Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions

AGENCY:

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Board is amending Regulation D, Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions, to reflect the annual indexing of the reserve requirement exemption amount and the low reserve tranche for 2023. The annual indexation of these amounts is required notwithstanding the Board's action in March 2020 of setting all reserve requirement ratios to zero. The Regulation D amendments set the reserve requirement exemption amount for 2023 at $36.1 million (increased from $32.4 million in 2022) and the amount of the low reserve tranche at $691.7 million (increased from $640.6 million in 2022). The adjustments to both of these amounts are derived using statutory formulas specified in the Federal Reserve Act (the “Act”). The annual indexation of the reserve requirement exemption amount and low reserve tranche, though required by statute, will not affect depository institutions' reserve requirements, which will remain zero.

DATES:

Effective date: January 3, 2023.

Compliance date: The new low reserve tranche and reserve requirement exemption amount will apply beginning January 1, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Benjamin Snodgrass, Senior Counsel (202-263-4877), Kristen Payne, Lead Financial Institution and Policy Analyst (202-452-2872), or Francis A. Martinez, Lead Financial Institution and Policy Analyst (202-245-4217), Division of Monetary Affairs, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets NW, Washington, DC 20551. For the hearing impaired and users of TTY-TRS, please call 711 from any telephone, anywhere in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 19(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 461(b)(2)) requires each depository institution to maintain reserves against its transaction accounts and nonpersonal time deposits, as prescribed by Board regulations, for the purpose of implementing monetary policy. The Board's actions with respect to this provision are discussed below.

I. Reserve Requirements

Section 19(b) of the Act authorizes different ranges of reserve requirement ratios depending on the amount of transaction account balances at a depository institution. Section 19(b)(11)(A) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 461(b)(11)(A)) provides that a zero percent reserve requirement ratio shall apply at each depository institution to total reservable liabilities that do not exceed a certain amount, known as the reserve requirement exemption amount. Section 19(b)(11)(B) provides that, before December 31 of each year, the Board shall issue a regulation adjusting the reserve requirement exemption amount for the next calendar year if total reservable liabilities held at all depository institutions increase from one year to the next. No adjustment is made to the reserve requirement exemption amount if total reservable liabilities held at all depository institutions should decrease during the applicable time period. The Act requires the percentage increase in the reserve requirement exemption amount to be 80 percent of the percentage increase in total reservable liabilities of all depository institutions over the one-year period that ends on the June 30 prior to the adjustment.

Total reservable liabilities of all depository institutions increased by 14.1 percent, from $18,123 billion to $20,678 billion, between June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Accordingly, the Board is amending Regulation D to set the reserve requirement exemption amount for 2023 at $36.1 million, an increase of $3.7 million from its level in 2022.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 461(b)(2)), transaction account balances maintained at each depository institution over the reserve requirement exemption amount and up to a certain amount, known as the low reserve tranche, may be subject to a reserve requirement ratio of not more than 3 percent (and which may be zero). Transaction account balances over the low reserve tranche may be subject to a reserve requirement ratio of not more than 14 percent (and which may be zero). Section 19(b)(2) also provides that, before December 31 of each year, the Board shall issue a regulation adjusting the low reserve tranche for the next calendar year. The Act requires the adjustment in the low reserve tranche to be 80 percent of the percentage increase or decrease in total transaction accounts of all depository institutions over the one-year period that ends on the June 30 prior to the adjustment.

Net transaction accounts of all depository institutions increased 10.0 percent, from $15,813 billion to $17,390 billion, between June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Accordingly, the Board is amending Regulation D to set the low reserve tranche for net transaction accounts for 2023 at $691.7 million, an increase of $51.1 million from 2022.

The new reserve requirement exemption amount and low reserve tranche will be effective for all depository institutions beginning January 1, 2023.

Effective March 26, 2020, the Board reduced reserve requirement ratios on all net transaction accounts to zero percent, eliminating reserve requirements for all depository institutions. The annual indexation of the reserve requirement exemption amount and the low reserve tranche for 2023 is required by statute but will not affect depository institutions' reserve requirements, which will remain zero.

II. Regulatory Analysis

Administrative Procedure Act

The provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) relating to notice of proposed rulemaking have not been followed in connection with the adoption of these amendments. The amendments involve expected, ministerial adjustments prescribed by statute and by the Board's policy concerning reporting practices. The adjustments in the reserve requirement exemption amount and the low reserve tranche serve to reduce regulatory burdens on depository institutions. Accordingly, the Board finds good cause for determining, and so determines, that notice in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b) is unnecessary.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) does not apply to a rulemaking where a general notice of proposed rulemaking is not required. As noted previously, the Board has determined that it is unnecessary to publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking for this final rule. Accordingly, the RFA's requirements relating to an initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis do not apply.

Paperwork Reduction Act

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Board reviewed this final rule. No collections of information pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act are contained in the final rule.

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 204

• Banks, banking
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Authority and Issuance

For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board is amending 12 CFR part 204 as follows:

PART 204—RESERVE REQUIREMENTS OF DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS (REGULATION D)

1. The authority citation for part 204 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 12 U.S.C. 248(a), 248(c), 461, 601, 611, and 3105.

2. Section 204.4 is amended by revising paragraph (f) to read as follows: