to the 
revised capital framework are subject to a capital requirement based 
on the type of contract and remaining maturity, and that takes into 
account counterparty credit risk as well as the credit-risk-
mitigating factors of collateral. Banking organizations subject to 
the advanced approaches rules may use internal models for 
calculating capital requirements for non-cleared derivatives. See 12 
CFR part 3, subparts D and E (OCC); 12 CFR part 217, subparts D and 
E (Board); 12 CFR part 324, subparts D and E (FDIC), each as 
applicable. The FCA's capital requirements for FCS institutions 
other than Farmer Mac expressly address derivatives transactions. 
See 12 CFR 615.5201 and 615.5212. The FCA's capital requirements for 
Farmer Mac indirectly address derivatives transactions in the 
operational risk component of the statutorily mandated risk-based 
capital stress test model. See 12 CFR part 652, subpart B, appendix 
A. The FCA, through the Office of Secondary Market Oversight, 
closely monitors and supervises all aspects of Farmer Mac's 
derivatives activities, and the FCA believes existing requirements 
and supervision are sufficient to ensure safe and sound operations 
in this area. However, the FCA is considering enhancements to the 
model and in the future may revise the model to more specifically 
address derivatives transactions. FHFA's predecessor agencies used a 
methodology similar to that endorsed by the BCBS prior to the 
development of the Basel III framework to develop the risk-based 
capital rules applicable to those entities now regulated by FHFA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Quantitative Impact of Margin Requirements

A. Overview

    The final rule will apply the initial margin and variation margin 
requirements to non-cleared swaps that are entered into by a covered 
swap entity over a substantial phase-in period that begins in September 
2016. The final rule will not require an immediate or retroactive 
application of initial margin or variation margin for any swap entered 
into prior to the relevant compliance date of the final rule.
    Because the requirements will not be applied retroactively, no new 
initial margin or variation margin requirements will be imposed on non-
cleared swaps entered into prior to the relevant compliance date until 
those transactions are rolled over or renewed. The only requirements 
that will apply to a pre-compliance date transaction are the initial 
margin and variation margin requirements to which the parties to the 
transaction had previously agreed by contract.
    This section addresses the potential cost of initial margin 
requirements, a topic that received considerable attention from 
commenters. The agencies also note that the exchange of initial margin 
is in aggregate not solely a cost, since for every dollar of initial 
margin provided by a posting entity, the collecting entity receives an 
additional dollar of protection from potential loss. In addition, the 
posting and collection of margin should reduce build-ups of large 
unsecured derivatives positions that can adversely affect financial 
stability. As articulated throughout this preamble, the Agencies 
believe the final rule will achieve these financial stability benefits 
in a way that is responsive to the concerns of commenters and 
consistent with the statutory mandate.
    The new requirements will have an impact on the costs of engaging 
in new non-cleared swaps after the applicable compliance date. In 
particular, the final rule sets out requirements for initial and 
variation margin that represent a significant change from current 
industry practice in many circumstances. Since the 2011 proposal was 
released, a number of analyses have been conducted that attempt to 
estimate the total amount of initial margin that would be required by 
the new margin rules. Given the complexity of this final rule and its 
inter-relationship to other rulemakings, these analyses are subject to 
considerable uncertainty. In

[[Page 74891]]

particular, these analyses make a number of assumptions regarding: (i) 
The level of market activity in the future, (ii) the amount of central 
clearing in the future, and (iii) the level of financial market 
volatility and risk that will determine initial margin requirements. 
These studies also make a number of additional assumptions which have a 
measurable influence on the analysis. Notwithstanding these 
uncertainties, the Agencies' believe that the analysis and data that 
appear in these studies are useful to gauge the approximate amount of 
initial margin that will be required by the new requirements for non-
cleared swaps. At the same time, the Agencies also understand that the 
precise impact of the requirements will depend on a number of factors, 
such as the size of the market for uncleared swaps, that are difficult 
to forecast and will evolve over time as market participants respond to 
the new requirements. As such, it is not possible to specify in advance 
the precise impact of the final rule's requirements.
    Below is a discussion of a selection of studies that have been 
conducted in the recent past that relate to a margin framework similar 
to the final rule. Specifically, each of these studies uses the 2013 
international framework in estimating the total amount of initial 
margin collateral that will be required. While this final rule is 
largely consistent with the 2013 international framework, the two are 
not identical. Therefore, the results of these studies are limited by 
these differences.

B. Initial Margin Requirements

    The final rule will require an exchange of initial margin by many 
market participants, which represents a significant change in market 
practice. The total amount of initial margin that will be required at a 
point in time is an important input into an estimate of the costs of 
the new requirements. The table below presents estimates of the total 
amount of initial margin that will be required by U.S. swap entities 
and their counterparties once the requirements are fully implemented, 
that is, at the end of the phase-in period and after existing swaps are 
rolled into new swaps.

                  Estimated Initial Margin Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Initial margin estimate
                     Source                            ($Billions)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ISDA--Model Based..............................                      280
BCBS-IOSCO--Model Based........................                      315
ISDA--Standardized.............................                    3,570
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The initial margin estimates provided in the table above are taken 
from two different studies that have examined the impact of the 2013 
international framework on overall initial margin requirements. The 
studies were conducted by the BCBS and IOSCO \205\ and ISDA.\206\ Each 
of these studies reports an estimate of the global impact of margin 
requirements. In particular, these estimates include the impact of 
margin requirements on foreign financial institutions and their 
counterparties, in addition to U.S. financial institutions and their 
counterparties. In order to better align the studies' estimates with 
the impact of the final U.S. rules, the estimates in the table above 
have been reduced by 65 percent to reflect the fact that U.S. financial 
institutions and their counterparties account for roughly 35 percent of 
the global derivatives market.\207\ The estimate reported in the table 
above from the BCBS-IOSCO study reflects the estimate among those 
provided in the study that is most consistent with the final 
rules.\208\ Two estimates from the ISDA study are presented in the 
table above reflecting a high and low estimate. Both the ISDA low 
estimate and the BCBS-IOSCO estimate assume that all initial margin 
requirements are calculated according to an internal model with 
parameters consistent with those required by the final rules. The ISDA 
high estimate assumes that all initial margin requirements are 
calculated according to a standardized margin approach. Further, the 
standardized approach assumed in the ISDA study does not allow for the 
recognition of any offsets which are allowed by the application of the 
net-to-gross ratio under the final rule.\209\ Ultimately, swap dealers 
will choose whether to calculate initial margin amounts according to 
the final rule's standardized approach or an internal model. While it 
is not possible to forecast with certainty which method will be most 
widely adopted, there are several reasons to expect a models-based 
margin methodology to predominate. Specifically, most covered swap 
entities represent large, internationally active and sophisticated 
derivative dealers that already use internal risk management models to 
assess initial margin amounts when they require initial margin from 
existing swap counterparties. In addition, the derivative dealer 
industry has already begun to develop a quantitative initial margin 
model, the ISDA-SIMM model, that it expects will be used to comply with 
the requirements of the final rule. Accordingly, the Agencies expect 
the costs of the final rule to be more consistent with the costs 
associated with the model-based rather than standardized initial margin 
amounts.\210\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \205\ See Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the 
International Organization of Securities Commissions (2013), Margin 
Requirements for Non-Centrally Cleared Derivatives: Second 
Consultative Document, report (Basel, Switzerland: Bank for 
International Settlements, February).
    \206\ Documents on initial margin requirements are available on 
the International Swaps and Derivatives Association Web site.
    \207\ See ISDA Research Notes: Concentration of OTC Derivatives 
Among Major Dealers, Issue 4, 2010. In addition, the data that was 
collected by the BCBS-IOSCO to estimate the required initial margin 
amounts was collected at the holding company level and included swap 
exposures and resulting initial margin amounts for distinct legal 
entities that are not prudentially regulated but would be regulated 
by the CFTC and SEC. Since the data cannot be disaggregated at the 
legal entity level no attempt to isolate the initial margin amounts 
required only by prudentially regulated entities has been made. 
Accordingly, the amounts reported in the table reflect initial 
margin amounts from exposures of entities that would be regulated as 
covered swap entities as well as other entities not regulated as 
covered swap entities.
    \208\ The BCBS-IOSCO impact study discusses the impact of 
several different margin regimes, e.g., regimes with and without an 
initial margin threshold.
    \209\ The ISDA study was conducted based on the BCBS-IOSCO 
February 2013 consultative document which did not include any 
recognition of offsets in the standardized initial margin regime. 
Recognition of offsets was included in the final 2013 international 
framework.
    \210\ A description of the ISDA SIMM model and related 
documentation can be found at: https://www2.isda.org/functional-areas/wgmr-implementation/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As discussed above, these estimates represent the total amount of 
initial margin that will be required at a point in time once the 
requirements have been fully phased in and all existing non-cleared 
swaps have been rolled over into new non-cleared swaps. Accordingly, 
the full amount of initial margin amount estimates provided in the 
table above will not be realized until, at the earliest, 2019.
    The amounts reported in the table above reflect estimated amounts 
of initial margin that will be required under the final rule but do not 
reflect the cost of providing these amounts by covered swap entities 
and their counterparties. The cost of providing initial margin 
collateral depends on the difference between the cost of raising

[[Page 74892]]

additional funds and the rate of return on the assets that are 
ultimately pledged as initial margin. In some cases, it may be that 
some entities providing initial margin, such as pension funds and asset 
managers, will provide assets as initial margin that they already own 
and would have owned even if no requirements were in place. In such 
cases, the economic cost of providing initial margin collateral is 
expected to be low. In other cases, entities engaging in non-cleared 
swaps will have to raise additional funds to secure assets that can be 
pledged as initial margin. The greater the cost of their marginal 
funding relative to the rate of return on the initial margin 
collateral, the greater the cost of providing collateral assets. It is 
difficult, however, to estimate these costs with any precision due to 
differences in marginal funding costs across different types of 
entities as well as differences in marginal funding costs over time and 
differences in the rate of return on different collateral assets that 
may be used to satisfy the initial margin requirements. Despite these 
uncertainties, one approach to approximating the funding cost 
associated with securing initial margin collateral assets would be to 
compare the yield or rate of return on a typical collateral asset that 
can be used to satisfy initial margin collateral and the cost of 
funding the asset through debt financing. Finally, it should be noted 
that this approach to estimating the cost of the initial margin 
requirements fully incorporates the requirement that initial margin 
collateral not be rehypothecated. If rehypothecation were allowed 
initial margin collected by a swap dealer from one counterparty could 
be used to offset any margin the swap dealer would be required to post 
on an offsetting swap transaction thereby reducing the overall stock of 
initial margin required. All of the presented cost estimates assume 
that every dollar of initial margin must be financed from an outside 
source and invested in an initial margin eligible asset thereby 
reflecting the requirement that no initial margin is rehypothecated, 
repledged or reused.
    Because banks are a significant market participant in the non-
cleared swap market, the debt cost of banks may serve as a useful 
representative indicator of the cost of funding collateral, though the 
debt costs banks face may differ substantially from the debt cost faced 
by other market participants. In terms of collateral assets, the final 
rule provides for a wide array of collateral assets to be used to 
satisfy initial margin collateral. One specific asset that is an 
eligible form of collateral is U.S. Treasury securities. Since U.S. 
Treasury securities are relatively low yielding assets when compared to 
other forms of eligible collateral such as equities and corporate 
bonds, using the yield on U.S. Treasury securities to gauge the 
incremental cost of obtaining initial margin collateral will tend to 
result in a conservative estimate of the overall incremental cost of 
funding initial margin collateral.
    The table below presents the twenty-fifth percentile, median and 
seventy-fifth percentile of five-year CDS spreads for a collection of 
large banks from January 2004 through August of 2015.\211\ Because a 
CDS spread reflects the cost of insuring against the default of a debt 
issuer, it can also be interpreted as the incremental cost of a debt 
issuer to borrow funds over and above the risk-free rate of interest 
which is typically identified with the yield available on U.S. Treasury 
securities. Accordingly, the table below provides an estimate of the 
range of incremental funding costs that a large bank would face to 
finance the purchase of five-year U.S. Treasury collateral.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \211\ The data represent five-year CDS quotes on the following 
banks: Bank of America, Bank of New York-Mellon, Citigroup, Goldman 
Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, State Street, Wells Fargo, 
Barclays, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, and UBS.

                      Large Bank Incremental Cost of Financing U.S. Treasury Collateral (%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        25th Percentile                                  Median              75th Percentile
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.24..........................................................                     0.78                     1.30
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The table shows that the incremental cost of funding U.S. Treasury collateral ranges from 24 basis points to 130
  basis points for the large banks included in the analysis from 2004 through 2015.

    This incremental funding cost can be combined with the estimates of 
the total amount of initial margin collateral in the previous table to 
arrive at an estimate of the annual cost of funding initial margin 
collateral. Specifically, the estimate amount of initial margin is 
multiplied by the incremental funding cost depicted in the table above 
to determine the annual funding cost.
    Any estimate constructed in this fashion is subject to a number of 
limitations that have been described earlier. In particular, the 
estimates of the total amount of initial margin collateral required by 
the rule is subject to a number of uncertainties including but not 
limited to the total amount of non-cleared swap activity that will 
continue to exist in the future. In addition, the incremental funding 
costs of financing initial margin collateral depends on the specific 
characteristics of both the entity sourcing the collateral and the 
collateral asset being sourced. Importantly, in at least some cases 
swap market participants will pledge assets as initial margin that they 
already hold and would not need to raise funds to source any additional 
collateral. In such cases, the incremental cost of the collateral 
requirements are expected to be low.
    The table below presents a matrix of the annual cost estimates 
associated with the initial margin requirements. The three rows of the 
matrix correspond to the BCBS-IOSCO, ISDA-Model Based and ISDA 
Standardized initial margin amounts that were presented and discussed 
above. The three columns of the matrix refer to the 25th percentile, 
median and 75th percentile incremental funding cost estimates that were 
described earlier. Each cell of the matrix presents an annual cost 
estimate that is computed by multiplying the initial margin amount 
identified in each row by the incremental funding cost identified in 
each column. The amounts presented in the table below are reported in 
millions.

                        Estimated Annual Costs of Initial Margin Requirements ($millions)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Incremental funding cost/initial
           margin estimate                 25th Percentile               Median              75th Percentile
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ISDA--Model Based....................                      672                    2,184                    3,640
BCBS-IOSCO--Model Based..............                      756                    2,457                    4,095

[[Page 74893]]

 
ISDA--Standardized...................                    8,568                   27,846                   46,410
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The estimated annual costs of the initial margin requirements range 
from $672 million to roughly $46 billion depending on the specific 
initial margin estimate and incremental funding cost that is used to 
compute the estimate.

C. Inter-Affiliate Initial Margin Requirements

    The final rule requires that covered swap entities collect initial 
margin from their affiliate counterparties but does not require that 
covered swap entities post initial margin to their affiliate 
counterparties (other than affiliate counterparties that are also 
covered swap entities required to collect). The quantitative estimates 
of the amount of initial margin required by the final rule that were 
presented above did not account for transactions between affiliates. 
Accordingly, while the estimates of the cost of the initial margin 
requirements provided above span a wide range, these estimates do not 
explicitly account for the cost associated with the requirement that 
covered swap entities collect initial margin from their affiliates. It 
is difficult to precisely estimate the additional amount of collateral 
that would be required as a result of the inter-affiliate margin 
requirements. One commenter, however, provided an analysis of the 
inter-affiliate swap transactions for several financial firms which is 
useful to gauge the additional collateral that may be required as a 
result of the inter-affiliate margin requirements.
    The commenter contended that an analysis conducted by several large 
financial institutions indicated that both collecting and posting 
initial margin collateral among all affiliates would effectively double 
the amount, i.e., result in a one-hundred percent increase, of initial 
margin that these institutions would be required to collect and post 
relative to the amount of collateral that these institutions would be 
required to post to non-affiliates.\212\ The provisions of the final 
rule, however, do not require full two-way margin from all affiliate 
counterparties. In particular, under the final rule, there is a 
requirement for covered swap entities to collect initial margin from 
affiliates but there is no requirement to post initial margin to an 
affiliate (that is not also a covered swap entity). Assuming that the 
amounts collected and posted are of a similar magnitude, the one-
hundred percent increase cited by the commenter would only translate 
into approximately a fifty percent increase relative to the total 
amount of collateral collected and posted between non-affiliates.\213\ 
In addition, the final rule only requires that covered swap entities 
collect initial margin from their affiliates. Swap transactions between 
affiliates in which neither counterparty is a covered swap entities are 
not subject to the requirements of the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \212\ See ISDA Letter (Jan. 16, 2015).
    \213\ The Agencies understand that the exact size of the 
reduction will vary from covered swap entity to covered swap entity 
depending on the nature of the specific swaps in question, as well 
as whether or not the corporate group has more than one covered swap 
entity--in which case swaps between such affiliates would require 
both the collection and posting of initial margin.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Finally, the final rule also allows covered swap entities to 
calculate the required initial margin amounts assuming a 5-day margin 
period of risk for any swap transactions that would have to be cleared 
but are not cleared due to the clearing exemption for inter-affiliate 
transactions. Under the standardized approach to initial margin in the 
final rule, the initial margin requirements on such transactions are 
reduced by 30 percent. Accordingly, the total amount of initial margin 
required to be collected on inter-affiliate transactions would be 
reduced even further depending on the fraction of transactions margined 
on a 5-day rather than 10-day basis.
    After adjusting for specific features of the final rule, the 
analysis provided by the commenter suggests an additional increase in 
initial margin requirements and the cost of financing initial margin of 
less than fifty percent relative to the amount that will be collected 
and posted among non-affiliates. The Agencies recognize that available 
data and methods do not permit a precise estimate of the total amount 
of initial margin that will be required as a result of the inter-
affiliate margin requirements. The Agencies believe that the estimates 
discussed above are useful in providing guidance on the general 
magnitude of the requirements but that the specific amounts required 
could be substantially greater or lesser than the amounts described 
above for a variety of reasons. First, the analysis described above 
depends on a number of assumptions and changes to these assumptions 
could result in significant changes in the resulting estimates. Second, 
and importantly, the estimates described above depend on the existing 
configuration of swap transactions between affiliates. It is likely 
that the behavior of swap market participants, including affiliate 
counterparties, will respond to incentives created by these swap margin 
requirements. Such changes could have a dramatic effect on the pattern 
of affiliate swap transactions which would itself have a significant 
impact on the amounts of initial margin that are ultimately collected 
on inter-affiliate transactions.

