Federal Reserve: US-Notenbank plant offenbar Lockerung der Aufsichtsregeln für Banken

According to insiders, the Federal Reserve (Fed) is reportedly working on relaxing the regulatory standards for large banks. The central bank plans to increase the thresholds for asset size at which stricter requirements would apply, according to four people familiar with the plan, as reported by Reuters. This adjustment could allow certain institutions to avoid costly additional requirements.

Three of these insiders anticipate that the Fed would propose adjusting the limits in the current year to align them with inflation and economic growth. Discussions are planned to raise the upper limit from the current $700 billion to approximately $1 trillion, and the lower limit from $100 billion to around $150 billion. A Fed spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

The plan is part of broader efforts by US President Donald Trump's administration to reform bank oversight. Government representatives claim that current regulations hinder lending and consequently economic growth. However, critics believe that the proposed changes, in their entirety, would weaken the financial system and increase risks.

Banks argue that the current thresholds are arbitrary and do not keep pace with economic development. Exceeding the $100 billion mark typically requires significant investments in risk management and reporting, potentially amounting to double-digit millions per year. The supervisory thresholds were first introduced after the 2008 financial crisis through the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act and were loosened by the US Congress in 2018.

The plans are expected to benefit institutions like U.S. Bancorp, Capital One, PNC Financial, and Truist, which are nearing the $700 billion threshold. This would provide them with more room for growth without falling under the strictest Fed oversight. Mid-sized institutions such as Western Alliance or Zions might also surpass the $100 billion mark without having to meet all the usual requirements for this category.

The changes could also lead to consolidation among mid-sized banks, as many institutions have avoided mergers out of concern about exceeding the thresholds.