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Australia to phase out bank hybrid bonds to avoid Credit Suisse-like writedowns

Australia's prudential regulator said banks will be slowly forced to stop raising funds through hybrid bonds considered inefficient at taking in losses in case of a. crisis, to avoid a situation like last year's writedowns to. Credit Suisse securities.

The Australian Prudential Guideline Authority (APRA) stated. on Monday that over the next 8 years it will phase out the. usage of Extra Tier 1 (AT1) capital instruments, typically. referred to as hybrid bonds, with more affordable and more dependable. forms of capital that would absorb losses better in. times of stress.

AT1s are one of the three types of capital that banks can. hold that are indicated to stabilise cash flow in durations of tension,. together with typical equity tier 1 (CET1) capital and tier 2. capital, APRA said.

Nevertheless, these bonds have been an object of concern to the. global financial sector since last year when Switzerland's. financial regulator jotted down about $17 billion of Credit. Suisse AT1s following its forced merger with UBS,. resulting in claims from investors.

While Australia's banks are unquestionably strong, overseas. experience has shown AT1 doesn't run as meant throughout a. crisis due to the intricacy of utilizing it, the capacity for. legal challenges and the risk of causing contagion, APRA Chair. John Lonsdale stated.

APRA said the phase-out of AT1s was among a number of. modifications it had actually introduced in response to chaos in Europe and. the United States last year when some banks failed or required. rescues and government intervention was needed to bring back. stability and minimise contagion threat.

Under the proposition, large, globally active banks will. be able to change 1.5% of capital from hybrid bonds with 1.25%. of tier 2 capital and 0.25% of CET1 capital. Smaller banks will. need to totally replace their AT1 capital with tier 2.

APRA said it would finalise modifications to prudential requirements. before the end of 2025, with the updated structure to be. effective Jan. 1, 2027.

The relocation comes months after the regulator began. assessments with market individuals including banks,. market associations, rating firms, brokers, investors and. peer regulators.

(source: Reuters)