D. Variation Margin Requirements

    The final rule will also require that variation margin be exchanged 
between covered swap entities and certain of their counterparties. The 
Agencies believe that the impact of such requirements are low in the 
aggregate because: (i) Regular exchange of variation margin is already 
a well-established market practice among a large number of market 
participants, and (ii) exchange of variation margin simply 
redistributes resources from one entity to another in a manner that 
imposes no aggregate liquidity costs. A reduction in liquid assets 
available to the entity posting variation margin is offset by an 
increase in the liquid assets available to the entity receiving the 
variation margin. The Agencies have modified the final rule from the 
proposal to allow swap counterparties that are not swap entities to 
post non-cash collateral to satisfy variation margin requirements. 
Accordingly, swap users such as insurance companies and asset managers 
that want to stay fully invested will be able to utilize existing 
assets and collateral to meet the variation margin requirements without 
having to liquidate assets and raise cash. As a result, these swap 
users will not suffer a reduction in the rate of return on their 
investment portfolios that would be experienced if a significant cash 
buffer had to be raised to satisfy the final rule's variation margin 
requirements.

V. Effective Date

    Subject to certain exceptions, 12 U.S.C. 4802(b) provides that new 
regulations and amendments to

[[Page 74894]]

regulations prescribed by a Federal banking agency which impose 
additional reporting, disclosures, or other new requirements on an 
insured depository institution shall take effect on the first day of a 
calendar quarter which begins on or after the date on which the 
regulations are published in final form unless (1) the agency 
determines, for good cause published with the regulation, that the 
regulation should become effective before such time; (2) the regulation 
is issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in 
connection with the implementation of monetary policy; or (3) the 
regulation is required to take effect on a date other than the date 
determined under this paragraph pursuant to any other Act of 
Congress.\214\ In accordance with this provision, the final rule will 
be effective on April 1, 2016 as required under 12 U.S.C. 4802(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \214\ With respect to swaps, section 754 of the Dodd-Frank Act 
provides that unless otherwise provided in this title, the 
provisions of this subtitle shall take effect on the later of 360 
days after the date of the enactment of this subtitle or, to the 
extent a provision of this subtitle requires a rulemaking, not less 
than 60 days after publication of the final rule or regulation 
implementing such provision of this subtitle. Section 774 of the 
Dodd-Frank Act contains a similar provision for security-based 
swaps. The Agencies believe that these two provisions are not 
inconsistent with an effective date of April 1, 2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Administrative Law Matters

A. Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis

    Certain provisions of the final rule contain ``collection of 
information'' requirements within the meaning of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521). In accordance with 
the requirements of the PRA, the Agencies may not conduct or sponsor, 
and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information 
collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for the OCC is 
1557-0251, the FDIC is 3064-0180, and the Board is 7100-0364. In 
addition, as permitted by the PRA, the Board proposes to extend for 
three years, with revision, the Reporting Requirements Associated with 
Regulation KK (Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swaps 
Entities) (Reg KK; OMB No. 7100-0364). The information collection 
requirements contained in this joint notice of final rulemaking have 
been submitted to OMB for review and approval by the OCC and FDIC under 
section 3507(d) of the PRA and Sec.  1320.11 of OMB's implementing 
regulations (5 CFR part 1320). The Board reviewed the final rule under 
the authority delegated to the Board by OMB.
    The final rule contains requirements subject to the PRA. The 
reporting requirements are found in Sec. Sec.  _.8(c), _.8(d), 
_.8(f)(3), and _.9(e). The recordkeeping requirements are found in 
Sec. Sec.  _.2 definition of ``eligible master netting agreement,'' 
item 4, _.5(c)(2)(i), _.7(c), _.8(e), _.8(f), _.8(g), _.8(h), _.10, and 
_.11(b)(1). These information collection requirements would implement 
sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act, as mentioned in the 
Abstract below. The Agencies received a number of comments on the 
custody agreement in Sec.  _.7(c). No PRA burden was taken in the 
proposed rule; however, based on the comments received, the Agencies 
will take recordkeeping burden for this section. Also, the Agencies 
received a number of comments on the posting of initial margin by an 
affiliate of a covered swap entity with respect to swaps between the 
covered swap entity and the affiliate. Based on the comments received, 
the Agencies created a new Sec.  _.11, and the agencies will take 
recordkeeping burden for Sec.  _.11(b)(1).
    The Agencies have a continuing interest in the public's opinions of 
collections of information. At any time, commenters may submit comments 
regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of this collection 
of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the 
addresses listed in the ADDRESSES section. A copy of the comments may 
also be submitted to the OMB desk officer for the agencies (1) by mail 
to U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW., 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503; (2) by facsimile to 202-395-6974; or (3) by email 
to: [email protected], Attention, Federal Banking Agency Desk 
Officer.
Proposed Information Collection
    Title of Information Collection: Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements Associated with Margin and Capital Requirements for 
Covered Swap Entities.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, daily, and event-generated.
    Affected Public: The affected public of the OCC, FDIC, and Board is 
assigned generally in accordance with the entities covered by the scope 
and authority section of their respective final rule. Businesses or 
other for-profit.
    Respondents:
    OCC: Any national bank or subsidiary thereof, Federal savings 
association or subsidiary thereof, or Federal branch or agency of a 
foreign bank that is registered as a swap dealer, major swap 
participant, security-based swap dealer, or major security-based swap 
participant.
    FDIC: Any FDIC-insured state-chartered bank that is not a member of 
the Federal Reserve System or FDIC-insured state-chartered savings 
association that is registered as a swap dealer, major swap 
participant, security-based swap dealer, or major security-based swap 
participant.
    Board: Any state member bank (as defined in 12 CFR 208.2(g)), bank 
holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1841), savings and loan 
holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1467a), foreign banking 
organization (as defined in 12 CFR 211.21(o)), foreign bank that does 
not operate an insured branch, state branch or state agency of a 
foreign bank (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 3101(b)(11) and (12)), or Edge or 
agreement corporation (as defined in 12 CFR 211.1(c)(2) and (3)) that 
is registered as a swap dealer, major swap participant, security-based 
swap dealer, or major security-based swap participant.
    FHFA: With respect to any regulated entity as defined in section 
1303(20) of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and 
Soundness Act of 1992, as amended (12 U.S.C. 4502(20)), the final rule 
does not contain any collection of information that requires the 
approval of the OMB under the PRA.
    FCA: The FCA has determined that the final rule does not involve a 
collection of information pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act for 
Farm Credit System institutions because Farm Credit System institutions 
are Federally chartered instrumentalities of the United States and 
instrumentalities of the United States are specifically excepted from 
the definition of ``collection of information'' contained in 44 U.S.C. 
3502(3).
    Abstract: Sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act would require 
the Agencies to adopt rules jointly to establish capital requirements 
and initial and variation margin requirements for such entities on all 
non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps in order to 
offset the greater risk to such entities and the financial system 
arising from the use of swaps and security-based swaps that are not 
cleared.
Reporting Requirements
    Section _.8 establishes standards for initial margin models. These 
standards include (1) a requirement that the covered swap entity 
receive prior approval from the relevant Agency based on demonstration 
that the initial margin model meets specific

[[Page 74895]]

requirements (Sec.  _.8(c)(1) and (2)); (2) a requirement that a 
covered swap entity notify the relevant Agency in writing 60 days 
before extending use of the model to additional product types, making 
certain changes to the initial margin model, or making material changes 
to modeling assumptions (Sec.  _.8(c)(3)); (3) a variety of 
quantitative requirements, including requirements that the covered swap 
entity validate and demonstrate the reasonableness of its process for 
modeling and measuring hedging benefits, demonstrate to the 
satisfaction of the relevant Agency that the omission of any risk 
factor from the calculation of its initial margin is appropriate, 
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the relevant Agency that 
incorporation of any proxy or approximation used to capture the risks 
of the covered swap entity's non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-
based swaps is appropriate, periodically review and, as necessary, 
revise the data used to calibrate the initial margin model to ensure 
that the data incorporate an appropriate period of significant 
financial stress (Sec.  _.8(d)(5), (10), (11), (12), and (13)). Also, 
if the validation process reveals any material problems with the 
initial margin model, the covered swap entity must promptly notify the 
Agency of the problems, describe to the Agency any remedial actions 
being taken, and adjust the initial margin model to ensure an 
appropriately conservative amount of required initial margin is being 
calculated (Sec.  _.8(f)(3)).
    Section _.9(e) allows a covered swap entity to request that the 
prudential regulators make a substituted compliance determination and 
must provide the reasons therefore and other required supporting 
documentation. A request for a substituted compliance determination 
must include a description of the scope and objectives of the foreign 
regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-
based swaps; the specific provisions of the foreign regulatory 
framework for non-cleared swaps and security-based swaps (scope of 
transactions covered; determination of the amount of initial and 
variation margin required; timing of margin requirements; documentation 
requirements; forms of eligible collateral; segregation and 
rehypothecation requirements; and approval process and standards for 
models); the supervisory compliance program and enforcement authority 
exercised by a foreign financial regulatory authority or authorities in 
such system to support its oversight of the application of the non-
cleared swap and security-based swap regulatory framework; and any 
other descriptions and documentation that the prudential regulators 
determine are appropriate. A covered swap entity may make a request 
under this section only if directly supervised by the authorities 
administering the foreign regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps 
and non-cleared security-based swaps.
Recordkeeping Requirements
    Section _.2 defines terms used in the proposed rule, including the 
definition of ``eligible master netting agreement,'' which provides 
that a covered swap entity that relies on the agreement for purpose of 
calculating the required margin must (1) conduct sufficient legal 
review of the agreement to conclude with a well-founded basis that the 
agreement meets specified criteria and (2) establish and maintain 
written procedures for monitoring relevant changes in law and to ensure 
that the agreement continues to satisfy the requirements of this 
section. The term ``eligible master netting agreement'' is used 
elsewhere in the proposed rule to specify instances in which a covered 
swap entity may (1) calculate variation margin on an aggregate basis 
across multiple non-cleared swaps and security-based swaps and (2) 
calculate initial margin requirements under an initial margin model for 
one or more swaps and security-based swaps.
    Section _.5(c)(2)(i) specifies that a covered swap entity shall not 
be deemed to have violated its obligation to collect or post margin 
from or to a counterparty if the covered swap entity has made the 
necessary efforts to collect or post the required margin, including the 
timely initiation and continued pursuit of formal dispute resolution 
mechanisms, or has otherwise demonstrated upon request to the 
satisfaction of the Agency that it has made appropriate efforts to 
collect or post the required margin.
    Section _.7(c) requires the custodian to act pursuant to a custody 
agreement that (1) prohibits the custodian from rehypothecating, 
repledging, reusing, or otherwise transferring (through securities 
lending, securities borrowing, repurchase agreement, reverse repurchase 
agreement or other means) the collateral held by the custodian, except 
that cash collateral may be held in a general deposit account with the 
custodian if the funds in the account are used to purchase an asset, 
such asset is held in compliance with this Sec.  _.7, and such purchase 
takes place within a time period reasonably necessary to consummate 
such purchase after the cash collateral is posted as initial margin and 
(2) is a legal, valid, binding, and enforceable agreement under the 
laws of all relevant jurisdictions, including in the event of 
bankruptcy, insolvency, or a similar proceeding. A custody agreement 
may permit the posting party to substitute or direct any reinvestment 
of posted collateral held by the custodian, provided that, with respect 
to collateral collected by a covered swap entity pursuant to Sec.  
_.3(a) or posted by a covered swap entity pursuant to Sec.  __.3(b), 
the agreement requires the posting party to substitute only funds or 
other property that would qualify as eligible collateral under Sec.  
_.6, and for which the amount net of applicable discounts described in 
appendix B would be sufficient to meet the requirements of Sec.  _.3 
and direct reinvestment of funds only in assets that would qualify as 
eligible collateral under Sec.  _.6, and for which the amount net of 
applicable discounts described in appendix B would be sufficient to 
meet the requirements of Sec.  _.3.
    Section _.8 establishes standards for initial margin models. These 
standards include (1) a requirement that a covered swap entity review 
its initial margin model annually (Sec.  _.8(e)); (2) a requirement 
that the covered swap entity validate its initial margin model 
initially and on an ongoing basis, describe to the relevant Agency any 
remedial actions being taken, and report internal audit findings 
regarding the effectiveness of the initial margin model to the covered 
swap entity's board of directors or a committee thereof (Sec.  
_.8(f)(2), (3), and (4)); (3) a requirement that the covered swap 
entity adequately document all material aspects of its initial margin 
model (Sec.  _.8(g)); and (4) that the covered swap entity must 
adequately document internal authorization procedures, including 
escalation procedures, that require review and approval of any change 
to the initial margin calculation under the initial margin model, 
demonstrable analysis that any basis for any such change is consistent 
with the requirements of this section, and independent review of such 
demonstrable analysis and approval (Sec.  _.8(h)).
    Section _.10 requires a covered swap entity to execute trading 
documentation with each counterparty that is either a swap entity or 
financial end user regarding credit support arrangements that (1) 
provides the contractual right to collect and post initial margin and 
variation margin in such amounts, in such form, and under such 
circumstances as are required; and (2) specifies the methods, 
procedures,

[[Page 74896]]

rules, and inputs for determining the value of each non-cleared swap or 
non-cleared security-based swap for purposes of calculating variation 
margin requirements, and the procedures for resolving any disputes 
concerning valuation.
    Section _.11(b)(1) provides that the requirement for a covered swap 
entity to post initial margin under Sec.  _.3(b) does not apply with 
respect to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with 
a counterparty that is an affiliate. A covered swap entity shall 
calculate the amount of initial margin that would be required to be 
posted to an affiliate that is a financial end user with material swaps 
exposure pursuant to Sec.  _.3(b) and provide documentation of such 
amount to each affiliate on a daily basis.
    Estimated Burden per Response:
Reporting Burden
Sec.  _.8(c) and (d): 240 hours.
Sec.  _.8(f)(3): 50 hours.
Sec.  _.9(e): 10 hours.
Recordkeeping Burden
Sec. Sec.  _.2, _.8(g), and _.10: 5 hours.
Sec.  _.5(c)(2)(i): 4 hours.
Sec.  _.7(c): 100 hours.
Sec.  _.8(e) and _.8(f): 40 hours.
Sec.  _.8(h): 20 hours.
Sec.  _.11(b)(1): 1 hour.
OCC
Number of respondents: 20.
Total estimated annual burden: 14,780 hours.
FDIC \215\
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    \215\ The FDIC had initially estimated that three of its 
institutions might register as a swap dealer, major swap 
participant, security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap 
participant but no state non-member bank nor any state savings 
association has so registered, so FDIC is reducing its estimate to 
one as a placeholder for its information collection.
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Number of respondents: 1.
Total estimated annual burden: 739 hours.
Board
Number of respondents: 50.
Proposed revisions only estimated annual burden: 36,866 hours (Subpart 
A).
Total estimated annual burden: 36,964 hours.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis

Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis
    OCC: The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq. (RFA), 
requires an agency, in connection with a final rule, to prepare a Final 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis describing the impact of the final rule 
on small entities, or to certify that the final rule would not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
For purposes of the RFA, the Small Business Administration (SBA) 
defines small entities as those with $550 million or less in assets for 
commercial banks and savings institutions, and $38.5 million or less in 
assets for trust companies.
    As of December 31, 2014, the OCC supervised 1,101 small 
entities.\216\
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    \216\ The number of small entities supervised by the OCC is 
determined using the SBA's size thresholds for commercial banks and 
savings institutions, and trust companies, which are $550 million 
and $38.5 million, respectively. Consistent with the General 
Principles of Affiliation 13 CFR 121.103(a), the OCC counts the 
assets of affiliated financial institutions when determining if we 
should classify a bank we supervise as a small entity. The OCC used 
December 31, 2014 to determine size because a ``financial 
institution's assets are determined by averaging the assets reported 
on its four quarterly financial statements for the preceding year.'' 
See footnote 8 of the U.S. Small Business Administration's Table of 
Size Standards.
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    As described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the 
preamble, a covered swap entity will be required to exchange initial 
margin with a financial entity counterparty only if the counterparty 
has a material swaps exposure. No OCC-supervised small entities qualify 
as swap entities or financial end users with a material swaps exposure. 
Thus, under the final rule, no small entities will have to post initial 
margin. The final rule also provides for a minimum transfer amount for 
the collection and posting of margin by covered swap entities. Under 
the final rule, a covered swap entity need not collect or post initial 
or variation margin from or to any individual counterparty unless the 
required cumulative amount of initial and variation margin is greater 
than $500,000.
    The final rule generally exempts swap transactions for all OCC-
supervised institutions with assets of $10 billion or less. Thus, the 
OCC estimates that the final rule will not have a significant impact on 
a substantial number of OCC-supervised small entities.
    Board: The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq. (the 
``RFA''), generally requires that an agency prepare and make available 
for public comment an initial regulatory flexibility analysis in 
connection with a notice of proposed rulemaking.\217\ The Agencies 
solicited public comment on this rule in a notice of proposed 
rulemaking \218\ and have since considered the potential impact of this 
final rule on small entities in accordance with section 604 of the RFA. 
Based on the Board's analysis, and for the reasons stated below, the 
Board believes that the final rule will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \217\ See 5 U.S.C. 603(a).
    \218\ See 79 FR 57348 (September 24, 2014).
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    1. Statement of the need for, and objectives of, the final rule. As 
described above, the final rule implements sections 731 and 764 of the 
Dodd-Frank Act, which require the Agencies to adopt rules jointly to 
establish (i) capital requirements, and (ii) initial and variation 
margin requirements for covered swap entities on all non-cleared swaps 
and non-cleared security-based swaps in order to offset the greater 
risk to the swap entity and the financial system arising from the use 
of swaps and security-based swaps that are not cleared.\219\ The 
reasons and justification for the final rule are described above in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \219\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(3)(A); 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)(3)(A).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Summary of the significant issues raised by public comment on 
the Board's initial analysis, the Board's assessment of such issues, 
and a statement of any changes made as a result of such comments. The 
Agencies did not receive comment specifically on the initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis, but did receive various comments on the impact of 
the proposed rule on small entities, including applicability of the 
rule to swaps with commercial end users as well as the level of 
material swaps exposure that triggers initial margin requirements for 
financial end user counterparties. As discussed further in section 3 
below, the final rule addresses both these issues by implementing the 
swap exemptions and exclusions set forth in TRIPRA, which will exclude 
many swaps of commercial end users from the rule, and by increasing the 
level of the aggregate notional amount of transactions that give rise 
to material swaps exposure from $3 billion to $8 billion, resulting in 
fewer financial end users being subject to the initial margin 
provisions in this final rule. A full discussion of these and other 
comments received with respect to this rule and the rule's effect on 
small entities is contained in the Supplementary Information above.
    3. Small entities affected by the final rule and compliance 
requirements. This final rule may have an effect predominantly on two 
types of small entities: (i) covered swap entities that are subject to 
the rule's capital and margin requirements; and (ii) counterparties 
that engage in swap transactions with covered swap entities.

[[Page 74897]]

i. Covered Swap Entities.
    Under Small Business Administration (the ``SBA'') regulations, the 
finance and insurance sector includes commercial banking, savings 
institutions, credit unions, other depository credit intermediation and 
credit card issuing entities (``financial institutions''), which 
generally are considered ``small'' if they have assets of $550 million 
or less.\220\ Covered swap entities would be considered financial 
institutions for purposes of the RFA in accordance with SBA 
regulations. The Board does not expect that any covered swap entity is 
likely to be a small financial institution, because a small financial 
institution is unlikely to engage in the level of swap activity that 
would require it to register as a swap dealer or major swap 
participant. As noted above, the CFTC has provided a list of 
provisionally registered swap dealers that includes 104 institutions 
and provisionally registered major swap participants that includes 2 
institutions.\221\ The SEC has not provided a similar list since it 
only recently adopted rules to provide for the registration of 
security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap 
participants.\222\ None of the currently registered covered swap 
entities are small entities.
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    \220\ See 13 CFR 121.201 (effective December 2, 2014); see also 
13 CFR 121.103(a)(6) (noting factors that the SBA considers in 
determining whether an entity qualifies as a small business, 
including receipts, employees, and other measures of its domestic 
and foreign affiliates).
    \221\ The CFTC has published a list of provisionally registered 
swap dealers (as of September 22, 2015) and provisionally registered 
major swap participants (as of March 1, 2013) that does not include 
any small financial institutions. See http://www.cftc.gov/LawRegulation/DoddFrankAct/registerswapdealer and http://www.cftc.gov/LawRegulation/DoddFrankAct/registermajorswappart.
    \222\ See 80 FR 48963 (August 14, 2015); 17 CFR parts 240 and 
249.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

ii. Counterparties That Engage in Swap Transactions With Covered Swap 
Entities
    The Board notes that the RFA does not require it to consider the 
impact of the final rule, including its indirect economic effects, on 
small entities that are not subject to the requirements of the final 
rule.\223\ Nonetheless, the Board has conducted the following analysis 
of potential swap counterparties.\224\
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    \223\ See e.g., In Mid-Tex Electric Cooperative v. FERC, 773 
F.2d 327 (D.C. Cir. 1985); United Distribution Cos. v. FERC, 88 F.3d 
1105, 1170 (D.C. Cir. 1996); Cement Kiln Recycling Coalition v. EPA, 
255 F.3d 855 (D.C. Cir. 2001).
    \224\ In addition to small financial institutions which have 
assets of $550 million or less, swap counterparties could also 
include other small entities defined in regulations issued by the 
Small Business Administration, including firms within the 
``Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments 
and Related Activities'' sector with assets of $38.5 million or less 
and ``Funds, Trusts and Other Financial Vehicles'' with assets of 
$32.5 million or less. See 13 CFR 121.201.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. Commercial End Users
    Many swaps of non-financial end user counterparties will be exempt 
from the requirements of this rule pursuant to the companion interim 
final rule required under TRIPRA.\225\ To the extent that the swaps of 
these counterparties are not exempt, non-financial or ``commercial'' 
end users are not subject to specific requirements under the rule, and 
a covered swap entity's collection of margin from these types of 
counterparties is subject to the judgment of the covered swap entity. 
That is, under the rule, a covered swap entity is not required to 
collect initial or variation margin with respect to any non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap with a counterparty that is a 
nonfinancial end user but shall collect initial and variation margin at 
such times and in such forms and such amounts (if any) that the covered 
swap entity determines appropriately address the credit risk posed by 
the counterparty and the risks of such non-cleared swaps and non-
cleared security-based swaps. In this respect, the Board intends for 
the requirements to be consistent with current market practice for such 
end users, with the understanding that in many cases little or no 
margin is, or will be, exchanged with these counterparties. The 
documentation requirements of the rule likewise would not apply to 
these nonfinancial end users. Although the segregation requirement of 
the rule could apply in cases where the covered swap entity posts 
margin to a nonfinancial end user, the rule does not require the 
covered swap entity to post margin in those situations and the Board 
does not believe covered swap entities will normally post margin to 
nonfinancial end user counterparties. The Board believes that the 
treatment of nonfinancial end users under the rule should not cause 
additional burden on nonfinancial end users including those that are 
small entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \225\ Section 302 of Title III of TRIPRA amends sections 731 and 
764 of the Dodd-Frank Act to provide that the Agencies' rules on 
margin requirements under those sections shall not apply to a swap 
in which a counterparty: (1) qualifies for an exception under 
section 2(h)(7)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act, (2) qualifies for 
an exemption issued under section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange 
Act for cooperative entities as defined in such exemption, or (3) 
satisfies the criteria in section 2(h)(7)(D) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act, or a security-based swap in which a counterparty (1) 
qualifies for an exception under section 3C(g)(1) of the Securities 
Exchange Act or (2) satisfies the criteria in section 3C(g)(4) of 
the Securities Exchange Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Financial End Users
    The rule would require covered swap entities to post margin to and 
collect margin from non-cleared swap and non-cleared security-based 
swap counterparties that are swap entities or financial end users. As 
noted above, no swap entities are expected to be small entities; the 
number of financial end user counterparties is also unknown. However, 
the Board believes that modifications to the proposed rule would 
eliminate burden on financial end user counterparties that are small 
entities.
    The application of initial margin requirements to swaps with 
financial end user counterparties is limited, depending on the 
counterparty's level of swap activity. With respect to financial end 
user counterparties that engage in swaps with swap entities that are 
subject to the rule's margin requirements, the rule minimizes the 
burden on small entities by requiring that such counterparties have a 
material swaps exposure in order to be subject to initial margin 
requirements. Material swaps exposure for an entity is defined to mean 
that an entity and its affiliates have an average daily aggregate 
notional amount of non-cleared swaps, non-cleared security-based swaps, 
foreign exchange forwards and foreign exchange swaps with all 
counterparties for June, July and August of the previous calendar year 
that exceeds $8 billion, where such amount is calculated only for 
business days. This threshold amount was proposed to be $3 billion and 
was increased to $8 billion in the final rule. Since the application of 
the initial margin requirements apply only where a counterparty is a 
financial end user with material swaps exposure, the increased 
threshold amount will result in fewer small financial end users being 
subject to the initial margin requirements provisions of this rule. In 
addition, the rule provides an initial margin threshold resulting in an 
aggregate credit exposure of $50 million from all non-cleared swaps and 
non-cleared security-based swaps between a covered swap entity and its 
affiliates and a counterparty and its affiliates. A covered swap entity 
would not need to collect initial margin from a counterparty to the 
extent the amount is below the initial margin threshold. The Board 
expects the initial margin threshold should further reduce the impact 
of the rule on financial counterparties that are small entities. In 
particular, according to 2015 Call Report data, banks with $550 million 
or less in

[[Page 74898]]

total assets had an average notional derivative exposure of 
approximately $2 million and a large number of these entities reported 
no notional derivative exposure. The Board does not expect that there 
will be a significant number of small entities that will have material 
swaps exposure or meet the initial margin threshold amount.
    As noted above, all financial end users would be subject to the 
variation margin requirements and documentation requirements of the 
rule. However, the Board believes that such treatment is consistent 
with current market practice and should not represent a significant 
burden on small financial end users. Consequently, the rule would not 
appear to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
swap counterparties that are small entities.
    4. Significant alternatives to the final rule. As discussed above, 
the Agencies have mitigated the impact of the margin requirements on 
small entity non-financial counterparties from which covered swap 
entities may be required to collect initial margin and/or variation 
margin by leaving the collection of margin from these types of 
counterparties to the judgment of the covered swap entity consistent 
with current market practice. By requiring a material swaps exposure 
for a financial end user counterparty to be subject to initial margin 
requirements and through the implementation of an initial margin 
threshold amount, the Agencies reduced the effect of the rule on 
counterparties to covered swap entities, including small entities.
    In light of the foregoing, the Board does not believe, for covered 
swap entities subject to the Board's jurisdiction and their 
counterparties, that this final rule would have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    FDIC: The RFA requires an agency, in connection with a notice of 
final rulemaking, to prepare a Final Regulatory Flexibility Act 
analysis describing the impact of the rule on small entities (defined 
by the SBA for purposes of the RFA to include banking entities with 
total assets of $550 million or less) or to certify that the final rule 
will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities.
    Using SBA's size standards, as of June 30, 2015, the FDIC 
supervised 3,357 small entities. The FDIC does not expect any small 
entity that it supervises is likely to be a covered swap entity because 
such entities are unlikely to engage in the level of swap activity that 
would require them to register as a swap entity. Because TRIPRA 
excludes non-cleared swaps entered into for hedging purposes by a 
financial institution with total assets of $10 billion or less from the 
requirement of the final rule, the FDIC expects that when a covered 
swap entity transactions non-cleared swaps with a small entity 
supervised by the FDIC, and such swaps are used to hedge the small 
entity's commercial risk, those swaps with not be subject to the final 
rule. The FDIC does not expect any small entity that it supervises will 
engage in non-cleared swaps for purposes other than hedging. Therefore, 
the FDIC does not believe that the final rule results in a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under its 
supervisory jurisdiction.
    The FDIC certifies that the final rule does not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small FDIC-supervised 
institutions.
    FHFA: FHFA believes that the final rule will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, since none 
of FHFA's regulated entities come within the meaning of small entities 
as defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (see 5 U.S.C. 601(6)), and 
the rule will not substantially affect any business that its regulated 
entities might conduct with such small entities.
    FCA: Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 
the FCA hereby certifies that the final rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
Each of the banks in the Farm Credit System, considered together with 
its affiliated associations, has assets and annual income in excess of 
the amounts that would qualify them as small entities. Nor does the 
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation meet the definition of a 
``small entity.'' Therefore, Farm Credit System institutions are not 
``small entities'' as defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

C. OCC Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 Determination

    The OCC has analyzed the final rule under the factors in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (2 U.S.C. 1532). Under this 
analysis, the OCC considered whether the final rule includes a Federal 
mandate that may result in the expenditure by State, local, and tribal 
governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year (adjusted annually for inflation).
    The OCC has determined this proposed rule is likely to result in 
the expenditure by the private sector of $100 million or more in any 
one year (adjusted annually for inflation). The OCC has prepared an 
impact analysis and identified and considered alternative approaches. 
When the final rule is published in the Federal Register, the full text 
of the OCC's analysis will available at: http://www.regulations.gov, 
Docket ID OCC-2011-0008.

Text of the Common Rules (All Agencies)

    The text of the common rules appears below:

[ ]--MARGIN AND CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COVERED SWAP ENTITIES

Sec.
__.1 Authority, purpose, scope, exemptions and compliance dates.
__.2 Definitions.
__.3 Initial margin.
__.4 Variation margin.
__.5 Netting arrangements, minimum transfer amount and satisfaction 
of collecting and posting requirements.
__.6 Eligible collateral.
__.7 Segregation of collateral.
__.8 Initial margin models and standardized amounts.
__.9 Cross-border application of margin requirements.
__.10 Documentation of margin matters.
__.11 Special rules for affiliates.
__.12 Capital. [Reserved]

Appendix A to [Part]--Standardized Minimum Initial Margin Requirements 
for Non-Cleared Swaps and Non-Cleared Security-Based Swaps
Appendix B to [Part]--Margin Values for Cash and Eligible Noncash 
Margin Collateral


Sec.  __.1  Authority, purpose, scope, exemptions and compliance dates.

