Introduction

The leverage ratio exposure measure generally follows gross accounting values.

Unless specified differently below, banks must not take account of physical or financial collateral, guarantees or other credit risk mitigation techniques to reduce the leverage ratio exposure measure, nor may banks net assets and liabilities.

To ensure consistency, any item deducted from Tier 1 capital according to the Basel III framework and regulatory adjustments other than those related to liabilities may be deducted from the leverage ratio exposure measure. Three examples follow:

Liability items must not be deducted from the leverage ratio exposure measure. For example, gains/losses on fair valued liabilities or accounting value adjustments on derivative liabilities due to changes in the bank’s own credit risk as described in CAP30.15 must not be deducted from the leverage ratio exposure measure.

With regard to traditional securitisations, an originating bank may exclude securitised exposures from its leverage ratio exposure measure if the securitisation meets the operational requirements for the recognition of risk transference according to CRE40.24. Banks meeting these conditions must include any retained securitisation exposures in their leverage ratio exposure measure. In all other cases, eg traditional securitisations that do not meet the operational requirements for the recognition of risk transference or synthetic securitisations, the securitised exposures must be included in the leverage ratio exposure measure.

Banks and supervisors should be particularly vigilant to transactions and structures that have the result of inadequately capturing banks’ sources of leverage. Examples of concerns that might arise in such leverage ratio exposure measure minimising transactions and structures may include: securities financing transactions (SFTs) where exposure to the counterparty increases as the counterparty’s credit quality decreases or securities financing transactions in which the credit quality of the counterparty is positively correlated with the value of the securities received in the transaction (ie the credit quality of the counterparty falls when the value of the securities falls); banks that normally act as principal but adopt an agency model to transact in derivatives and SFTs in order to benefit from the more favourable treatment permitted for agency transactions under the leverage ratio framework; collateral swap trades structured to mitigate inclusion in the leverage ratio exposure measure; or use of structures to move assets off the balance sheet. This list of examples is by no means exhaustive. Where supervisors are concerned that such transactions are not adequately captured in the leverage ratio exposure measure or may lead to a potentially destabilising deleveraging process, they should carefully scrutinise these transactions and consider a range of actions to address such concerns. Supervisory actions may include requiring enhancements in banks’ management of leverage, imposing operational requirements (eg additional reporting to supervisors) and/or requiring that the relevant exposure is adequately capitalised through a Pillar 2 capital charge. These examples of supervisory actions are merely indicative and by no means exhaustive.

At national discretion, and to facilitate the implementation of monetary policies, a jurisdiction may temporarily exempt central bank reserves from the leverage ratio exposure measure in exceptional macroeconomic circumstances. To maintain the same level of resilience provided by the leverage ratio, a jurisdiction applying this discretion must also increase the calibration of the minimum leverage ratio requirement commensurately to offset the impact of exempting central bank reserves. In addition, in order to maintain the comparability and transparency of the Basel III leverage ratio framework, banks will be required to disclose the impact of any temporary exemption alongside ongoing public disclosure of the leverage ratio without application of such exemption.

On-balance sheet exposures

Banks must include all balance sheet assets in their leverage ratio exposure measure, including on-balance sheet derivatives collateral and collateral for SFTs, with the exception of on-balance sheet derivative and SFT assets that are covered in LEV30.13 to LEV30.44.1

On-balance sheet, non-derivative assets are included in the leverage ratio exposure measure at their accounting values less deductions for associated specific provisions. In addition, general provisions or general loan-loss reserves as defined in CAP10.18 which have reduced Tier 1 capital may be deducted from the leverage ratio exposure measure.2

The accounting for regular-way purchases or sales3 of financial assets that have not been settled (hereafter “unsettled trades”) differs across and within accounting frameworks, with the result that those unsettled trades can be accounted for either on the trade date (trade date accounting) or on the settlement date (settlement date accounting). For the purpose of the leverage ratio exposure measure, banks using trade date accounting must reverse out any offsetting between cash receivables for unsettled sales and cash payables for unsettled purchases of financial assets that may be recognised under the applicable accounting framework, but may offset between those cash receivables and cash payables (regardless of whether such offsetting is recognised under the applicable accounting framework) if the following conditions are met:

Banks using settlement date accounting will be subject to the treatment set out in LEV30.45 to LEV30.49.

Cash pooling refers to arrangements involving treasury products whereby a bank combines the credit and/or debit balances of several individual participating customer accounts into a single account balance to facilitate cash and/or liquidity management. For purposes of the leverage ratio exposure measure, where a cash pooling arrangement entails a transfer at least on a daily basis of the credit and/or debit balances of the individual participating customer accounts into a single account balance, the individual participating customer accounts are deemed to be extinguished and transformed into a single account balance upon the transfer provided the bank is not liable for the balances on an individual basis upon the transfer. Thus, the basis of the leverage ratio exposure measure for such a cash pooling arrangement is the single account balance and not the individual participating customer accounts. When the transfer of credit and/or debit balances of the individual participating customer accounts does not occur daily, for purposes of the leverage ratio exposure measure, extinguishment and transformation into a single account balance is deemed to occur and this single account balance may serve as the basis of the leverage ratio exposure measure provided all of the following conditions are met. In the event the conditions below are not met, the individual balances of the participating customer accounts must be reflected separately in the leverage ratio exposure measure.

Derivative exposures

For the purpose of the leverage ratio exposure measure, exposures to derivatives are included by means of two components:

Banks must calculate their exposures associated with all derivative transactions, including where a bank sells protection using a credit derivative, as a scalar multiplier alpha set at 1.4 times the sum of the RC4 and the PFE, as described in LEV30.15 to LEV30.16. If the derivative exposure is covered by an eligible bilateral netting contract as specified in LEV30.17 to LEV30.20, a specific treatment may be applied. Written credit derivatives are subject to an additional treatment, as set out in LEV30.30 to LEV30.35.

The amount to be included in the leverage ratio exposure measure is calculated according to the formula below. For derivative transactions not covered by an eligible bilateral netting contract as specified in LEV30.17 to LEV30.20, the amount to be included in the leverage ratio exposure measure is determined, for each transaction separately. When an eligible bilateral netting contract is in place as specified in LEV30.17 to LEV30.20, the formula below is applied at the netting set level as described in LEV30.16.

In the formula in LEV30.15:

Banks may net transactions subject to novation under which any obligation between a bank and its counterparty to deliver a given currency on a given value date is automatically amalgamated with all other obligations for the same currency and value date, legally substituting one single amount for the previous gross obligations.

Banks may also net transactions subject to any legally valid form of bilateral netting not covered in LEV30.17, including other forms of novation.

In both cases described in LEV30.17 and LEV30.18, a bank will need to satisfy its national supervisors that it has:

Contracts containing walkaway clauses will not be eligible for netting for the purpose of calculating the leverage ratio exposure measure pursuant to this framework. A walkaway clause is a provision that permits a non-defaulting counterparty to make only limited payments, or no payment at all, to the estate of a defaulter, even if the defaulter is a net creditor.

Collateral received in connection with derivative contracts has two countervailing effects on leverage:

Collateral received in connection with derivative contracts does not necessarily reduce the leverage inherent in a bank’s derivative position, which is generally the case if the settlement exposure arising from the underlying derivative contract is not reduced. As a general principle of the Basel III leverage ratio framework, collateral received may not be netted against derivative exposures whether or not netting is permitted under the bank’s operative accounting or risk-based framework. Hence, when calculating the exposure amount by applying LEV30.14 to LEV30.16, a bank must not reduce the leverage ratio exposure measure amount by any collateral received from the counterparty. This implies that the RC cannot be reduced by collateral received and that the multiplier referenced in LEV30.16 is fixed at one for the purpose of the PFE calculation. However, the maturity factor in the PFE add-on calculation can recognise the PFE-reducing effect from the regular exchange of variation margin as specified in LEV30.16.

