Applicability of Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act to Loans and Extensions of Credit Made by a Member Bank to a Third Party

Riepilogo

Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act restricts the ability of a member bank to fund its affiliates through direct investments, loans, or certain other transactions (covered transactions). Section 23A deems transactions between a member bank and a nonaffiliated third party as covered transactions between the bank and its affiliate to the extent that proceeds of the transactions are used for the benefit of or transferred to the affiliate. The Board is proposing to grant two exemptions from section 23A for certain loans and extensions of credit made by an insured depository institution to customers that use the proceeds to purchase certain securities from or through the depository institution's registered broker-dealer affiliate. The first exemption would apply when the affiliate is acting solely as a broker or riskless principal in the securities transaction. The second exemption would apply when the extension of credit is made pursuant to a pre-existing line of credit that was not established for the purpose of buying securities from or through an affiliate. The Board proposes to grant these exemptions from section 23A to permit customers to gain more flexible use of the services