    (a) [Reserved]
    (b) [Reserved]
    (c) [Reserved]
    (d) [Reserved]
    (e) Compliance dates. Covered swap entities shall comply with the 
minimum margin requirements of this [part] on or before the following 
dates for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps 
entered into on or after the following dates:
    (1) September 1, 2016 with respect to the requirements in Sec.  
__.3 for initial margin and Sec.  __.4 for variation margin for any 
non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps, where both:
    (i) The covered swap entity combined with all its affiliates; and
    (ii) Its counterparty combined with all its affiliates, have an 
average daily aggregate notional amount of non-

[[Page 74899]]

cleared swaps, non-cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange 
forwards and foreign exchange swaps for March, April and May 2016 that 
exceeds $3 trillion, where such amounts are calculated only for 
business days; and
    (iii) In calculating the amounts in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) and (ii) 
of this section, an entity shall count the average daily aggregate 
notional amount of a non-cleared swap, a non-cleared security-based 
swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign exchange swap between the 
entity and an affiliate only one time, and shall not count a swap or 
security-based swap that is exempt pursuant to paragraph (d) of this 
section.
    (2) March 1, 2017 with respect to the requirements in Sec.  __.4 
for variation margin for any other covered swap entity with respect to 
non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps entered into 
with any other counterparty.
    (3) September 1, 2017 with respect to the requirements in Sec.  
__.3 for initial margin for any non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps, where both:
    (i) The covered swap entity combined with all its affiliates; and
    (ii) Its counterparty combined with all its affiliates, have an 
average daily aggregate notional amount of non-cleared swaps, non-
cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange forwards and foreign 
exchange swaps for March, April and May 2017 that exceeds $2.25 
trillion, where such amounts are calculated only for business days; and
    (iii) In calculating the amounts in paragraphs (e)(3)(i) and (ii) 
of this section, an entity shall count the average daily aggregate 
notional amount of a non-cleared swap, a non-cleared security-based 
swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign exchange swap between the 
entity and an affiliate only one time, and shall not count a swap or 
security-based swap that is exempt pursuant to paragraph (d) of this 
section.
    (4) September 1, 2018 with respect to the requirements in Sec.  
__.3 for initial margin for any non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps, where both:
    (i) The covered swap entity combined with all its affiliates; and
    (ii) Its counterparty combined with all its affiliates, have an 
average daily aggregate notional amount of non-cleared swaps, non-
cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange forwards and foreign 
exchange swaps for March, April and May 2018 that exceeds $1.5 
trillion, where such amounts are calculated only for business days; and
    (iii) In calculating the amounts in paragraphs (e)(4)(i) and (ii) 
of this section, an entity shall count the average daily aggregate 
notional amount of a non-cleared swap, a non-cleared security-based 
swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign exchange swap between the 
entity and an affiliate only one time, and shall not count a swap or 
security-based swap that is exempt pursuant to paragraph (d) of this 
section.
    (5) September 1, 2019 with respect to the requirements in Sec.  
__.3 for initial margin for any non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps, where both:
    (i) The covered swap entity combined with all its affiliates; and
    (ii) Its counterparty combined with all its affiliates, have an 
average daily aggregate notional amount of non-cleared swaps, non-
cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange forwards and foreign 
exchange swaps for March, April and May 2019 that exceeds $0.75 
trillion, where such amounts are calculated only for business days; and
    (iii) In calculating the amounts in paragraphs (e)(5)(i) and (ii) 
of this section, an entity shall count the average daily aggregate 
notional amount of a non-cleared swap, a non-cleared security-based 
swap, a foreign exchange forward or a foreign exchange swap between the 
entity and an affiliate only one time, and shall not count a swap or 
security-based swap that is exempt pursuant to paragraph (d) of this 
section.
    (6) September 1, 2020 with respect to the requirements in Sec.  
__.3 for initial margin for any other covered swap entity with respect 
to non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps entered into 
with any other counterparty.
    (f) Once a covered swap entity must comply with the margin 
requirements for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps 
with respect to a particular counterparty based on the compliance dates 
in paragraph (e) of this section, the covered swap entity shall remain 
subject to the requirements of this [part] with respect to that 
counterparty.
    (g)(1) If a covered swap entity's counterparty changes its status 
such that a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with 
that counterparty becomes subject to stricter margin requirements under 
this [part] (such as if the counterparty's status changes from a 
financial end user without material swaps exposure to a financial end 
user with material swaps exposure), then the covered swap entity shall 
comply with the stricter margin requirements for any non-cleared swap 
or non-cleared security-based swap entered into with that counterparty 
after the counterparty changes its status.
    (2) If a covered swap entity's counterparty changes its status such 
that a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with that 
counterparty becomes subject to less strict margin requirements under 
this [part] (such as if the counterparty's status changes from a 
financial end user with material swaps exposure to a financial end user 
without material swaps exposure), then the covered swap entity may 
comply with the less strict margin requirements for any non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap entered into with that 
counterparty after the counterparty changes its status as well as for 
any outstanding non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap 
entered into after the applicable compliance date in paragraph (e) of 
this section and before the counterparty changed its status.


Sec.  __.2  Definitions.

    Affiliate. A company is an affiliate of another company if:
    (1) Either company consolidates the other on financial statements 
prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting 
Principles, the International Financial Reporting Standards, or other 
similar standards;
    (2) Both companies are consolidated with a third company on a 
financial statement prepared in accordance with such principles or 
standards;
    (3) For a company that is not subject to such principles or 
standards, if consolidation as described in paragraph (1) or (2) of 
this definition would have occurred if such principles or standards had 
applied; or
    (4) [The Agency] has determined that a company is an affiliate of 
another company, based on [Agency's] conclusion that either company 
provides significant support to, or is materially subject to the risks 
or losses of, the other company.
    Bank holding company has the meaning specified in section 2 of the 
Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841).
    Broker has the meaning specified in section 3(a)(4) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(4)).
    Business day means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or legal 
holiday.
    Clearing agency has the meaning specified in section 3(a)(23) of 
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(23)).

[[Page 74900]]

    Company means a corporation, partnership, limited liability 
company, business trust, special purpose entity, association, or 
similar organization.
    Counterparty means, with respect to any non-cleared swap or non-
cleared security-based swap to which a person is a party, each other 
party to such non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap.
    Cross-currency swap means a swap in which one party exchanges with 
another party principal and interest rate payments in one currency for 
principal and interest rate payments in another currency, and the 
exchange of principal occurs on the date the swap is entered into, with 
a reversal of the exchange of principal at a later date that is agreed 
upon when the swap is entered into.
    Currency of settlement means a currency in which a party has agreed 
to discharge payment obligations related to a non-cleared swap, a non-
cleared security-based swap, a group of non-cleared swaps, or a group 
of non-cleared security-based swaps subject to a master agreement at 
the regularly occurring dates on which such payments are due in the 
ordinary course.
    Day of execution means the calendar day at the time the parties 
enter into a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap, 
provided:
    (1) If each party is in a different calendar day at the time the 
parties enter into the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap, the day of execution is deemed the latter of the two dates; and
    (2) If a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap is:
    (i) Entered into after 4:00 p.m. in the location of a party; or
    (ii) Entered into on a day that is not a business day in the 
location of a party, then the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-
based swap is deemed to have been entered into on the immediately 
succeeding day that is a business day for both parties, and both 
parties shall determine the day of execution with reference to that 
business day.
    Dealer has the meaning specified in section 3(a)(5) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(5)).
    Depository institution has the meaning specified in section 3(c) of 
the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(c)).
    Derivatives clearing organization has the meaning specified in 
section 1a(15) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(15)).
    Eligible collateral means collateral described in Sec.  __.6.
    Eligible master netting agreement means a written, legally 
enforceable agreement provided that:
    (1) The agreement creates a single legal obligation for all 
individual transactions covered by the agreement upon an event of 
default following any stay permitted by paragraph (2) of this 
definition, including upon an event of receivership, conservatorship, 
insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding, of the counterparty;
    (2) The agreement provides the covered swap entity the right to 
accelerate, terminate, and close-out on a net basis all transactions 
under the agreement and to liquidate or set-off collateral promptly 
upon an event of default, including upon an event of receivership, 
conservatorship, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding, of the 
counterparty, provided that, in any such case, any exercise of rights 
under the agreement will not be stayed or avoided under applicable law 
in the relevant jurisdictions, other than:
    (i) In receivership, conservatorship, or resolution under the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.), Title II of the 
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 
5381 et seq.), the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and 
Soundness Act of 1992, as amended (12 U.S.C. 4617), or the Farm Credit 
Act of 1971, as amended (12 U.S.C. 2183 and 2279cc), or laws of foreign 
jurisdictions that are substantially similar to the U.S. laws 
referenced in this paragraph (2)(i) in order to facilitate the orderly 
resolution of the defaulting counterparty; or
    (ii) Where the agreement is subject by its terms to, or 
incorporates, any of the laws referenced in paragraph (2)(i) of this 
definition;
    (3) The agreement does not contain a walkaway clause (that is, a 
provision that permits a non-defaulting counterparty to make a lower 
payment than it otherwise would make under the agreement, or no payment 
at all, to a defaulter or the estate of a defaulter, even if the 
defaulter or the estate of the defaulter is a net creditor under the 
agreement); and
    (4) A covered swap entity that relies on the agreement for purposes 
of calculating the margin required by this part must:
    (i) Conduct sufficient legal review to conclude with a well-founded 
basis (and maintain sufficient written documentation of that legal 
review) that:
    (A) The agreement meets the requirements of paragraph (2) of this 
definition; and
    (B) In the event of a legal challenge (including one resulting from 
default or from receivership, conservatorship, insolvency, liquidation, 
or similar proceeding), the relevant court and administrative 
authorities would find the agreement to be legal, valid, binding, and 
enforceable under the law of the relevant jurisdictions; and
    (ii) Establish and maintain written procedures to monitor possible 
changes in relevant law and to ensure that the agreement continues to 
satisfy the requirements of this definition.
    Financial end user means:
    (1) Any counterparty that is not a swap entity and that is:
    (i) A bank holding company or an affiliate thereof; a savings and 
loan holding company; a U.S. intermediate holding company established 
or designated for purposes of compliance with 12 CFR 252.153; or a 
nonbank financial institution supervised by the Board of Governors of 
the Federal Reserve System under Title I of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street 
Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5323);
    (ii) A depository institution; a foreign bank; a Federal credit 
union or State credit union as defined in section 2 of the Federal 
Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752(1) & (6)); an institution that 
functions solely in a trust or fiduciary capacity as described in 
section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 
1841(c)(2)(D)); an industrial loan company, an industrial bank, or 
other similar institution described in section 2(c)(2)(H) of the Bank 
Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(c)(2)(H));
    (iii) An entity that is state-licensed or registered as:
    (A) A credit or lending entity, including a finance company; money 
lender; installment lender; consumer lender or lending company; 
mortgage lender, broker, or bank; motor vehicle title pledge lender; 
payday or deferred deposit lender; premium finance company; commercial 
finance or lending company; or commercial mortgage company; except 
entities registered or licensed solely on account of financing the 
entity's direct sales of goods or services to customers;
    (B) A money services business, including a check casher; money 
transmitter; currency dealer or exchange; or money order or traveler's 
check issuer;
    (iv) A regulated entity as defined in section 1303(20) of the 
Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, 
as amended (12 U.S.C. 4502(20)) or any entity for which the Federal 
Housing Finance Agency or

[[Page 74901]]

its successor is the primary federal regulator;
    (v) Any institution chartered in accordance with the Farm Credit 
Act of 1971, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq., that is regulated by 
the Farm Credit Administration;
    (vi) A securities holding company; a broker or dealer; an 
investment adviser as defined in section 202(a) of the Investment 
Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-2(a)); an investment company 
registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the 
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.); or a company 
that has elected to be regulated as a business development company 
pursuant to section 54(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 
U.S.C. 80a-53(a));
    (vii) A private fund as defined in section 202(a) of the Investment 
Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80-b-2(a)); an entity that would be an 
investment company under section 3 of the Investment Company Act of 
1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3) but for section 3(c)(5)(C); or an entity that is 
deemed not to be an investment company under section 3 of the 
Investment Company Act of 1940 pursuant to Investment Company Act Rule 
3a-7 (17 CFR 270.3a-7) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission;
    (viii) A commodity pool, a commodity pool operator, or a commodity 
trading advisor as defined, respectively, in section 1a(10), 1a(11), 
and 1a(12) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(10), 
1a(11), and 1a(12)); a floor broker, a floor trader, or introducing 
broker as defined, respectively, in 1a(22), 1a(23) and 1a(31) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(22), 1a(23), and 1a(31)); 
or a futures commission merchant as defined in 1a(28) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(28));
    (ix) An employee benefit plan as defined in paragraphs (3) and (32) 
of section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of 1974 
(29 U.S.C. 1002);
    (x) An entity that is organized as an insurance company, primarily 
engaged in writing insurance or reinsuring risks underwritten by 
insurance companies, or is subject to supervision as such by a State 
insurance regulator or foreign insurance regulator;
    (xi) An entity, person or arrangement that is, or holds itself out 
as being, an entity, person, or arrangement that raises money from 
investors, accepts money from clients, or uses its own money primarily 
for the purpose of investing or trading or facilitating the investing 
or trading in loans, securities, swaps, funds or other assets for 
resale or other disposition or otherwise trading in loans, securities, 
swaps, funds or other assets; or
    (xii) An entity that would be a financial end user described in 
paragraph (1) of this definition or a swap entity, if it were organized 
under the laws of the United States or any State thereof.
    (2) The term ``financial end user'' does not include any 
counterparty that is:
    (i) A sovereign entity;
    (ii) A multilateral development bank;
    (iii) The Bank for International Settlements;
    (iv) An entity that is exempt from the definition of financial 
entity pursuant to section 2(h)(7)(C)(iii) of the Commodity Exchange 
Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(C)(iii)) and implementing regulations; or
    (v) An affiliate that qualifies for the exemption from clearing 
pursuant to section 2(h)(7)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 
U.S.C. 2(h)(7)(D)) or section 3C(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c-3(g)(4)) and implementing regulations.
    Foreign bank means an organization that is organized under the laws 
of a foreign country and that engages directly in the business of 
banking outside the United States.
    Foreign exchange forward has the meaning specified in section 
1a(24) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(24)).
    Foreign exchange swap has the meaning specified in section 1a(25) 
of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(25)).
    Initial margin means the collateral as calculated in accordance 
with Sec.  __.8 that is posted or collected in connection with a non-
cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap.
    Initial margin collection amount means:
    (1) In the case of a covered swap entity that does not use an 
initial margin model, the amount of initial margin with respect to a 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap that is required 
under appendix A of this [part]; and
    (2) In the case of a covered swap entity that uses an initial 
margin model pursuant to Sec.  __.8, the amount of initial margin with 
respect to a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap that 
is required under the initial margin model.
    Initial margin model means an internal risk management model that:
    (1) Has been developed and designed to identify an appropriate, 
risk-based amount of initial margin that the covered swap entity must 
collect with respect to one or more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared 
security-based swaps to which the covered swap entity is a party; and
    (2) Has been approved by [Agency] pursuant to Sec.  __.8.
    Initial margin threshold amount means an aggregate credit exposure 
of $50 million resulting from all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps between a covered swap entity and its affiliates, 
and a counterparty and its affiliates. For purposes of this 
calculation, an entity shall not count a swap or security-based swap 
that is exempt pursuant to Sec.  __.1(d).
    Major currency means:
    (1) United States Dollar (USD);
    (2) Canadian Dollar (CAD);
    (3) Euro (EUR);
    (4) United Kingdom Pound (GBP);
    (5) Japanese Yen (JPY);
    (6) Swiss Franc (CHF);
    (7) New Zealand Dollar (NZD);
    (8) Australian Dollar (AUD);
    (9) Swedish Kronor (SEK);
    (10) Danish Kroner (DKK);
    (11) Norwegian Krone (NOK); or
    (12) Any other currency as determined by [Agency].
    Margin means initial margin and variation margin.
    Market intermediary means a securities holding company; a broker or 
dealer; a futures commission merchant as defined in 1a(28) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(28)); a swap dealer as 
defined in section 1a(49) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 
U.S.C. 1a(49)); or a security-based swap dealer as defined in section 
3(a)(71) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(71)).
    Material swaps exposure for an entity means that an entity and its 
affiliates have an average daily aggregate notional amount of non-
cleared swaps, non-cleared security-based swaps, foreign exchange 
forwards, and foreign exchange swaps with all counterparties for June, 
July, and August of the previous calendar year that exceeds $8 billion, 
where such amount is calculated only for business days. An entity shall 
count the average daily aggregate notional amount of a non-cleared 
swap, a non-cleared security-based swap, a foreign exchange forward or 
a foreign exchange swap between the entity and an affiliate only one 
time. For purposes of this calculation, an entity shall not count a 
swap or security-based swap that is exempt pursuant to Sec.  __.1(d).
    Multilateral development bank means the International Bank for

[[Page 74902]]

Reconstruction and Development, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee 
Agency, the International Finance Corporation, the Inter-American 
Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development 
Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the 
European Investment Bank, the European Investment Fund, the Nordic 
Investment Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Islamic 
Development Bank, the Council of Europe Development Bank, and any other 
entity that provides financing for national or regional development in 
which the U.S. government is a shareholder or contributing member or 
which [Agency] determines poses comparable credit risk.
    Non-cleared swap means a swap that is not cleared by a derivatives 
clearing organization registered with the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission pursuant to section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 
1936 (7 U.S.C. 7a-1(a)) or by a clearing organization that the 
Commodity Futures Trading Commission has exempted from registration by 
rule or order pursuant to section 5b(h) of the Commodity Exchange Act 
of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 7a-1(h)).
    Non-cleared security-based swap means a security-based swap that is 
not, directly or indirectly, submitted to and cleared by a clearing 
agency registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 
pursuant to section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 78q-1) or by a clearing agency that the U.S. Securities and 
Exchange Commission has exempted from registration by rule or order 
pursuant to section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 78q-1).
    Prudential regulator has the meaning specified in section 1a(39) of 
the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(39)).
    Savings and loan holding company has the meaning specified in 
section 10(n) of the Home Owners' Loan Act (12 U.S.C. 1467a(n)).
    Securities holding company has the meaning specified in section 618 
of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 
U.S.C. 1850a).
    Security-based swap has the meaning specified in section 3(a)(68) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(68)).
    Sovereign entity means a central government (including the U.S. 
government) or an agency, department, ministry, or central bank of a 
central government.
    State means any State, commonwealth, territory, or possession of 
the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, 
Guam, or the United States Virgin Islands.
    Subsidiary. A company is a subsidiary of another company if:
    (1) The company is consolidated by the other company on financial 
statements prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted 
Accounting Principles, the International Financial Reporting Standards, 
or other similar standards;
    (2) For a company that is not subject to such principles or 
standards, if consolidation as described in paragraph (1) of this 
definition would have occurred if such principles or standards had 
applied; or
    (3) [The Agency] has determined that the company is a subsidiary of 
another company, based on [Agency's] conclusion that either company 
provides significant support to, or is materially subject to the risks 
of loss of, the other company.
    Swap has the meaning specified in section 1a(47) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1a(47)).
    Swap entity means a person that is registered with the Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission as a swap dealer or major swap participant 
pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), or 
a person that is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange 
Commission as a security-based swap dealer or a major security-based 
swap participant pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 78a et seq.).
    U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise means an entity established or 
chartered by the U.S. government to serve public purposes specified by 
federal statute but whose debt obligations are not explicitly 
guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
    Variation margin means collateral provided by one party to its 
counterparty to meet the performance of its obligations under one or 
more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps between the 
parties as a result of a change in value of such obligations since the 
last time such collateral was provided.
    Variation margin amount means the cumulative mark-to-market change 
in value to a covered swap entity of a non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap, as measured from the date it is entered into (or, 
in the case of a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap 
that has a positive or negative value to a covered swap entity on the 
date it is entered into, such positive or negative value plus any 
cumulative mark-to-market change in value to the covered swap entity of 
a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap after such date), 
less the value of all variation margin previously collected, plus the 
value of all variation margin previously posted with respect to such 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap.


Sec.  __.3  Initial margin.

    (a) Collection of margin. A covered swap entity shall collect 
initial margin with respect to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap from a counterparty that is a financial end user 
with material swaps exposure or that is a swap entity in an amount that 
is no less than the greater of:
    (1) Zero; or
    (2) The initial margin collection amount for such non-cleared swap 
or non-cleared security-based swap less the initial margin threshold 
amount (not including any portion of the initial margin threshold 
amount already applied by the covered swap entity or its affiliates to 
other non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps with the 
counterparty or its affiliates), as applicable.
    (b) Posting of margin. A covered swap entity shall post initial 
margin with respect to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-
based swap to a counterparty that is a financial end user with material 
swaps exposure. Such initial margin shall be in an amount at least as 
large as the covered swap entity would be required to collect under 
paragraph (a) of this section if it were in the place of the 
counterparty.
    (c) Timing. A covered swap entity shall comply with the initial 
margin requirements described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section 
on each business day, for a period beginning on or before the business 
day following the day of execution and ending on the date the non-
cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap terminates or expires.
    (d) Other counterparties. A covered swap entity is not required to 
collect or post initial margin with respect to any non-cleared swap or 
non-cleared security-based swap described in Sec.  __1(d). For any 
other non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap between a 
covered swap entity and a counterparty that is neither a financial end 
user with a material swaps exposure nor a swap entity, the covered swap 
entity shall collect initial margin at such times and in such forms and

[[Page 74903]]

such amounts (if any), that the covered swap entity determines 
appropriately addresses the credit risk posed by the counterparty and 
the risks of such non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap.


Sec.  __.4  Variation margin.

    (a) General. After the date on which a covered swap entity enters 
into a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with a swap 
entity or financial end user, the covered swap entity shall collect 
variation margin equal to the variation margin amount from the 
counterparty to such non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap when the amount is positive and post variation margin equal to the 
variation margin amount to the counterparty to such non-cleared swap or 
non-cleared security-based swap when the amount is negative.
    (b) Timing. A covered swap entity shall comply with the variation 
margin requirements described in paragraph (a) of this section on each 
business day, for a period beginning on or before the business day 
following the day of execution and ending on the date the non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security based swap terminates or expires.
    (c) Other counterparties. A covered swap entity is not required to 
collect or post variation margin with respect to any non-cleared swap 
or non-cleared security-based swap described in Sec.  __1(d). For any 
other non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap between a 
covered swap entity and a counterparty that is neither a financial end 
user nor a swap entity, the covered swap entity shall collect variation 
margin at such times and in such forms and such amounts (if any), that 
the covered swap entity determines appropriately addresses the credit 
risk posed by the counterparty and the risks of such non-cleared swap 
or non-cleared security-based swap.


Sec.  __.5  Netting arrangements, minimum transfer amount, and 
satisfaction of collecting and posting requirements.

    (a) Netting arrangements. (1) For purposes of calculating and 
complying with the initial margin requirements of Sec.  .3 using an 
initial margin model as described in Sec.  __.8, or with the variation 
margin requirements of Sec.  __.4, a covered swap entity may net non-
cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps in accordance with 
this subsection.
    (2) To the extent that one or more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared 
security-based swaps are executed pursuant to an eligible master 
netting agreement between a covered swap entity and its counterparty 
that is a swap entity or financial end user, a covered swap entity may 
calculate and comply with the applicable requirements of this [part] on 
an aggregate net basis with respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-
cleared security-based swaps governed by such agreement, subject to 
paragraph (a)(3) of this section.
    (3)(i) Except as permitted in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, 
if an eligible master netting agreement covers non-cleared swaps and 
non-cleared security-based swaps entered into on or after the 
applicable compliance date set forth in Sec.  __.1(e) or (g), all the 
non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps covered by that 
agreement are subject to the requirements of this [part] and included 
in the aggregate netting portfolio for the purposes of calculating and 
complying with the margin requirements of this [part].
    (ii) An eligible master netting agreement may identify one or more 
separate netting portfolios that independently meet the requirements in 
paragraph (1) of the definition of ``Eligible master netting 
agreement'' in Sec.  __.2 and to which collection and posting of margin 
applies on an aggregate net basis separate from and exclusive of any 
other non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps covered by 
the eligible master netting agreement. Any such netting portfolio that 
contains any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap 
entered into on or after the applicable compliance date set forth in 
Sec.  __.1(e) or (g) is subject to the requirements of this [part]. Any 
such netting portfolio that contains only non-cleared swaps or non-
cleared security-based swaps entered into before the applicable 
compliance date is not subject to the requirements of this [part].
    (4) If a covered swap entity cannot conclude after sufficient legal 
review with a well-founded basis that the netting agreement described 
in this section meets the definition of eligible master netting 
agreement set forth in Sec.  __.2, the covered swap entity must treat 
the non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security based swaps covered by 
the agreement on a gross basis for the purposes of calculating and 
complying with the requirements of this [part] to collect margin, but 
the covered swap entity may net those non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) 
of this section for the purposes of calculating and complying with the 
requirements of this [part] to post margin.
    (b) Minimum transfer amount. Notwithstanding Sec.  __.3 or Sec.  
__.4, a covered swap entity is not required to collect or post margin 
pursuant to this [part] with respect to a particular counterparty 
unless and until the combined amount of initial margin and variation 
margin that is required pursuant to this [part] to be collected or 
posted and that has not yet been collected or posted with respect to 
the counterparty is greater than $500,000.
    (c) Satisfaction of collecting and posting requirements. A covered 
swap entity shall not be deemed to have violated its obligation to 
collect or post margin from or to a counterparty under Sec.  __.3, 
Sec.  __.4, or Sec.  __.6(e) if:
    (1) The counterparty has refused or otherwise failed to provide or 
accept the required margin to or from the covered swap entity; and
    (2) The covered swap entity has:
    (i) Made the necessary efforts to collect or post the required 
margin, including the timely initiation and continued pursuit of formal 
dispute resolution mechanisms, or has otherwise demonstrated upon 
request to the satisfaction of [Agency] that it has made appropriate 
efforts to collect or post the required margin; or
    (ii) Commenced termination of the non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap with the counterparty promptly following the 
applicable cure period and notification requirements.


Sec.  __.6  Eligible collateral.

    (a) Non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps with a 
swap entity. For a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap 
with a swap entity, a covered swap entity shall collect initial margin 
and variation margin required pursuant to this [part] solely in the 
form of the following types of collateral:
    (1) Immediately available cash funds that are denominated in:
    (i) U.S. dollars or another major currency; or
    (ii) The currency of settlement for the non-cleared swap or non-
cleared security-based swap;
    (2) With respect to initial margin only:
    (i) A security that is issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as 
to the timely payment of principal and interest by, the U.S. Department 
of the Treasury;
    (ii) A security that is issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as 
to the timely payment of principal and interest by, a U.S. government 
agency (other than the U.S. Department of Treasury) whose obligations 
are fully guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States 
government;

[[Page 74904]]

    (iii) A security that is issued by, or fully guaranteed as to the 
payment of principal and interest by, the European Central Bank or a 
sovereign entity that is assigned no higher than a 20 percent risk 
weight under the capital rules applicable to the covered swap entity as 
set forth in Sec.  __.12;
    (iv) A publicly traded debt security issued by, or an asset-backed 
security fully guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest 
by, a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise that is operating with 
capital support or another form of direct financial assistance received 
from the U.S. government that enables the repayments of the U.S. 
Government-sponsored enterprise's eligible securities;
    (v) A publicly traded debt security that meets the terms of 
[RESERVED] and is issued by a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise not 
operating with capital support or another form of direct financial 
assistance from the U.S. government, and is not an asset-backed 
security;
    (vi) A security that is issued by, or fully guaranteed as to the 
payment of principal and interest by, the Bank for International 
Settlements, the International Monetary Fund, or a multilateral 
development bank;
    (vii) A security solely in the form of:
    (A) Publicly traded debt not otherwise described in paragraph 
(a)(2) of this section that meets the terms of [RESERVED] and is not an 
asset-backed security;
    (B) Publicly traded common equity that is included in:
    (1) The Standard & Poor's Composite 1500 Index or any other similar 
index of liquid and readily marketable equity securities as determined 
by [Agency]; or
    (2) An index that a covered swap entity's supervisor in a foreign 
jurisdiction recognizes for purposes of including publicly traded 
common equity as initial margin under applicable regulatory policy, if 
held in that foreign jurisdiction;
    (viii) Securities in the form of redeemable securities in a pooled 
investment fund representing the security-holder's proportional 
interest in the fund's net assets and that are issued and redeemed only 
on the basis of the market value of the fund's net assets prepared each 
business day after the security-holder makes its investment commitment 
or redemption request to the fund, if:
    (A) The fund's investments are limited to the following:
    (1) Securities that are issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as 
to the timely payment of principal and interest by, the U.S. Department 
of the Treasury, and immediately-available cash funds denominated in 
U.S. dollars; or
    (2) Securities denominated in a common currency and issued by, or 
fully guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by, the 
European Central Bank or a sovereign entity that is assigned no higher 
than a 20 percent risk weight under the capital rules applicable to the 
covered swap entity as set forth in Sec.  __.12, and immediately-
available cash funds denominated in the same currency; and
    (B) Assets of the fund may not be transferred through securities 
lending, securities borrowing, repurchase agreements, reverse 
repurchase agreements, or other means that involve the fund having 
rights to acquire the same or similar assets from the transferee; or
    (ix) Gold.
    (b) Non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps with a 
financial end user. For a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-
based swap with a financial end user, a covered swap entity shall 
collect and post initial margin and variation margin required pursuant 
to this [part] solely in the form of the following types of collateral:
    (1) Immediately available cash funds that are denominated in:
    (i) U.S. dollars or another major currency; or
    (ii) The currency of settlement for the non-cleared swap or non-
cleared security-based swap;
    (2) A security that is issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as 
to the timely payment of principal and interest by, the U.S. Department 
of the Treasury;
    (3) A security that is issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as 
to the timely payment of principal and interest by, a U.S. government 
agency (other than the U.S. Department of Treasury) whose obligations 
are fully guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States 
government;
    (4) A security that is issued by, or fully guaranteed as to the 
payment of principal and interest by, the European Central Bank or a 
sovereign entity that is assigned no higher than a 20 percent risk 
weight under the capital rules applicable to the covered swap entity as 
set forth in Sec.  __.12;
    (5) A publicly traded debt security issued by, or an asset-backed 
security fully guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest 
by, a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise that is operating with 
capital support or another form of direct financial assistance received 
from the U.S. government that enables the repayments of the U.S. 
Government-sponsored enterprise's eligible securities;
    (6) A publicly traded debt security that meets the terms of 
[RESERVED] and is issued by a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise not 
operating with capital support or another form of direct financial 
assistance from the U.S. government, and is not an asset-backed 
security;
    (7) A security that is issued by, or fully guaranteed as to the 
payment of principal and interest by, the Bank for International 
Settlements, the International Monetary Fund, or a multilateral 
development bank;
    (8) A security solely in the form of:
    (i) Publicly traded debt not otherwise described in this paragraph 
(b) that meets the terms of [RESERVED] and is not an asset-backed 
security;
    (ii) Publicly traded common equity that is included in:
    (A) The Standard & Poor's Composite 1500 Index or any other similar 
index of liquid and readily marketable equity securities as determined 
by [Agency]; or
    (B) An index that a covered swap entity's supervisor in a foreign 
jurisdiction recognizes for purposes of including publicly traded 
common equity as initial margin under applicable regulatory policy, if 
held in that foreign jurisdiction;
    (9) Securities in the form of redeemable securities in a pooled 
investment fund representing the security-holder's proportional 
interest in the fund's net assets and that are issued and redeemed only 
on the basis of the market value of the fund's net assets prepared each 
business day after the security-holder makes its investment commitment 
or redemption request to the fund, if:
    (i) The fund's investments are limited to the following:
    (A) Securities that are issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed as 
to the timely payment of principal and interest by, the U.S. Department 
of the Treasury, and immediately-available cash funds denominated in 
U.S. dollars; or
    (B) Securities denominated in a common currency and issued by, or 
fully guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by, the 
European Central Bank or a sovereign entity that is assigned no higher 
than a 20 percent risk weight under the capital rules applicable to the 
covered swap entity as set forth in Sec.  __.12, and immediately-
available cash funds denominated in the same currency; and
    (ii) Assets of the fund may not be transferred through securities 
lending, securities borrowing, repurchase agreements, reverse 
repurchase agreements, or other means that involve

[[Page 74905]]

the fund having rights to acquire the same or similar assets from the 
transferee; or
    (10) Gold.
    (c)(1) The value of any eligible collateral collected or posted to 
satisfy margin requirements pursuant to this [part] is subject to the 
sum of the following discounts, as applicable:
    (i) An 8 percent discount for variation margin collateral 
denominated in a currency that is not the currency of settlement for 
the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap, except for 
immediately available cash funds denominated in U.S. dollars or another 
major currency;
    (ii) An 8 percent discount for initial margin collateral 
denominated in a currency that is not the currency of settlement for 
the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap, except for 
eligible types of collateral denominated in a single termination 
currency designated as payable to the non-posting counterparty as part 
of the eligible master netting agreement; and
    (iii) For variation and initial margin non-cash collateral, the 
discounts described in appendix B of this [part].
    (2) The value of variation margin or initial margin collateral is 
computed as the product of the cash or market value of the eligible 
collateral asset times one minus the applicable discounts pursuant to 
paragraph (c)(1) of this section expressed in percentage terms. The 
total value of all variation margin or initial margin collateral is 
calculated as the sum of those values for each eligible collateral 
asset.
    (d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, 
eligible collateral for initial margin and variation margin required by 
this [part] does not include a security issued by:
    (1) The party or an affiliate of the party pledging such 
collateral;
    (2) A bank holding company, a savings and loan holding company, a 
U.S. intermediate holding company established or designated for 
purposes of compliance with 12 CFR 252.153, a foreign bank, a 
depository institution, a market intermediary, a company that would be 
any of the foregoing if it were organized under the laws of the United 
States or any State, or an affiliate of any of the foregoing 
institutions; or
    (3) A nonbank financial institution supervised by the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System under Title I of the Dodd-Frank 
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5323).
    (e) A covered swap entity shall monitor the market value and 
eligibility of all collateral collected and posted to satisfy the 
minimum initial margin and minimum variation margin requirements of 
this [part]. To the extent that the market value of such collateral has 
declined, the covered swap entity shall promptly collect or post such 
additional eligible collateral as is necessary to maintain compliance 
with the margin requirements of this [part]. To the extent that the 
collateral is no longer eligible, the covered swap entity shall 
promptly collect or post sufficient eligible replacement collateral to 
comply with the margin requirements of this [part].
    (f) A covered swap entity may collect or post initial margin and 
variation margin that is required by Sec.  __.3(d) or Sec.  __.4(c) or 
that is not required pursuant to this [part] in any form of collateral.


Sec.  __.7  Segregation of collateral.

    (a) A covered swap entity that posts any collateral other than for 
variation margin with respect to a non-cleared swap or a non-cleared 
security-based swap shall require that all funds or other property 
other than variation margin provided by the covered swap entity be held 
by one or more custodians that are not the covered swap entity or 
counterparty and not affiliates of the covered swap entity or the 
counterparty.
    (b) A covered swap entity that collects initial margin required by 
Sec.  __.3(a) with respect to a non-cleared swap or a non-cleared 
security-based swap shall require that such initial margin be held by 
one or more custodians that are not the covered swap entity or 
counterparty and not affiliates of the covered swap entity or the 
counterparty.
    (c) For purposes of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, the 
custodian must act pursuant to a custody agreement that:
    (1) Prohibits the custodian from rehypothecating, repledging, 
reusing, or otherwise transferring (through securities lending, 
securities borrowing, repurchase agreement, reverse repurchase 
agreement or other means) the collateral held by the custodian, except 
that cash collateral may be held in a general deposit account with the 
custodian if the funds in the account are used to purchase an asset 
described in Sec.  __.6(a)(2) or (b), such asset is held in compliance 
with this Sec.  __.7, and such purchase takes place within a time 
period reasonably necessary to consummate such purchase after the cash 
collateral is posted as initial margin; and
    (2) Is a legal, valid, binding, and enforceable agreement under the 
laws of all relevant jurisdictions, including in the event of 
bankruptcy, insolvency, or a similar proceeding.
    (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(1) of this section, a custody 
agreement may permit the posting party to substitute or direct any 
reinvestment of posted collateral held by the custodian, provided that, 
with respect to collateral collected by a covered swap entity pursuant 
to Sec.  __.3(a) or posted by a covered swap entity pursuant to Sec.  
__.3(b), the agreement requires the posting party to:
    (1) Substitute only funds or other property that would qualify as 
eligible collateral under Sec.  __.6, and for which the amount net of 
applicable discounts described in appendix B of this [part] would be 
sufficient to meet the requirements of Sec.  __.3; and
    (2) Direct reinvestment of funds only in assets that would qualify 
as eligible collateral under Sec.  __.6, and for which the amount net 
of applicable discounts described in appendix B of this [part] would be 
sufficient to meet the requirements of Sec.  __.3.


Sec.  __.8  Initial margin models and standardized amounts.

    (a) Standardized amounts. Unless a covered swap entity's initial 
margin model conforms to the requirements of this section, the covered 
swap entity shall calculate the amount of initial margin required to be 
collected or posted for one or more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared 
security-based swaps with a given counterparty pursuant to Sec.  __.3 
on a daily basis pursuant to appendix A of this [part].
    (b) Use of initial margin models. A covered swap entity may 
calculate the amount of initial margin required to be collected or 
posted for one or more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based 
swaps with a given counterparty pursuant to Sec.  __.3 on a daily basis 
using an initial margin model only if the initial margin model meets 
the requirements of this section.
    (c) Requirements for initial margin model. (1) A covered swap 
entity must obtain the prior written approval of [Agency] before using 
any initial margin model to calculate the initial margin required in 
this [part].
    (2) A covered swap entity must demonstrate that the initial margin 
model satisfies all of the requirements of this section on an ongoing 
basis.
    (3) A covered swap entity must notify [Agency] in writing 60 days 
prior to:
    (i) Extending the use of an initial margin model that [Agency] has 
approved under this section to an additional product type;
    (ii) Making any change to any initial margin model approved by 
[Agency]

[[Page 74906]]

under this section that would result in a material change in the 
covered swap entity's assessment of initial margin requirements; or
    (iii) Making any material change to modeling assumptions used by 
the initial margin model.
    (4) [The Agency] may rescind its approval of the use of any initial 
margin model, in whole or in part, or may impose additional conditions 
or requirements if [Agency] determines, in its sole discretion, that 
the initial margin model no longer complies with this section.
    (d) Quantitative requirements. (1) The covered swap entity's 
initial margin model must calculate an amount of initial margin that is 
equal to the potential future exposure of the non-cleared swap, non-
cleared security-based swap or netting portfolio of non-cleared swaps 
or non-cleared security-based swaps covered by an eligible master 
netting agreement. Potential future exposure is an estimate of the one-
tailed 99 percent confidence interval for an increase in the value of 
the non-cleared swap, non-cleared security-based swap or netting 
portfolio of non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps due 
to an instantaneous price shock that is equivalent to a movement in all 
material underlying risk factors, including prices, rates, and spreads, 
over a holding period equal to the shorter of ten business days or the 
maturity of the non-cleared swap, non-cleared security-based swap or 
netting portfolio.
    (2) All data used to calibrate the initial margin model must be 
based on an equally weighted historical observation period of at least 
one year and not more than five years and must incorporate a period of 
significant financial stress for each broad asset class that is 
appropriate to the non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based 
swaps to which the initial margin model is applied.
    (3) The covered swap entity's initial margin model must use risk 
factors sufficient to measure all material price risks inherent in the 
transactions for which initial margin is being calculated. The risk 
categories must include, but should not be limited to, foreign exchange 
or interest rate risk, credit risk, equity risk, and commodity risk, as 
appropriate. For material exposures in significant currencies and 
markets, modeling techniques must capture spread and basis risk and 
must incorporate a sufficient number of segments of the yield curve to 
capture differences in volatility and imperfect correlation of rates 
along the yield curve.
    (4) In the case of a non-cleared cross-currency swap, the covered 
swap entity's initial margin model need not recognize any risks or risk 
factors associated with the fixed, physically-settled foreign exchange 
transaction associated with the exchange of principal embedded in the 
non-cleared cross-currency swap. The initial margin model must 
recognize all material risks and risk factors associated with all other 
payments and cash flows that occur during the life of the non-cleared 
cross-currency swap.
    (5) The initial margin model may calculate initial margin for a 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap or a netting 
portfolio of non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps 
covered by an eligible master netting agreement. It may reflect 
offsetting exposures, diversification, and other hedging benefits for 
non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps that are 
governed by the same eligible master netting agreement by incorporating 
empirical correlations within the following broad risk categories, 
provided the covered swap entity validates and demonstrates the 
reasonableness of its process for modeling and measuring hedging 
benefits: Commodity, credit, equity, and foreign exchange or interest 
rate. Empirical correlations under an eligible master netting agreement 
may be recognized by the initial margin model within each broad risk 
category, but not across broad risk categories.
    (6) If the initial margin model does not explicitly reflect 
offsetting exposures, diversification, and hedging benefits between 
subsets of non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps within 
a broad risk category, the covered swap entity must calculate an amount 
of initial margin separately for each subset within which such 
relationships are explicitly recognized by the initial margin model. 
The sum of the initial margin amounts calculated for each subset of 
non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps within a broad 
risk category will be used to determine the aggregate initial margin 
due from the counterparty for the portfolio of non-cleared swaps and 
non-cleared security-based swaps within the broad risk category.
    (7) The sum of the initial margin amounts calculated for each broad 
risk category will be used to determine the aggregate initial margin 
due from the counterparty.
    (8) The initial margin model may not permit the calculation of any 
initial margin collection amount to be offset by, or otherwise take 
into account, any initial margin that may be owed or otherwise payable 
by the covered swap entity to the counterparty.
    (9) The initial margin model must include all material risks 
arising from the nonlinear price characteristics of option positions or 
positions with embedded optionality and the sensitivity of the market 
value of the positions to changes in the volatility of the underlying 
rates, prices, or other material risk factors.
    (10) The covered swap entity may not omit any risk factor from the 
calculation of its initial margin that the covered swap entity uses in 
its initial margin model unless it has first demonstrated to the 
satisfaction of [Agency] that such omission is appropriate.
    (11) The covered swap entity may not incorporate any proxy or 
approximation used to capture the risks of the covered swap entity's 
non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps unless it has 
first demonstrated to the satisfaction of [Agency] that such proxy or 
approximation is appropriate.
    (12) The covered swap entity must have a rigorous and well-defined 
process for re-estimating, re-evaluating, and updating its internal 
margin model to ensure continued applicability and relevance.
    (13) The covered swap entity must review and, as necessary, revise 
the data used to calibrate the initial margin model at least annually, 
and more frequently as market conditions warrant, to ensure that the 
data incorporate a period of significant financial stress appropriate 
to the non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps to which 
the initial margin model is applied.
    (14) The level of sophistication of the initial margin model must 
be commensurate with the complexity of the non-cleared swaps and non-
cleared security-based swaps to which it is applied. In calculating an 
initial margin collection amount, the initial margin model may make use 
of any of the generally accepted approaches for modeling the risk of a 
single instrument or portfolio of instruments.
    (15) [The Agency] may in its sole discretion require a covered swap 
entity using an initial margin model to collect a greater amount of 
initial margin than that determined by the covered swap entity's 
initial margin model if [Agency] determines that the additional 
collateral is appropriate due to the nature, structure, or 
characteristics of the covered swap entity's transaction(s), or is 
commensurate with the risks associated with the transaction(s).
    (e) Periodic review. A covered swap entity must periodically, but 
no less frequently than annually, review its

[[Page 74907]]

initial margin model in light of developments in financial markets and 
modeling technologies, and enhance the initial margin model as 
appropriate to ensure that the initial margin model continues to meet 
the requirements for approval in this section.
    (f) Control, oversight, and validation mechanisms. (1) The covered 
swap entity must maintain a risk control unit that reports directly to 
senior management and is independent from the business trading units.
    (2) The covered swap entity's risk control unit must validate its 
initial margin model prior to implementation and on an ongoing basis. 
The covered swap entity's validation process must be independent of the 
development, implementation, and operation of the initial margin model, 
or the validation process must be subject to an independent review of 
its adequacy and effectiveness. The validation process must include:
    (i) An evaluation of the conceptual soundness of (including 
developmental evidence supporting) the initial margin model;
    (ii) An ongoing monitoring process that includes verification of 
processes and benchmarking by comparing the covered swap entity's 
initial margin model outputs (estimation of initial margin) with 
relevant alternative internal and external data sources or estimation 
techniques. The benchmark(s) must address the chosen model's 
limitations. When applicable, the covered swap entity should consider 
benchmarks that allow for non-normal distributions such as historical 
and Monte Carlo simulations. When applicable, validation shall include 
benchmarking against observable margin standards to ensure that the 
initial margin required is not less than what a derivatives clearing 
organization or a clearing agency would require for similar cleared 
transactions; and
    (iii) An outcomes analysis process that includes backtesting the 
initial margin model. This analysis must recognize and compensate for 
the challenges inherent in back-testing over periods that do not 
contain significant financial stress.
    (3) If the validation process reveals any material problems with 
the initial margin model, the covered swap entity must promptly notify 
[Agency] of the problems, describe to [Agency] any remedial actions 
being taken, and adjust the initial margin model to ensure an 
appropriately conservative amount of required initial margin is being 
calculated.
    (4) The covered swap entity must have an internal audit function 
independent of business-line management and the risk control unit that 
at least annually assesses the effectiveness of the controls supporting 
the covered swap entity's initial margin model measurement systems, 
including the activities of the business trading units and risk control 
unit, compliance with policies and procedures, and calculation of the 
covered swap entity's initial margin requirements under this [part]. At 
least annually, the internal audit function must report its findings to 
the covered swap entity's board of directors or a committee thereof.
    (g) Documentation. The covered swap entity must adequately document 
all material aspects of its initial margin model, including the 
management and valuation of the non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps to which it applies, the control, oversight, and 
validation of the initial margin model, any review processes and the 
results of such processes.
    (h) Escalation procedures. The covered swap entity must adequately 
document internal authorization procedures, including escalation 
procedures, that require review and approval of any change to the 
initial margin calculation under the initial margin model, demonstrable 
analysis that any basis for any such change is consistent with the 
requirements of this section, and independent review of such 
demonstrable analysis and approval.


Sec.  __.9  Cross-border application of margin requirements.

    (a) Transactions to which this rule does not apply. The 
requirements of Sec. Sec.  __.3 through __.8 and Sec. Sec.  __.10 
through __.12 shall not apply to any foreign non-cleared swap or 
foreign non-cleared security-based swap of a foreign covered swap 
entity.
    (b) For purposes of this section, a foreign non-cleared swap or 
foreign non-cleared security-based swap is any non-cleared swap or non-
cleared security-based swap with respect to which neither the 
counterparty to the foreign covered swap entity nor any party that 
provides a guarantee of either party's obligations under the non-
cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap is:
    (1) An entity organized under the laws of the United States or any 
State (including a U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a foreign 
bank) or a natural person who is a resident of the United States;
    (2) A branch or office of an entity organized under the laws of the 
United States or any State; or
    (3) A swap entity that is a subsidiary of an entity that is 
organized under the laws of the United States or any State.
    (c) For purposes of this section, a foreign covered swap entity is 
any covered swap entity that is not:
    (1) An entity organized under the laws of the United States or any 
State, including a U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a foreign 
bank;
    (2) A branch or office of an entity organized under the laws of the 
United States or any State; or
    (3) An entity that is a subsidiary of an entity that is organized 
under the laws of the United States or any State.
    (d) Transactions for which substituted compliance determination may 
apply--(1) Determinations and reliance. For non-cleared swaps and non-
cleared security-based swaps entered into by covered swap entities 
described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, a covered swap entity 
may satisfy the provisions of this [part] by complying with the foreign 
regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-
based swaps that the prudential regulators jointly, conditionally or 
unconditionally, determine by public order satisfy the corresponding 
requirements of Sec. Sec.  __.3 through __.8 and Sec. Sec.  __.10 
through __.12.
    (2) Standard. In determining whether to make a determination under 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the prudential regulators will 
consider whether the requirements of such foreign regulatory framework 
for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps applicable 
to such covered swap entities are comparable to the otherwise 
applicable requirements of this [part] and appropriate for the safe and 
sound operation of the covered swap entity, taking into account the 
risks associated with non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based 
swaps.
    (3) Covered swap entities eligible for substituted compliance. A 
covered swap entity may rely on a determination under paragraph (d)(1) 
of this section only if:
    (i) The covered swap entity's obligations under the non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap do not have a guarantee from:
    (A) An entity organized under the laws of the United States or any 
State (other than a U.S. branch or agency of a foreign bank) or a 
natural person who is a resident of the United States; or
    (B) A branch or office of an entity organized under the laws of the 
United States or any State; and
    (ii) The covered swap entity is:
    (A) A foreign covered swap entity;
    (B) A U.S. branch or agency of a foreign bank; or

[[Page 74908]]

