• DS-1.3 DS-1.3 D-SIBs Assessment Framework

    • DS-1.3.1

      The D-SIBs Assessment Framework aims to assess the degree to which banks are systemically important to the local financial system and domestic economy. Accordingly, the assessment focuses on the impact of a bank's failure within the financial system.

      July 2018

    • DS-1.3.2

      D-SIBs are identified using a two-step approach. The first step is to draw up a preliminary indicative list of D-SIBs based on the quantitative scores calculated using a set of factors/indicators. The second step involves the exercise of supervisory judgment that may serve as a complement to the quantitative assessment process, i.e. to refine the preliminary indicative list by either (i) removing banks from the list; or (ii) including other banks onto the list.

      July 2018

    • DS-1.3.3

      The D-SIBs assessment is based on the following four factors:

      (a) Size
      i. Size is a key measure of systemic importance. The larger the bank, the more widespread the effect of a sudden withdrawal of its services and, therefore, the greater the chance that its distress or failure would cause disruption to the financial markets and systems in which it operates, and to the broader functioning of the economy. The size factor broadly measures the volume of a D-SIB's banking activities within the local banking system and economy and, therefore, provides a good measure of the potential systemic impact in case a bank should fail.
      ii. The quantitative indicator used in the D-SIBs framework to measure a bank's size is its total assets, as disclosed in the balance sheet.
      (b) Interconnectedness
      i. This measure captures the extent of a bank's interconnections with other financial institutions, which could give rise to externalities affecting the financial system and domestic economy.
      ii. The quantitative indicators used to capture interconnectedness are interbank activities (represented by intra-financial system assets, and intra-financial system liabilities) and securities outstanding.
      iii. Intra-financial system assets comprise lending to financial institutions (including undrawn committed lines), holding of securities issued by other financial institutions, gross positive current exposure of Securities Financing Transactions and exposure value of those Shari'a compliant Over the Counter ('OTC') derivatives which have positive current market value. Intra-financial system liabilities comprise deposits by other financial institutions (including undrawn committed lines), gross negative current exposure of Securities Financing Transactions and exposure value of those Shari'a compliant OTC derivatives which have negative current market value. The total marketable securities issued by the bank comprise Shari'a compliant fixed income securities and equity issued by the bank. The total marketable securities issued by the bank with the data on maturity structure of these securities will give an indication of the reliance of the bank on wholesale funding markets.
      (c) Substitutability
      i. The concept underlying substitutability as a factor for assessing systemic importance is the recognition that the greater the role of a bank in a particular business line, or in acting as a service provider in relation to market infrastructure, the more difficult it will be to swiftly replace that bank and the extent of the products and services it offers, and, therefore, the more significant the risk of disruption in the event that the bank becomes distressed.
      ii. The quantitative indicators used to capture substitutability are assets under custody (i.e. the value of assets that a bank holds as a custodian), payment activity (i.e. the value of a bank's payments sent through all of the main payments systems of which it is a member) and values of underwritten transactions in Shari'a compliant fixed income and equity markets (i.e. the annual value of Shari'a compliant fixed income and equity instruments underwritten by the bank). This is based on the logic that the higher the market share of a bank, the more difficult it will be to substitute the extent and level of service it provides.
      (d) Complexity
      i. The degree of complexity of a bank is generally expected to be proportionately related to the systemic impact of the bank's distress, as the less complex a bank is, the more 'resolvable' it will likely be, and, in turn, the more likely the impact of its failure could be contained.
      ii. The quantitative indicators used to capture complexity are the notional value of Shari'a compliant OTC derivatives (i.e. the ratio of the notional amount outstanding for the bank), Level 3 assets and ratio of the total value of the bank's holding of securities for trading and available for sale category.
      July 2018

    • Qualitative Indicators

      • DS-1.3.4

        The CBB will apply a supervisory judgmental overlay to the quantitative assessment process recognising that some of the most effective indicators for assessing systemic importance tend not to be of a quantitative nature and, as such, not captured by a quantitative indicator-based measurement approach.

        July 2018

      • DS-1.3.5

        The CBB's indicative list of qualitative indicators that will typically be considered are:

        (a) Anticipated business expansion/contraction;
        (b) Anticipated mergers and acquisitions;
        (c) Analysis of exposures to a particular banking group;
        (d) Settlement institution for any payment or clearing system;
        (e) Extent of retail banking network;
        (f) Number of local and overseas branches;
        (g) Analysis of non-banking business exposure and income;
        (h) Analysis of non-plain vanilla products /portfolios held;
        (i) Analysis of off-balance sheet exposures;
        (j) Complexity of the group structure; and
        (k) Reputational risk.
        July 2018

    • Assessment Approach

      • DS-1.3.6

        A weight is assigned to each of the 'size', 'interconnectedness', 'substitutability' and 'complexity' factors. The CBB applies 25 percent equally to all factors towards the final aggregate score.

        Category (and weighting) Individual indicator Indicator weighting
        Size Total assets 25%
        Interconnectedness Intra-financial system assets 8.33%
        Intra-financial system liabilities 8.33%
        Securities outstanding 8.33%
        Substitutability Assets under custody 8.33%
        Payments activity 8.33%
        Underwritten transactions in Shari'a compliant fixed income and equity markets 8.33%
        Complexity Shari'a compliant OTC derivatives notional value 8.33%
        Level 3 assets 8.33%
        Trading and available-for-sale securities 8.33%
        July 2018

      • DS-1.3.7

        Bahraini conventional bank licensees that have a minimal amount of exposure to clients in Bahrain, and a low percentage of their deposits base are from clients in Bahrain, will be excluded from the D-SIB assessment.

        July 2018

      • DS-1.3.8

        The CBB shall conduct the D-SIB assessment every two years and shall inform the banks, the relevant thresholds or cut off, and shall provide the DSIBs the guidance for implementation.

        July 2018