The Basel Committee's oversight body, the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision, finalized reforms to the Basel III international capital standards. The reforms' key elements include revisions to (i) the standardized approach for credit risk, (ii) the standardized approach for operational risk, (iii) the internal ratings-based approach for credit risk, (iv) the credit valuation system framework, and (v) the measurement of the leverage ratio and a leverage ratio buffer for global systemically important institutions. In addition, the reforms will modify the floor for calculating banks' risk-weighted assets that are generated by their internal models. The final standards text detailing the reforms and a summary document containing short descriptions were made available by the Basel Committee.
In an interagency release, U.S. banking agencies (the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Board, the FDIC, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency) expressed support for the final reforms. The agencies explained that the reforms "are intended to improve risk sensitivity, reduce regulatory capital variability, and level the playing field among internationally active banks." The agencies will assess how to appropriately apply the reforms in the United States and propose any changes through the standard rulemaking process.
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