    (C) An entity that is not organized under the laws of the United 
States or any State and is a subsidiary of a depository institution, 
Edge corporation, or agreement corporation.
    (4) Compliance with foreign margin collection requirement. A 
covered swap entity satisfies its requirement to post initial margin 
under Sec.  __.3(b) by posting to its counterparty initial margin in 
the form and amount, and at such times, that its counterparty is 
required to collect pursuant to a foreign regulatory framework, 
provided that the counterparty is subject to the foreign regulatory 
framework and the prudential regulators have made a determination under 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section, unless otherwise stated in that 
determination, and the counterparty's obligations under the non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap do not have a guarantee from:
    (i) An entity organized under the laws of the United States or any 
State (including a U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a foreign 
bank) or a natural person who is a resident of the United States; or
    (ii) A branch or office of an entity organized under the laws of 
the United States or any State.
    (e) Requests for determinations. (1) A covered swap entity 
described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section may request that the 
prudential regulators make a determination pursuant to this section. A 
request for a determination must include a description of:
    (i) The scope and objectives of the foreign regulatory framework 
for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps;
    (ii) The specific provisions of the foreign regulatory framework 
for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps that govern:
    (A) The scope of transactions covered;
    (B) The determination of the amount of initial margin and variation 
margin required and how that amount is calculated;
    (C) The timing of margin requirements;
    (D) Any documentation requirements;
    (E) The forms of eligible collateral;
    (F) Any segregation and rehypothecation requirements; and
    (G) The approval process and standards for models used in 
calculating initial margin and variation margin;
    (iii) The supervisory compliance program and enforcement authority 
exercised by a foreign financial regulatory authority or authorities in 
such system to support its oversight of the application of the non-
cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap regulatory framework 
and how that framework applies to the non-cleared swaps or non-cleared 
security-based swaps of the covered swap entity; and
    (iv) Any other descriptions and documentation that the prudential 
regulators determine are appropriate.
    (2) A covered swap entity described in paragraph (d)(3) of this 
section may make a request under this section only if the non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap activities of the covered swap 
entity are directly supervised by the authorities administering the 
foreign regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps.
    (f) Segregation unavailable. Sections __.3(b) and __.7 do not apply 
to a non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap entered into 
by:
    (1) A foreign branch of a covered swap entity that is a depository 
institution; or
    (2) A covered swap entity that is not organized under the laws of 
the United States or any State and is a subsidiary of a depository 
institution, Edge corporation, or agreement corporation, if:
    (i) Inherent limitations in the legal or operational infrastructure 
in the foreign jurisdiction make it impracticable for the covered swap 
entity and the counterparty to post any form of eligible initial margin 
collateral recognized pursuant to Sec.  __.6(b) in compliance with the 
segregation requirements of Sec.  __.7;
    (ii) The covered swap entity is subject to foreign regulatory 
restrictions that require the covered swap entity to transact in the 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with the 
counterparty through an establishment within the foreign jurisdiction 
and do not accommodate the posting of collateral for the non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap outside the jurisdiction;
    (iii) The counterparty to the non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap is not, and the counterparty's obligations under 
the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap do not have a 
guarantee from:
    (A) An entity organized under the laws of the United States or any 
State (including a U.S. branch, agency, or subsidiary of a foreign 
bank) or a natural person who is a resident of the United States; or
    (B) A branch or office of an entity organized under the laws of the 
United States or any State;
    (iv) The covered swap entity collects initial margin for the non-
cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap in accordance with 
Sec.  __.3(a) in the form of cash pursuant to Sec.  __.6(b)(1), and 
posts and collects variation margin in accordance with Sec.  __.4(a) in 
the form of cash pursuant to Sec.  __.6(b)(1); and
    (v) [The Agency] provides the covered swap entity with prior 
written approval for the covered swap entity's reliance on this 
paragraph (f) for the foreign jurisdiction.
    (g) Guarantee means an arrangement pursuant to which one party to a 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap has rights of 
recourse against a third-party guarantor, with respect to its 
counterparty's obligations under the non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap. For these purposes, a party to a non-cleared swap 
or non-cleared security-based swap has rights of recourse against a 
guarantor if the party has a conditional or unconditional legally 
enforceable right to receive or otherwise collect, in whole or in part, 
payments from the guarantor with respect to its counterparty's 
obligations under the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap. In addition, any arrangement pursuant to which the guarantor has 
a conditional or unconditional legally enforceable right to receive or 
otherwise collect, in whole or in part, payments from any other third 
party guarantor with respect to the counterparty's obligations under 
the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap, such 
arrangement will be deemed a guarantee of the counterparty's 
obligations under the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap by the other guarantor.


Sec.  __.10  Documentation of margin matters.

    A covered swap entity shall execute trading documentation with each 
counterparty that is either a swap entity or financial end user 
regarding credit support arrangements that:
    (a) Provides the covered swap entity and its counterparty with the 
contractual right to collect and post initial margin and variation 
margin in such amounts, in such form, and under such circumstances as 
are required by this [part]; and
    (b) Specifies:
    (1) The methods, procedures, rules, and inputs for determining the 
value of each non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap for 
purposes of calculating variation margin requirements; and
    (2) The procedures by which any disputes concerning the valuation 
of non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps, or the 
valuation of assets collected or posted as initial margin or variation 
margin, may be resolved; and

[[Page 74909]]

    (c) Describes the methods, procedures, rules, and inputs used to 
calculate initial margin for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security 
based swaps entered into between the covered swap entity and the 
counterparty.


Sec.  __.11  Special rules for affiliates.

    (a) Affiliates. This [part] applies to a non-cleared swap or non-
cleared security-based swap of a covered swap entity with its 
affiliate, unless the swap or security-based swap is excluded from 
coverage under Sec.  __.1(d) or as otherwise provided in this section. 
To the extent of any inconsistency between this section and any other 
provision of this [part], this section will apply.
    (b) Initial margin--(1) Posting of initial margin. The requirement 
for a covered swap entity to post initial margin under Sec.  __.3(b) 
does not apply with respect to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap with a counterparty that is an affiliate. A covered 
swap entity shall calculate the amount of initial margin that would be 
required to be posted to an affiliate that is a financial end user with 
material swaps exposure pursuant to Sec.  __.3(b) and provide 
documentation of such amount to each affiliate on a daily basis.
    (2) Initial margin threshold amount. For purposes of calculating 
the amount of initial margin to be collected from an affiliate 
counterparty in accordance with Sec.  __.3(a) or calculating the amount 
of initial margin that would have been posted to an affiliate 
counterparty in accordance with paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the 
initial margin threshold amount is an aggregate credit exposure of $20 
million resulting from all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-
based swaps between the covered swap entity and that affiliate. For 
purposes of this calculation, an entity shall not count a non-cleared 
swap or non-cleared security-based swap that is exempt pursuant to 
Sec.  __.1(d).
    (c) Variation margin. A covered swap entity shall collect and post 
variation margin with respect to a non-cleared swap or non-cleared 
security-based swap with any counterparty that is an affiliate as 
provided in Sec.  __.4.
    (d) Custodian for non-cash collateral. To the extent that a covered 
swap entity collects initial margin required by Sec.  __.3(a) from an 
affiliate with respect to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-
based swap in the form of collateral other than cash collateral, the 
custodian for such collateral may be the covered swap entity or an 
affiliate of the covered swap entity.
    (e) Model holding period and netting--(1) Model holding period. For 
any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap (or netting 
portfolio) between a covered swap entity and an affiliate that would be 
subject to the clearing requirements of section 2(h)(1)(A) of the 
Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 or section 3C(a)(1) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 but for an exemption under section 2(h)(7)(C)(iii) 
or (D) or section 4(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 or 
regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or section 
3C(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or regulations of the 
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the covered swap entity's 
initial margin model calculation as described in Sec.  ___.8(d)(1) may 
use a holding period equal to the shorter of five business days or the 
maturity of the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap (or 
netting portfolio).
    (2) Netting arrangements. Any netting portfolio that contains any 
non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with a model 
holding period equal to the shorter of five business days or the 
maturity of the non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap 
pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section must be identified and 
separate from any other netting portfolio for purposes of calculating 
and complying with the initial margin requirements of this [part].
    (f) Standardized amounts. If a covered swap entity's initial margin 
model does not conform to the requirements of Sec.  ___.8, the covered 
swap entity shall calculate the amount of initial margin required to be 
collected for one or more non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-
based swaps with a given affiliate counterparty pursuant to section 
Sec.  ___.3 on a daily basis pursuant to Appendix A with the gross 
initial margin multiplied by 0.7.


Sec.  __.12  Capital. [Reserved]

Appendix A to [Part]--Standardized Minimum Initial Margin Requirements 
for Non-cleared Swaps and Non--cleared Security-based Swaps

Table A--Standardized Minimum Gross Initial Margin Requirements for Non-
          cleared Swaps and Non-cleared Security-Based Swaps\1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Gross initial
                                                           margin (% of
                       Asset Class                           notional
                                                             exposure)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Credit: 0-2 year duration...............................               2
Credit: 2-5 year duration...............................               5
Credit: 5+ year duration................................              10
Commodity...............................................              15
Equity..................................................              15
Foreign Exchange/Currency...............................               6
Cross Currency Swaps: 0-2 year duration.................               1
Cross-Currency Swaps: 2-5 year duration.................               2
Cross-Currency Swaps: 5+ year duration..................               4
Interest Rate: 0-2 year duration........................               1
Interest Rate: 2-5 year duration........................               2
Interest Rate: 5+ year duration.........................               4
Other...................................................              15
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The initial margin amount applicable to multiple non-cleared swaps
  or non-cleared security-based swaps subject to an eligible master
  netting agreement that is calculated according to Appendix A will be
  computed as follows:
Initial Margin=0.4xGross Initial Margin +0.6x NGRxGross Initial Margin
where;
Gross Initial Margin = the sum of the product of each non-cleared swap's
  or non-cleared security-based swap's effective notional amount and the
  gross initial margin requirement for all non-cleared swaps and non-
  cleared security-based swaps subject to the eligible master netting
  agreement;
and

[[Page 74910]]

 
NGR = the net-to-gross ratio (that is, the ratio of the net current
  replacement cost to the gross current replacement cost). In
  calculating NGR, the gross current replacement cost equals the sum of
  the replacement cost for each non-cleared swap and non-cleared
  security-based swap subject to the eligible master netting agreement
  for which the cost is positive. The net current replacement cost
  equals the total replacement cost for all non-cleared swaps and non-
  cleared security-based swaps subject to the eligible master netting
  agreement. In cases where the gross replacement cost is zero, the NGR
  should be set to 1.0.

Appendix B to [Part]--Margin Values for Eligible Noncash Margin 
Collateral.

      Table B--Margin Values for Eligible Noncash Margin Collateral
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Asset class                         Discount (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eligible government and related (e.g., central bank,                 0.5
 multilateral development bank, GSE securities
 identified in Sec.   __.6(a)(2)(iv) or (b)(5) debt:
 residual maturity less than one-year...................
Eligible government and related (e.g., central bank,                 2.0
 multilateral development bank, GSE securities
 identified in Sec.   __.6(a)(2)(iv) or (b)(5) debt:
 residual maturity between one and five years...........
Eligible government and related (e.g., central bank,                 4.0
 multilateral development bank, GSE securities
 identified in Sec.   __.6(a)(2)(iv) or (b)(5) debt:
 residual maturity greater than five years..............
Eligible GSE debt securities not identified in Sec.                  1.0
 __.6(a)(2)(iv) or (b)(5): residual maturity less than
 one-year...............................................
Eligible GSE debt securities not identified in Sec.                  4.0
 __.6(a)(2)(iv) or (b)(5): residual maturity between one
 and five years:........................................
Eligible GSE debt securities not identified in Sec.                  8.0
 __.6(a)(2)(iv) or (b)(5): residual maturity greater
 than five years:.......................................
Other eligible publicly traded debt: residual maturity               1.0
 less than one-year.....................................
Other eligible publicly traded debt: residual maturity               4.0
 between one and five years.............................
Other eligible publicly traded debt: residual maturity               8.0
 greater than five years................................
Equities included in S&P 500 or related index...........            15.0
Equities included in S&P 1500 Composite or related index            25.0
 but not S&P 500 or related index.......................
Gold....................................................            15.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The discount to be applied to an eligible investment fund is the
  weighted average discount on all assets within the eligible investment
  fund at the end of the prior month. The weights to be applied in the
  weighted average should be calculated as a fraction of the fund's
  total market value that is invested in each asset with a given
  discount amount. As an example, an eligible investment fund that is
  comprised solely of $100 of 91 day Treasury bills and $100 of 3 year
  US Treasury bonds would receive a discount of (100/200)*0.5+(100/
  200)*2.0=(0.5)*0.5+(0.5)*2.0=1.25 percent.



[END OF COMMON TEXT]List of Subjects

12 CFR Part 45

    Administrative practice and procedure, Capital, Margin 
requirements, National Banks, Federal Savings Associations, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Risk.

12 CFR Part 237

    Administrative practice and procedure, Banks and banking, Capital, 
Foreign banking, Holding companies, Margin requirements, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Risk.

12 CFR Part 349

    Administrative practice and procedure, Banks, Holding companies, 
Margin Requirements, Capital, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Savings associations, Risk.

12 CFR Part 624

    Accounting, Agriculture, Banks, Banking, Capital, Cooperatives, 
Credit, Margin requirements, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Risk, Rural areas, Swaps.

12 CFR Part 1221

    Government-sponsored enterprises, Mortgages, Securities.

Adoption of the Common Rule Text

    The adoption of the common rules by the agencies, as modified by 
agency-specific text, is set forth below:

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

12 CFR Chapter I

Authority and issuance

    For the reasons stated in the Common Preamble and under the 
authority of 12 U.S.C. 93a and 5412(b)(2)(B), the Office of the 
Comptroller of the Currency amends chapter I of title 12, Code of 
Federal Regulations, as follows:

PART 45--MARGIN AND CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COVERED SWAP ENTITIES

0
1. Part 45 is added as set forth at the end of the Common Preamble.
0
2. The authority citation for part 45 is added to read as follows:

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 6s(e), 12 U.S.C. 1 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 93a, 
161, 481, 1818, 3907, 3909, 5412(b)(2)(B), and 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e).


0
3. Part 45 is amended by:
0
a. Removing ``[Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``the OCC'';
0
b. Removing ``[The Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its 
place ``The OCC'';
0
c. Removing ``[Agency's]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``OCC's'';
0
d. Removing ``[part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``part''; and
0
e. Removing ``[Part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``Part 45''.
0
4. Section 45.1 is amended by adding paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  45.1  Authority, purpose, scope, and compliance dates.

    (a) Authority. This part is issued under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 
6s(e), 12 U.S.C. 1 et seq., 93a, 161, 481, 1818, 3907, 3909, 
5412(b)(2)(B), and 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e).
    (b) Purpose. Section 4s of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 
U.S.C. 6s) and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 78o-10) require the OCC to establish capital and margin 
requirements for any for any national bank or subsidiary thereof, 
Federal savings association or subsidiary thereof, or Federal branch or 
agency of a foreign bank that is registered as a swap dealer, major 
swap participant, security-based swap dealer, or major security-based 
swap participant with

[[Page 74911]]

respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps. 
This regulation implements section 4s of the Commodity Exchange Act of 
1936 and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by defining 
terms used in the statute and related terms, establishing capital and 
margin requirements, and explaining the statutes' requirements.
    (c) Scope. This part establishes minimum capital and margin 
requirements for each covered swap entity subject to this part with 
respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps. 
This part applies to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap entered into by a covered swap entity on or after the relevant 
compliance date set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. Nothing in 
this part is intended to prevent a covered swap entity from collecting 
margin in amounts greater than are required under this part.
* * * * *

0
5. Section 45.2 is amended by adding a definition of ``Covered swap 
entity'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec.  45.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Covered swap entity means any national bank or subsidiary thereof, 
Federal savings association or subsidiary thereof, or Federal branch or 
agency of a foreign bank that is a swap entity, or any other entity 
that the OCC determines.
* * * * *


Sec.  45.6  [Amended]

0
6. Section 45.6 is amended by removing ``[RESERVED]'' everywhere it 
appears and adding in its place ``12 CFR part 1''.
0
7. Section 45.12 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  45.12  Capital.

    A covered swap entity shall comply with:
    (a) In the case of a covered swap entity that is a national bank or 
Federal savings association, the minimum capital requirements as 
generally provided 12 CFR part 3.
    (b) In the case of a covered swap entity that is a Federal branch 
or agency of a foreign bank, the capital adequacy guidelines applicable 
as generally provided under 12 CFR 28.14.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Chapter II

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System amends part 237 to 12 
CFR chapter II as follows:

PART 237--SWAPS MARGIN AND SWAPS PUSH-OUT

0
8. The authority citation for part 237 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6s(e), 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e), 15 U.S.C. 8305, 
12 U.S.C. 221 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 343-350, 12 U.S.C. 1818, 12 U.S.C. 
1841 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 3101 et seq., and 12 U.S.C. 1461 et seq.
0
9. Revise the heading for part 237 to read as set forth above.

Subpart A--Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap 
Entities (Regulation KK)

0
10. Subpart A of part 237 is added as set forth at the end of the 
Common Preamble.
0
11. The authority citation for subpart A of part 237 is added to read 
as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6s(e), 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e), 12 U.S.C. 221 et 
seq., 12 U.S.C. 1818, 12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq., 12 U.S.C. 3101 et seq. 
and 12 U.S.C. 1461 et seq.


