Margin for Uncleared Swaps

During an open meeting on July 22, 2020, the CFTC Commissioners heard a staff presentation on three specific recommendations for changes to the margin requirements for uncleared swaps for swap dealers and major swap participants.  These changes would:

  • Align the timing and methodology for both the material swaps exposure calculations and the post phase‐in compliance periods with the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the International Organization of Securities Commissions and other global regulations;
  • Codify relief related to minimum transfer amounts as addressed by CFTC staff letters 17‐12 and 19‐25; and
  • Codify an alternative method for calculating the initial margin that must be collected from the counterparty, in which small swap dealers may rely on the initial margin models of a larger swap dealer counterparty.

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Continue Reading CFTC To Consider Proposals for Refining Uncleared Margin Rules

On February 1, 2017, the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (“DSIO”) of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) issued a no-action letter granting relief from compliance with certain provisions of the CFTC’s margin requirements for uncleared swaps.  This relief applies to swap dealers entering into swaps with counterparties subject to the non-centrally cleared over-the-counter derivative margin requirements of the European Union (the “EMIR RTS”).  The relief is effective beginning February 4, 2017, and expires on May 8, 2017.
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Continue Reading CFTC Issues No-Action Relief for Swap Dealers who Comply with EU Uncleared Swap Requirements