Similarly, with regard to collateral provided, banks must gross up their leverage ratio exposure measure by the amount of any derivatives collateral provided where the provision of that collateral has reduced the value of their balance sheet assets under their operative accounting framework.

In the treatment of derivative exposures for the purpose of the leverage ratio exposure measure, the cash portion of variation margin exchanged between counterparties may be viewed as a form of pre-settlement payment if the following conditions are met:

If the conditions in LEV30.24 are met, the cash portion of variation margin received may be used to reduce the replacement cost portion of the leverage ratio exposure measure, and the receivables assets from cash variation margin provided may be deducted from the leverage ratio exposure measure as follows:

Where a bank acting as clearing member (CM)9 offers clearing services to clients, the CM’s trade exposures to the CCP that arise when the CM is obligated to reimburse the client for any losses suffered due to changes in the value of its transactions in the event that the CCP defaults must be captured by applying the same treatment that applies to any other type of derivative transaction. However, if the CM, based on the contractual arrangements with the client, is not obligated to reimburse the client for any losses suffered in the event that a QCCP defaults, the CM need not recognise the resulting trade exposures to the QCCP in the leverage ratio exposure measure. In addition, where a bank provides clearing services as a “higher-level client” within a multi-level client structure,10 the bank need not recognise in its leverage ratio exposure measure the resulting trade exposures to the CM or to an entity that serves as a higher-level client to the bank in the leverage ratio exposure measure if it meets all of the following conditions:

Pursuant to LEV30.26, for derivative exposures associated with the bank's offering of client clearing services, the RC and the PFE of the exposure to the client (or the exposure to the "lower level client" in the case of a multi-level client structure) may be calculated according to CRE52.13 to CRE52.77.13 For the determination of RC and PFE, the amount of initial margin received by the bank from its client that may be included in the values of C and NICA should be limited to the amount that is subject to appropriate segregation by the bank as defined in the relevant jurisdiction.

Where a client enters directly into a derivative transaction with the CCP and the CM guarantees the performance of its client's derivative trade exposures to the CCP, the bank acting as the CM for the client to the CCP must calculate its related leverage ratio exposure resulting from the guarantee as a derivative exposure as set out in LEV30.14 to LEV30.25, as if it had entered directly into the transaction with the client, including with regard to the receipt or provision of cash variation margin.

For the purposes of LEV30.26 and LEV30.28, an entity affiliated to the bank acting as a CM may be considered a client if it is outside the relevant scope of regulatory consolidation at the level at which the leverage ratio is applied. In contrast, if an affiliate entity falls within the regulatory scope of consolidation, the trade between the affiliate entity and the CM is eliminated in the course of consolidation but the CM still has a trade exposure to the CCP. In this case, the transaction with the CCP will be considered proprietary and the exemption in LEV30.26 will not apply.

In addition to the counterparty credit risk (CCR) exposure arising from the fair value of the contracts, written credit derivatives create a notional credit exposure arising from the creditworthiness of the reference entity. The Committee therefore believes that it is appropriate to treat written credit derivatives consistently with cash instruments (eg loans, bonds) for the purposes of the leverage ratio exposure measure.

In order to capture the credit exposure to the underlying reference entity, in addition to the above treatment for derivatives and related collateral, the effective notional amount referenced by a written credit derivative is to be included in the leverage ratio exposure measure unless the written credit derivative is included in a transaction cleared on the behalf of a client of the bank acting as a CM (or acting as a clearing services provider in a multi-level client structure as referenced in LEV30.26) and the transaction meets the requirements of LEV30.26 for the exclusion of trade exposures to the QCCP (or, in the case of a multi-level client structure, the requirements of LEV30.26 for the exclusion of trade exposures to the CM or the QCCP). The "effective notional amount" is obtained by adjusting the notional amount to reflect the true exposure of contracts that are leveraged or otherwise enhanced by the structure of the transaction. Further, the effective notional amount of a written credit derivative may be reduced by any negative change in fair value amount that has been incorporated into the calculation of Tier 1 capital with respect to the written credit derivative.14 The resulting amount may be further reduced by the effective notional amount of a purchased credit derivative on the same reference name, provided that:

For the purposes of LEV30.31, the term "written credit derivative" refers to a broad range of credit derivatives through which a bank effectively provides credit protection and is not limited solely to credit default swaps and total return swaps. For example, all options where the bank has the obligation to provide credit protection under certain conditions qualify as "written credit derivatives". The effective notional amount of such options sold by the bank may be offset by the effective notional amount of options by which the bank has the right to purchase credit protection which fulfils the conditions of LEV30.31. For example, the condition of same or more conservative material terms as those in the corresponding written credit derivatives as referenced in LEV30.31 can be considered met only when the strike price of the underlying purchased credit protection is equal to or lower than the strike price of the underlying sold credit protection.

For the purposes of LEV30.31, two reference names are considered identical only if they refer to the same legal entity. Credit protection on a pool of reference names purchased through credit derivatives may offset credit protection sold on individual reference names if the credit protection purchased is economically equivalent to purchasing credit protection separately on each of the individual names in the pool (this would, for example, be the case if a bank were to purchase credit protection on an entire securitisation structure). If a bank purchases credit protection on a pool of reference names through credit derivatives, but the credit protection purchased does not cover the entire pool (ie the protection covers only a subset of the pool, as in the case of an nth-to-default credit derivative or a securitisation tranche), then the written credit derivatives on the individual reference names may not be offset. However, such purchased credit protection may offset written credit derivatives on a pool provided that the credit protection purchased through credit derivatives covers the entirety of the subset of the pool on which the credit protection has been sold.

Where a bank purchases credit protection through a total return swap and records the net payments received as net income, but does not record offsetting deterioration in the value of the written credit derivative (either through reductions in fair value or by an addition to reserves) in Tier 1 capital, the credit protection will not be recognised for the purpose of offsetting the effective notional amounts related to written credit derivatives.

Since written credit derivatives are included in the leverage ratio exposure measure at their effective notional amounts, and are also subject to amounts for PFE, the leverage ratio exposure measure for written credit derivatives may be overstated. Banks may therefore choose to exclude from the netting set for the PFE calculation the portion of a written credit derivative which is not offset according to LEV30.31 and for which the effective notional amount is included in the leverage ratio exposure measure.

Securities financing transaction exposures

SFTs17 are included in the leverage ratio exposure measure according to the treatment described below. The treatment recognises that secured lending and borrowing in the form of SFTs is an important source of leverage, and ensures consistent international implementation by providing a common measure for dealing with the main differences in the operative accounting frameworks.

General treatment (bank acting as principal): the sum of the amounts in LEV30.37(1) and LEV30.37(2) is to be included in the leverage ratio exposure measure:

The effects of bilateral netting agreements23 for covering SFTs will be recognised on a counterparty-by-counterparty basis if the agreements are legally enforceable in each relevant jurisdiction upon the occurrence of an event of default and regardless of whether the counterparty is insolvent or bankrupt. In addition, netting agreements must:

Netting across positions held in the banking book and trading book will only be recognised when the netted transactions fulfil the following conditions:

Leverage may remain with the lender of the security in an SFT whether or not sale accounting is achieved under the operative accounting framework. As such, where sale accounting is achieved for an SFT under the bank's operative accounting framework, the bank must reverse all sales-related accounting entries, and then calculate its exposure as if the SFT had been treated as a financing transaction under the operative accounting framework (ie the bank must include the sum of amounts in LEV30.37(1) and LEV30.37(2) for such an SFT) for the purpose of determining its leverage ratio exposure measure.

A bank acting as agent in an SFT generally provides an indemnity or guarantee to only one of the two parties involved, and only for the difference between the value of the security or cash its customer has lent and the value of collateral the borrower has provided. In this situation, the bank is exposed to the counterparty of its customer for the difference in values rather than to the full exposure to the underlying security or cash of the transaction (as is the case where the bank is one of the principals in the transaction).

Where a bank acting as agent in an SFT provides an indemnity or guarantee to a customer or counterparty for any difference between the value of the security or cash the customer has lent and the value of collateral the borrower has provided and the bank does not own or control the underlying cash or security resource, then the bank will be required to calculate its leverage ratio exposure measure by applying only LEV30.37(2).24

A bank acting as agent in an SFT and providing an indemnity or guarantee to a customer or counterparty will be considered eligible for the exceptional treatment set out in LEV30.42 only if the bank's exposure to the transaction is limited to the guaranteed difference between the value of the security or cash its customer has lent and the value of the collateral the borrower has provided. In situations where the bank is further economically exposed (ie beyond the guarantee for the difference) to the underlying security or cash in the transaction,25 a further exposure equal to the full amount of the security or cash must be included in the leverage ratio exposure measure.

Where a bank acting as agent provides an indemnity or guarantee to both parties involved in an SFT (ie securities lender and securities borrower), the bank will be required to calculate its leverage ratio exposure measure in accordance with LEV30.37 to LEV30.43 separately for each party involved in the transaction.

Off-balance sheet items

This section explains the treatment of off-balance sheet (OBS) items for inclusion in the leverage ratio exposure measure. These treatments reflect those defined in CRE20 and CRE52, as well as treatments unique to the leverage ratio framework. OBS items include commitments (including liquidity facilities), whether or not unconditionally cancellable, direct credit substitutes, acceptances, standby letters of credit and trade letters of credit. If the OBS item is treated as a derivative exposure per the bank's relevant accounting standard, then the item must be measured as a derivative exposure for the purpose of the leverage ratio exposure measure. In this case, the bank does not need to apply the OBS item treatment to the exposure.

In CRE20, OBS items are converted under the standardised approach for credit risk into credit exposure equivalents through the use of credit conversion factors (CCFs). For the purpose of determining the exposure amount of OBS items for the leverage ratio, the CCFs set out in LEV30.49 to LEV30.56 must be applied to the notional amount.

For the purposes of the leverage ratio, OBS items will be converted into credit exposures by multiplying the committed but undrawn amount by a CCF. For these purposes, commitment means any contractual arrangement that has been offered by the bank and accepted by the client to extend credit, purchase assets or issue credit substitutes. It includes any such arrangement that can be unconditionally cancelled by the bank at any time without prior notice to the obligor.26 It also includes any such arrangement that can be cancelled by the bank if the obligor fails to meet conditions set out in the facility document, including conditions that must be met by the obligor prior to any initial or subsequent drawdown arrangement.

In addition, specific and general provisions set aside against OBS exposures that have decreased Tier 1 capital may be deducted from the credit exposure equivalent amount of those exposures (ie the exposure amount after the application of the relevant CCF). However, the resulting total off-balance sheet equivalent amount for OBS exposures cannot be less than zero.

A 100% CCF will be applied to the following items:

A 50% CCF will be applied to note issuance facilities and revolving underwriting facilities regardless of the maturity of the underlying facility.

A 50% CCF will be applied to certain transaction-related contingent items (eg performance bonds, bid bonds, warranties and standby letters of credit related to particular transactions).

A 40% CCF will be applied to commitments, regardless of the maturity of the underlying facility, unless they qualify for a lower CCF.

A 20% CCF will be applied to both the issuing and confirming banks of short-term self-liquidating trade letters of credit arising from the movement of goods (eg documentary credits collateralised by the underlying shipment).

A 10% CCF will be applied to commitments that are unconditionally cancellable at any time by the bank without prior notice, or that effectively provide for automatic cancellation due to deterioration in a borrower's creditworthiness. National supervisors should evaluate various factors in the jurisdiction, which may constrain banks' ability to cancel the commitment in practice, and consider applying a higher CCF to certain commitments as appropriate.

Where there is an undertaking to provide a commitment on an off-balance sheet item, banks are to apply the lower of the two applicable CCFs.27

OBS securitisation exposures must be treated as per CRE40.20(2).