0
12. Part 237, subpart A, is amended by:
0
a. Revising the subpart heading to read as set forth above;
0
b. Removing ``[Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``the Board'';
0
c. Removing ``[The Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its 
place ``The Board'';
0
d. Removing ``[Agency's]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``Board's'';
0
e. Removing ``[part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``subpart''; and
0
f. Removing ``[Part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``Subpart A''.
0
13. Section 237.1 is amended by adding paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  237.1  Authority, purpose, scope and compliance dates.

    (a) Authority. This subpart (Regulation KK) is issued by the Board 
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) under section 4s(e) 
of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 6s(e)), and 
section 15F(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (15 
U.S.C. 78o-10(e)), as well as under the Federal Reserve Act, as amended 
(12 U.S.C. 221 et seq.); section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1818); the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, 
as amended (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.); the International Banking Act of 
1978, as amended (12 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), and the Home Owners' Loan 
Act, as amended (1461 et seq.).
    (b) Purpose. Section 4s of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 (7 
U.S.C. 6s) and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 78o-10) require the Board to establish capital and margin 
requirements for any state member bank (as defined in 12 CFR 208.2(g)), 
bank holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1841), savings and loan 
holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1467a (on or after the 
transfer established under Section 311 of the Dodd-Frank Act) (12 
U.S.C. 5411)), foreign banking organization (as defined in 12 CFR 
211.21(o)), foreign bank that does not operate an insured branch, state 
branch or state agency of a foreign bank (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 
3101(b)(11) and (12)), or Edge or agreement corporation (as defined in 
12 CFR 211.1(c)(2) and (3)) that is registered as a swap dealer, major 
swap participant, security-based swap dealer, or major security-based 
swap participant with respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps. This subpart implements section 4s of the 
Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 and section 15F of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 by defining terms used in the statute and related 
terms, establishing capital and margin requirements, and explaining the 
statutes' requirements.
    (c) Scope. This subpart establishes minimum capital and margin 
requirements for each covered swap entity subject to this subpart with 
respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps. 
This subpart applies to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-
based swap entered into by a covered swap entity on or after the 
relevant compliance date set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. 
Nothing in this subpart is intended to prevent a covered swap entity 
from collecting margin in amounts greater than are required under this 
subpart.
* * * * *

0
14. Section 237.2 is amended by adding the definition of ``Covered swap 
entity'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:

[[Page 74912]]

Sec.  237.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Covered swap entity means any swap entity that is a:
    (1) State member bank (as defined in 12 CFR 208.2(g));
    (2) Bank holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1841);
    (3) Savings and loan holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 
1467a);
    (4) Foreign banking organization (as defined in 12 CFR 211.21(o));
    (5) Foreign bank that does not operate an insured branch;
    (6) State branch or state agency of a foreign bank (as defined in 
12 U.S.C. 3101(b)(11) and (12));
    (7) Edge or agreement corporation (as defined in 12 CFR 211.1(c)(2) 
and (3)); or
    (8) Covered swap entity as determined by the Board. Covered swap 
entity would not include an affiliate of an entity listed in paragraphs 
(1) through (7) of this definition for which the Office of the 
Comptroller of the Currency or the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation is the prudential regulator or that is required to be 
registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a swap 
dealer or major swap participant or with the U.S. Securities and 
Exchange Commission as a security-based swap dealer or major security-
based swap participant.
* * * * *


Sec.  237.6  [Amended]

0
15. Section 237.6 is amended by removing ``[RESERVED]'' and adding in 
its place ``12 CFR 1.2(d)''.
0
16. Section 237.12 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  237.12  Capital.

    A covered swap entity shall comply with:
    (a) In the case of a covered swap entity that is a state member 
bank (as defined in 12 CFR 208.2(g)), the provisions of the Board's 
Regulation Q (12 CFR part 217) applicable to the state member bank;
    (b) In the case of a covered swap entity that is a bank holding 
company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1842) or a savings and loan holding 
company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1467a), the provisions of the Board's 
Regulation Q (12 CFR part 217) applicable to the covered swap entity;
    (c) In the case of a covered swap entity that is a foreign banking 
organization (as defined in 12 CFR 211.21(o)), a U.S. intermediate 
holding company subsidiary of a foreign banking organization (as 
defined in 12 CFR 252.3(y)) or any state branch or state agency of a 
foreign bank (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 3101(b)(11) and (12)), the 
capital standards that are applicable to such covered swap entity under 
Sec.  225.2(r)(3) of the Board's Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.2(r)(3)) or 
the Board's Regulation YY (12 CFR part 252); and
    (d) In the case of a covered swap entity that is an Edge or 
agreement corporation (as defined in 12 CFR 211.1(c)(2) and (3)), the 
capital standards applicable to an Edge corporation under Sec.  
211.12(c) of the Board's Regulation K (12 CFR 211.12(c)) and to an 
agreement corporation under Sec. Sec.  211.5(g) and 211.12(c) of the 
Board's Regulation K (12 CFR 211.5(g) and 211.12(c)).

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

12 CFR Chapter III

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation amends 12 CFR chapter III as 
follows:

PART 349--DERIVATIVES

0
17. The authority citation for part 349 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1813(q), 1818, 1819, and 3108; 7 U.S.C. 
2(c)(2)(E), 27 et seq.


0
18. Revise the heading for part 349 to read as set forth above.
0
19. Add a heading for subpart B to read as follows:

Subpart B--Retail Foreign Exchange Transactions


Sec. Sec.  349.1 through 349.16  [Redesignated as Sec. Sec.  349.13 
through 349.28]

0
20. Redesignate Sec. Sec.  349.1 through 349.16 as Sec. Sec.  349.13 
through 349.28 under subpart B
0
21. Redesignate the authority citation for part 349 as the authority 
citation for subpart B.


Sec.  349.13  [Amended]

0
22. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  349.13(d) by removing ``349.3 and 
349.5 to 349.16'' and adding in its place ``349.15 and 349.17 through 
349.28''.


Sec.  349.16  [Amended]

0
23. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  349.16 by:
0
a. Removing ``349.8'' and adding in its place ``349.20''; and
0
b. Removing ``349.6'' and adding in its place ``349.18''.


Sec.  349.19  [Amended]

0
24. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  349.19 by:
0
a. Removing ``section 349.6(b)'' and adding in its place ``Sec.  
349.18(b)'';
0
b. Removing ``section 349.9'' and adding in its place ``Sec.  349.21''; 
and
0
c. Removing ``section 349.10'' and adding in its place ``Sec.  
349.22''.


Sec.  349.22  [Amended]

0
25. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  349.22 by removing ``Sec.  
349.9(c)'' and adding in its place ``Sec.  349.21(c)''.
0
26. Add subpart A to part 349 as set forth at the end of the Common 
Preamble.
0
27. Add an authority citation to subpart A of part 349 to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6s(e), 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e), and 12 U.S.C. 
1818 and 12 U.S.C. 1819(a)(Tenth), 12 U.S.C.1813(q), 1818, 1819, and 
3108.

0
28. Part 349, subpart A, is amended by:
0
a. Removing ``[Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``the FDIC'';
0
b. Removing ``[The Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its 
place ``The FDIC'';
0
c. Removing ``[Agency's]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``FDIC's'';
0
d. Removing ``[part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``subpart''; and
0
e. Removing ``[Part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``Subpart A''.


Sec.  349.1  [Amended]

0
29. Section 349.1 is amended by adding paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  349.1  Authority, purpose, and scope.

    (a) Authority. This subpart is issued by the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation (FDIC) under section 4s(e) of the Commodity 
Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 6s(e)), section 15F(e) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)), and section 8 of the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1818).
    (b) Purpose. Section 4s of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 6s) 
and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o-
10) require the FDIC to establish capital and margin requirements for 
any FDIC-insured state-chartered bank that is not a member of the 
Federal Reserve System or FDIC-insured state-chartered savings 
association that is registered as a swap dealer, major swap 
participant, security-based swap dealer, or major security-based swap 
participant with respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps. This subpart implements section 4s of the

[[Page 74913]]

Commodity Exchange Act and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 by defining terms used in the statutes and related terms, 
establishing capital and margin requirements, and explaining the 
statutes' requirements.
    (c) Scope. This subpart establishes minimum capital and margin 
requirements for each covered swap entity subject to this subpart with 
respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps. 
This subpart applies to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-
based swap entered into by a covered swap entity on or after the 
relevant compliance date set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. 
Nothing in this subpart is intended to prevent a covered swap entity 
from collecting margin in amounts greater than are required under this 
subpart.
* * * * *

0
30. Section 349.2 is amended by adding a definition of ``Covered swap 
entity'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec.  349.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Covered swap entity means any FDIC-insured state-chartered bank 
that is not a member of the Federal Reserve System or FDIC-insured 
state-chartered savings association that is a swap entity, or any other 
entity that the FDIC determines.
* * * * *


Sec.  349.6  [Amended]

0
31. Section 349.6 is amended by removing ``[RESERVED]'' wherever it 
appears and adding in its place ``12 CFR 1.2(d)''.
0
32. Section 349.12 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  349.12  Capital.

    A covered swap entity shall comply with the capital requirements 
that are applicable to the covered swap entity under part 324 of this 
chapter.

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, the 
Farm Credit Administration amends chapter VI of title 12, Code of 
Federal Regulations, as follows:

PART 624--MARGIN AND CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COVERED SWAP ENTITIES

0
33. Part 624 is added as set forth at the end of the Common Preamble.
0
34. The authority citation for part 624 is added to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6s(e), 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e), 12 U.S.C. 2154, 
12 U.S.C. 2243, 12 U.S.C. 2252, and 12 U.S.C. 2279bb-1.


0
35. Part 624 is amended by:
0
a. Removing ``[Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``the FCA'';
0
b. Removing ``[The Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its 
place ``The FCA'';
0
c. Removing ``[Agency's]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``FCA's'';
0
d. Removing ``[part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``part''; and
0
e. Removing ``[Part] wherever it appears and adding in its place ``Part 
624''.
0
36. Section 624.1 is amended by adding paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  624.1  Authority, purpose, and scope.

    (a) Authority. This part is issued by the Farm Credit 
Administration (FCA) under section 4s(e) of the Commodity Exchange Act 
(7 U.S.C. 6s(e)), section 15F(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)), and sections 4.3, 5.9, 5.17, and 8.32 of the 
Farm Credit Act (12 U.S.C. 2154, 12 U.S.C. 2243, 12 U.S.C. 2252, and 12 
U.S.C. 2279bb-1).
    (b) Purpose. Section 4s of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 6s) 
and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o-
10) require the FCA to establish capital and margin requirements for 
any System institution, including the Federal Agricultural Mortgage 
Corporation, chartered under the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended 
(12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.) that is registered as a swap dealer, major 
swap participant, security-based swap dealer, or major security-based 
swap participant with respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps. This regulation implements section 4s of the 
Commodity Exchange Act and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 by defining terms used in the statute and related terms, 
establishing capital and margin requirements, and explaining the 
statutes' requirements.
    (c) Scope. This part establishes minimum capital and margin 
requirements for each covered swap entity subject to this part with 
respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps. 
This part applies to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap entered into by a covered swap entity on or after the relevant 
compliance date set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. Nothing in 
this part is intended to prevent a covered swap entity from collecting 
margin in amounts greater than are required under this part.
* * * * *

0
37. Section 624.2 is amended by adding definitions for ``Covered swap 
entity'' and ``Investment grade'' in alphabetical order to read as 
follows:


Sec.  624.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Covered swap entity means any institution chartered under the Farm 
Credit Act of 1971, as amended (12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.) that is a swap 
entity, or any other entity that the FCA determines.
* * * * *
    Investment grade means the issuer of a security has an adequate 
capacity to meet financial commitments under the security for the 
projected life of the asset or exposure. An issuer has an adequate 
capacity to meet financial commitments if the risk of default by the 
obligor is low and the full and timely repayment of principal and 
interest is expected.
* * * * *


Sec.  624.6  [Amended]

0
38. Section 624.6 is amended by removing ``[RESERVED]'' wherever it 
appears and adding in its place ``investment grade as defined in Sec.  
624.2''.
0
39. Section 624.12 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  624.12  Capital.

    A covered swap entity shall comply with:
    (a) In the case of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, 
the capital adequacy regulations set forth in part 652 of this chapter; 
and
    (b) In the case of any Farm Credit System institution other than 
the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, the capital regulations 
set forth in part 615 of this chapter.

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, and 
under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 6s(e), 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e), 12 U.S.C. 
4513 and 12 U.S.C. 4526, the Federal Housing Finance Agency adds the 
text of the common rule as set forth at the end of the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION as part 1221 of subchapter B of chapter XII of title 12 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations, and further amends part 1221 as 
follows:

[[Page 74914]]

CHAPTER XII--FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

Subchapter B--Entity Regulations

PART 1221--MARGIN AND CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COVERED SWAP 
ENTITIES

0
40. The authority citation for part 1221 is added to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6s(e), 15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e), 12 U.S.C. 4513 
and 12 U.S.C. 4526(a).


0
41. Part 1221 is amended by:
0
a. Removing ``[Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``FHFA'';
0
b. Removing ``[The Agency]'' wherever it appears and adding in its 
place ``FHFA'';
0
c. Removing ``[Agency's]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``FHFA's'';
0
d. Removing ``[part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``part''; and
0
e. Removing ``[Part]'' wherever it appears and adding in its place 
``Part 1221''.
0
42. Section 1221.1 is amended by adding paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  1221.1  Authority, purpose, scope and compliance dates.

    (a) Authority. This part is issued by FHFA under section 4s(e) of 
the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 6s(e)), section 15F(e) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o-10(e)), 12 U.S.C. 4513 
and 12 U.S.C. 4526(a)).
    (b) Purpose. Section 4(s) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 
6s) and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 
78o-10) require FHFA to establish capital and margin requirements for 
any regulated entity that is registered as a swap dealer, major swap 
participant, security-based swap dealer, or major security-based swap 
participant with respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared 
security-based swaps. This regulation implements section 4s of the 
Commodity Exchange Act and section 15F of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 by defining terms used in the statute and related terms, 
establishing capital and margin requirements, and explaining the 
statute's requirements.
    (c) Scope. This part establishes minimum capital and margin 
requirements for each covered swap entity subject to this part with 
respect to all non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps. 
This part applies to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based 
swap entered into by a covered swap entity on or after the related 
compliance date set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. Nothing in 
this part is intended to prevent a covered swap entity from collecting 
margin in amounts greater than are required under this part.
* * * * *

0
43. Section 1221.2 is amended by adding definitions for ``Covered swap 
entity'' and ``Regulated entity'' in alphabetical order to read as 
follows:


Sec.  1221.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Covered swap entity means any regulated entity that is a swap 
entity or any other entity that FHFA determines.
* * * * *
    Regulated entity means any regulated entity as defined in section 
1303(20) of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and 
Soundness Act of 1992, as amended (12 U.S.C. 4502(20)).
* * * * *


Sec.  1221.6  [Amended]

0
44. Section 1221.6 is amended by:
0
a. Removing in paragraphs (a)(2)(iii), (a)(2)(viii)(A)(2), (b)(4), and 
(b)(9)(i)(B) the phrase ``the capital rules applicable to the covered 
swap entity as set forth in Sec.  __.12'' and adding in its place ``12 
CFR part 324''; and
0
b. Removing the words ``terms of [RESERVED]'' where they appear in 
paragraphs (a)(2)(v), (a)(2)(vii)(A), (b)(6) and (b)(8)(i) and adding 
in their place the phrase ``the definition of ``Investment quality'' in 
Sec.  1267.1 of this chapter''.
0
45. Section 1221.12 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  1221.12  Capital.

    A covered swap entity shall comply with the capital levels or such 
other amounts applicable to it as required by the Director of FHFA 
pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 4611.

    Dated: October 22, 2015.
Thomas J. Curry,
Comptroller of the Currency.
    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, November 4, 2015.
Robert deV. Frierson,
Secretary of the Board.
    Dated at Washington, DC, this 22nd of October 2015.

    By order of the Board of Directors.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Valerie J. Best,
Assistant Executive Secretary.
    Dated: October 21, 2015.
Dale L. Aultman,
Secretary, Farm Credit Administration Board.
    Dated: October 28, 2015.
Melvin L. Watt,
Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency.
[FR Doc. 2015-28671 Filed 11-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6210-01-P; 4810-33-P; 6714-01-P; 6705-01-P; 8070-01-P