{"id":32309,"date":"2026-03-15T05:21:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T05:21:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/32309\/"},"modified":"2026-03-15T05:21:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T05:21:22","slug":"what-is-basel-and-why-has-it-been-so-contentious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/32309\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Basel and why has it been so contentious?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>US\u00a0President\u00a0Donald\u00a0Trump\u2019s\u00a0bank\u00a0regulators\u00a0will\u00a0unveil\u00a0this\u00a0month\u00a0a\u00a0new\u00a0draft\u00a0of\u00a0sweeping\u00a0capital\u00a0rules\u00a0that\u00a0would\u00a0overhaul\u00a0how\u00a0big\u00a0banks\u00a0gauge\u00a0their\u00a0risks\u00a0and\u00a0in\u00a0turn\u00a0the\u00a0funds\u00a0they\u00a0must\u00a0put\u00a0aside\u00a0to\u00a0absorb\u00a0potential\u00a0losses.\u00a0The\u00a0\u201cBasel\u00a0Endgame\u201d\u00a0rule\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0mired\u00a0in\u00a0controversy\u00a0since\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0first\u00a0unveiled\u00a0in\u00a02023\u00a0under\u00a0the\u00a0Democratic\u00a0Biden\u00a0administration,\u00a0\u200csparking\u00a0a\u00a0massive\u00a0pushback\u00a0from\u00a0Wall\u00a0Street\u00a0banks\u00a0who\u00a0said\u00a0it\u00a0would\u00a0hurt\u00a0lending\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0economy.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Critics,\u00a0meanwhile,\u00a0say\u00a0\u200bbanks\u00a0are\u00a0flush\u00a0with\u00a0cash\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0\u200cchanges\u00a0will\u00a0weaken\u00a0critical\u00a0rules\u00a0introduced\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0result\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a02007-09\u00a0crisis\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0time\u00a0when\u00a0geopolitical\u00a0\u200cshocks\u00a0sparked\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Iran\u00a0conflict\u00a0and\u00a0deteriorating\u00a0private\u00a0credit\u00a0conditions\u00a0are\u00a0\u200crattling\u00a0markets.\u00a0The\u00a0new\u00a0draft,\u00a0combined\u00a0with\u00a0changes\u00a0to\u00a0other\u00a0\u200ccapital\u00a0rules,\u00a0will\u00a0modestly\u00a0reduce\u00a0capital\u00a0requirements\u00a0for\u00a0many\u00a0lenders,\u00a0Federal\u00a0Reserve\u00a0Vice\u00a0Chair\u00a0for\u00a0Supervision\u00a0Michelle\u00a0Bowman\u00a0said\u00a0earlier\u00a0this\u00a0week.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0Basel\u00a0Committee\u00a0on\u00a0Banking\u00a0Supervision\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0panel\u00a0convened\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Bank\u00a0for\u00a0International\u00a0Settlements\u00a0(BIS)\u00a0in\u00a0Basel,\u00a0Switzerland,\u00a0which\u00a0aims\u00a0to\u00a0ensure\u00a0regulators\u00a0globally\u00a0apply\u00a0similar\u00a0minimum\u00a0capital\u00a0standards\u00a0so\u00a0that\u00a0banks\u00a0can\u00a0survive\u00a0loan\u00a0losses\u00a0during\u00a0tough\u00a0times.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0committee\u2019s\u00a0\u201cBasel\u00a0III\u201d\u00a0standard\u00a0was\u00a0agreed\u00a0after\u00a0the\u00a02007-09\u00a0global\u00a0financial\u00a0crisis.\u00a0It\u00a0includes\u00a0numerous\u00a0capital,\u00a0leverage\u00a0and\u00a0liquidity\u00a0requirements\u00a0for\u00a0banks.\u00a0Regulators\u00a0across\u00a0the\u00a0world\u00a0have\u00a0worked\u00a0for\u00a0years\u00a0to\u00a0implement\u00a0many\u00a0of\u00a0those\u00a0standards,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0so-called\u00a0\u201cendgame,\u201d\u00a0agreed\u00a0in\u00a02017,\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0final\u00a0iteration.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0Fed\u00a0is\u00a0leading\u00a0the\u00a0project\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0United\u00a0States,\u00a0along\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Federal\u00a0Deposit\u00a0Insurance\u00a0Corporation\u00a0and\u00a0Office\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Comptroller\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Currency.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0original\u00a02023\u00a0Basel\u00a0draft\u00a0led\u00a0by\u00a0Bowman\u2019s\u00a0Democratic\u00a0predecessor\u00a0Michael\u00a0Barr\u00a0proposed\u00a0raising\u00a0capital\u00a0by\u00a016%.\u00a0Big\u00a0banks\u00a0said\u00a0it\u00a0could\u00a0hike\u00a0their\u00a0levels\u00a0by\u00a0as\u00a0much\u00a0as\u00a020%.\u00a0That\u00a0came\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0shock\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0industry,\u00a0which\u00a0had\u00a0expected\u00a0the\u00a0rule\u00a0would\u00a0shift\u00a0capital\u00a0around\u00a0but\u00a0\u200ckeep\u00a0overall\u00a0levels\u00a0mostly\u00a0flat.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In\u00a0response,\u00a0banks\u00a0launched\u00a0an\u00a0unprecedented\u00a0lobbying\u00a0effort\u00a0and\u00a0\u200bpublic\u00a0campaign\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0which\u00a0included\u00a0running\u00a0attack\u00a0adverts\u00a0during\u00a0football\u00a0games\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0arguing\u00a0the\u00a0rules\u00a0were\u00a0unnecessary\u00a0because\u00a0banks\u00a0were\u00a0already\u00a0\u200bwell-capitalized,\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0would\u00a0hurt\u00a0lending,\u00a0small\u00a0businesses\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0economy.