Basel Committee consults on standard format for machine-readable disclosures

• The Basel Committee has published a consultation on a standard format for machine-readable disclosures by banks.
• The proposed standard format would make existing disclosure by banks more accessible and easier to aggregate.
• Comments on the proposals are requested by 5 March 2026.

The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision today published a consultative document proposing additions to its disclosure standard to make the data disclosed by banks (so-called Pillar 3 disclosures) available in a machine-readable format.

Pillar 3 disclosures by internationally active banks under the Basel Committee's standards are an important source of their key risk metrics. Most banks, however, currently publish their disclosures in PDF format only, which makes it difficult to aggregate, process and compare data across banks.

To make Pillar 3 disclosure data more accessible, the Committee is proposing that they should be made available in standardised machine-readable formats across its member jurisdictions. The proposed standard would introduce a requirement and technical specifications to produce machine-readable quantitative Pillar 3 disclosures, without changing the underlying disclosure requirements for banks. National supervisors would decide whether banks should publish machine-readable Pillar 3 disclosures on their own websites or via a centralised data repository.

It is also envisaged that the proposed standard would not increase burdens on banks in jurisdictions where machine-readable Pillar 3 disclosures are already required. Instead, existing approaches would be integrated into the proposed global standard.

The Committee welcomes comments on the proposed additions to the standard covering machine-readable quantitative Pillar 3 disclosures, which should be submitted here by 5 March 2026. All submissions will be published on the BIS website unless a respondent specifically requests confidential treatment.

Note to editors

The Basel Committee is the primary global standard setter for the prudential regulation of banks and provides a forum for cooperation on banking supervisory matters. Its mandate is to strengthen the regulation, supervision and practices of banks worldwide with the purpose of enhancing financial stability. The Committee reports to the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision and seeks its endorsement for major decisions. The Committee has no formal supranational authority, and its decisions have no legal force. Rather, the Committee relies on its members' commitments to achieve its mandate. The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision is chaired by Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada. The Basel Committee is chaired by Erik Thedéen, Governor of Sveriges Riksbank. 

More information about the Basel Committee is available here.