Comments due on FDIC NPR on Interest Rate Restrictions on Less than Well Capitalized Institutions

The FDIC has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking related to interest rate restrictions that apply to less than well capitalized insured depository institutions. Under the proposed rule, the FDIC would amend the methodology for calculating the national rate and national rate cap for specific deposit products to provide a more balanced, reflective, and dynamic national rate cap. The national rate would be the weighted average of rates offered on a given deposit product by all reporting institutions weighted by domestic deposit share. The national rate cap for particular products would be set at the higher of (1) the 95th percentile of rates paid by insured depository institutions weighted by each institution's share of total domestic deposits, or (2) the proposed national rate (i.e., the weighted average) plus 75 basis points. The proposed rule would also greatly simplify the current local rate cap calculation and process by allowing less than well capitalized institutions to offer up to 90 percent of the highest rate paid on a particular deposit product in the institution's local market area. Additionally, the proposed rule seeks comment on alternative approaches to setting the national rate caps, including setting the national rate cap at the higher of the current rate cap or the previous rate cap.

Comments will be accepted for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. UPDATE: The NPR was published at 84 FR 46470 on 9/4/2019. The comment period ends on 11/4/2019.