Basel publishes crypto exposure proposal

Oct. 17, 2023

Banks will have to disclose crypto exposure by 2025 under plans unveiled Tuesday. The plans are open for public comment through Jan. 31.

Banks must disclose their activities in and exposure to crypto by 2025, according to draft guidance published Tuesday by international banking regulator the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

“Under the proposals, banks would be required to disclose qualitative information on their activities related to cryptoassets and quantitative information on exposures to cryptoassets and the related capital and liquidity requirements,” a press release said. “Banks would also be required to provide details of the accounting classifications of their exposures to cryptoassets and cryptoliabilities.”

The proposals, which were previewed two weeks ago, build upon the prudential standard for crypto exposures published by the Basel committee last December outlining standards for two groups of crypto assets: Group 1 are tokenized traditional assets and stablecoins; and Group 2 are riskier products that are unbacked and don’t fit Group 1 standards.

Group 1 assets are subject to capital requirements based on underlying exposures as set out in the existing Basel framework. For Group 2 assets, the finalized guidelines limit bank exposure to 1% of their Tier 1 capital.

At the time, Debevoise & Plimpton attorney Chen Xu told American Banker the finalized framework “is significant, if for no other reason than it establishes a common baseline from which global regulators can build.”

The Basel Committee on Tuesday also said it “expects that a common format for disclosures will support the exercise of market discipline and help to reduce information asymmetry between banks and market participants.”

A public comment period on the proposals is open through Jan. 21.

[CFO Dive]