Earlier today, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority announced their intention to adopt the BCBS/IOSCO’s revised implementation schedule. Their updated deadlines are as follows: For target institutions with Non-Cleared OTC derivatives of more than HKD 375 billion the date will be 1 September 2020. For target institutions with Non-Cleared OTC derivatives of more than HKD 60 […]

As expected, ISDA have communicated a more granular breakdown of estimates for the likely population of the new IM phases 5 and 6, via relevant working groups. These have been replicated and published by a number of third party firms. Although all the numbers are estimated, there seems to be both a lack of mathematical […]

Confirming recent market rumours, BCBS\IOSCO have today announced their recommendation to stagger IM Phase 5 implementation over a two year period. An adjusted Phase 5 will apply to firms with an AANA equal to or greater than USD\EUR 50bn and less than 750bn. A new Phase 6, from 1 September 2020 to 1 September 2021, […]

Trailing in the wake of their northern neighbours, the CFTC has today issued a Staff Advisory confirming that there is no requirement for covered swap entities (CSEs) to put IM documentation and custody arrangements in place before the $50m threshold is reached.  As the conclusion to the Advisory notes: “Accordingly, to the extent the $50 […]

Canada’s Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is the first Regulator to break cover following BCBS\IOSCO’s 5 March statement. On 28 June the OSFI published a letter on its website, purporting to give guidance on the statement. For the convenience of its readers, the letter restates the BCBS\IOSCO statement, then goes on to […]

Risk Magazine is reporting today about the keynote speech given by Patrick Pearson (Head of the Financial Market Infrastructure and Derivatives unit at the European Commission) at the OpRisk Europe conference in London earlier today.  He is reported to have hinted that a delay in the implementation of the final phase of the IM rules […]

Banks have spent the last four years gamely preparing for and complying with IM regulations. Phases 1-3 have been challenging, the current phase 4 promises more of the same. The market has long been aware that phases 1-4 are mere kittens to the phase 5 (probably angry) tiger. Useful initiatives- negotiation platforms, custodian portals, standardised […]

DRS recently hosted a well-attended IM Breakfast Roundtable at the Gherkin. A distinguished list of panellists included Mayer Brown’s Ed Parker, Margin Reform‘s Chetan Joshi and Bank of New York Mellon’s Mark Higgins. Focused primarily on the imminent challenges of IM Phase 4, participants were drawn from the sellside; the event’s success effectively mandates a […]

The deadline for compliance with Phase 4 and Phase 5 of the IM requirements is miles away, isn’t it?  Isn’t it…? The truth is that, whether you like it or not, the clock is already ticking.  Whether anyone has told you or not, the countdown has already begun. Why worry about it now? The classic […]