\u00a0Banks\u00a0also\u00a0threatened\u00a0to\u00a0sue.\u00a0Barr\u00a0pledged\u00a0to\u00a0rewrite\u00a0the\u00a0rule,\u00a0but\u00a0the\u00a0three\u00a0regulators\u00a0could\u00a0not\u00a0agree\u00a0a\u00a0path\u00a0forward,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0effort\u00a0slipped\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0Trump\u00a0administration,\u00a0which\u00a0has\u00a0generally\u00a0sided\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0industry.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0US\u00a0proposal\u00a0would\u00a0overhaul\u00a0how\u00a0large\u00a0banks\u00a0gauge\u00a0their\u00a0risk,\u00a0and\u00a0in\u00a0turn,\u00a0how\u00a0much\u00a0capital\u00a0they\u00a0should\u00a0set\u00a0aside\u00a0as\u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\u00a0 Critics,\u00a0meanwhile,\u00a0say\u00a0\u200bbanks\u00a0are\u00a0flush\u00a0with\u00a0cash\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0\u200cchanges\u00a0will\u00a0weaken\u00a0critical\u00a0rules\u00a0introduced\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0result\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a02007-09\u00a0crisis\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0time\u00a0when\u00a0geopolitical\u00a0\u200cshocks\u00a0sparked\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Iran\u00a0conflict\u00a0and\u00a0deteriorating\u00a0private\u00a0credit\u00a0conditions\u00a0are\u00a0\u200crattling\u00a0markets.\u00a0The\u00a0new\u00a0draft,\u00a0combined\u00a0with\u00a0changes\u00a0to\u00a0other\u00a0\u200ccapital\u00a0rules,\u00a0will\u00a0modestly\u00a0reduce\u00a0capital\u00a0requirements\u00a0for\u00a0many\u00a0lenders,\u00a0Federal\u00a0Reserve\u00a0Vice\u00a0Chair\u00a0for\u00a0Supervision\u00a0Michelle\u00a0Bowman\u00a0said\u00a0earlier\u00a0this\u00a0week. \u00a0 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In\u00a0response,\u00a0banks\u00a0launched\u00a0an\u00a0unprecedented\u00a0lobbying\u00a0effort\u00a0and\u00a0\u200bpublic\u00a0campaign\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0which\u00a0included\u00a0running\u00a0attack\u00a0adverts\u00a0during\u00a0football\u00a0games\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0arguing\u00a0the\u00a0rules\u00a0were\u00a0unnecessary\u00a0because\u00a0banks\u00a0were\u00a0already\u00a0\u200bwell-capitalized,\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0would\u00a0hurt\u00a0lending,\u00a0small\u00a0businesses\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0economy.\u00a0Banks\u00a0also\u00a0threatened\u00a0to\u00a0sue.\u00a0Barr\u00a0pledged\u00a0to\u00a0rewrite\u00a0the\u00a0rule,\u00a0but\u00a0the\u00a0three\u00a0regulators\u00a0could\u00a0not\u00a0agree\u00a0a\u00a0path\u00a0forward,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0effort\u00a0slipped\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0Trump\u00a0administration,\u00a0which\u00a0has\u00a0generally\u00a0sided\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0industry. \u00a0 The\u00a0US\u00a0proposal\u00a0would\u00a0overhaul\u00a0how\u00a0large\u00a0banks\u00a0gauge\u00a0their\u00a0risk,\u00a0and\u00a0in\u00a0turn,\u00a0how\u00a0much\u00a0capital\u00a0they\u00a0should\u00a0set\u00a0aside\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0cushion\u00a0against\u00a0potential\u00a0losses.\u00a0The\u00a0main\u00a0areas\u00a0of\u00a0focus\u00a0are\u00a0credit\u00a0risk,\u00a0market\u00a0risk\u00a0and\u00a0operational\u00a0risk.\u00a0On\u00a0Thursday,\u00a0Bowman\u00a0said\u00a0the\u00a0new\u00a0proposal\u00a0would\u00a0\u201cright-size\u201d\u00a0requirements\u00a0to\u00a0better\u00a0capture\u00a0risks,\u00a0while\u00a0minimizing\u00a0overlaps.\u00a0The\u00a0changes\u00a0would\u00a0also\u00a0give\u00a0banks\u00a0relief\u00a0for\u00a0activities\u00a0regulators\u00a0see\u00a0as\u00a0less\u00a0risky\u00a0and\u00a0which\u00a0they\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0promote,\u00a0such\u00a0as\u00a0mortgage\u00a0lending. \u00a0 For\u00a0smaller\u00a0banks,\u00a0the\u00a0plan\u00a0would\u00a0create\u00a0a\u00a0new\u00a0standardized\u00a0measurement\u00a0of\u00a0risk\u00a0which\u00a0would\u00a0\u201cmoderately\u00a0reduce\u201d\u00a0their\u00a0requirements\u00a0and\u00a0\u200cincentivize\u00a0lending.\u00a0Overall,\u00a0Basel\u00a0is\u00a0still\u00a0expected\u00a0to\u00a0raise\u00a0\u200ccapital\u00a0slightly\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0largest,\u00a0riskiest\u00a0banks.\u00a0But\u00a0when\u00a0combined\u00a0with\u00a0changes\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0surcharge\u00a0levied\u00a0on\u00a0risky\u00a0global\u00a0or\u00a0\u201cGSIB\u201d\u00a0US\u00a0banks,\u00a0capital\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0biggest\u00a0Wall\u00a0Street\u00a0banks\u00a0would\u00a0shrink\u00a0\u201ca\u00a0small\u00a0amount,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said. 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