12 C.F.R. Subpart F—General Provisions of Section 23B
Title 12 - Banks and Banking
A member bank may not engage in a transaction described in §223.52 unless the transaction is: (a) On terms and under circumstances, including credit standards, that are substantially the same, or at least as favorable to the member bank, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with or involving nonaffiliates; or (b) In the absence of comparable transactions, on terms and under circumstances, including credit standards, that in good faith would be offered to, or would apply to, nonaffiliates. (a) The market terms requirement of §223.51 applies to the following transactions: (1) Any covered transaction with an affiliate, unless the transaction is exempt under paragraphs (a) through (c) of §223.41 or paragraphs (a) through (e) or (h) through (j) of §223.42; (2) The sale of a security or other asset to an affiliate, including an asset subject to an agreement to repurchase; (3) The payment of money or the furnishing of a service to an affiliate under contract, lease, or otherwise; (4) Any transaction in which an affiliate acts as an agent or broker or receives a fee for its services to the member bank or to any other person; and (5) Any transaction or series of transactions with a nonaffiliate, if an affiliate: (i) Has a financial interest in the nonaffiliate; or (ii) Is a participant in the transaction or series of transactions. (b) For the purpose of this section, any transaction by a member bank with any person will be deemed to be a transaction with an affiliate of the member bank if any of the proceeds of the transaction are used for the benefit of, or transferred to, the affiliate. (a) Fiduciary purchases of assets from an affiliate. A member bank may not purchase as fiduciary any security or other asset from any affiliate unless the purchase is permitted: (1) Under the instrument creating the fiduciary relationship; (2) By court order; or (3) By law of the jurisdiction governing the fiduciary relationship. (b) Purchase of a security underwritten by an affiliate. (1) A member bank, whether acting as principal or fiduciary, may not knowingly purchase or otherwise acquire, during the existence of any underwriting or selling syndicate, any security if a principal underwriter of that security is an affiliate of the member bank. (2) Paragraph (b)(1) of this section does not apply if the purchase or acquisition of the security has been approved, before the security is initially offered for sale to the public, by a majority of the directors of the member bank based on a determination that the purchase is a sound investment for the member bank, or for the person on whose behalf the member bank is acting as fiduciary, as the case may be, irrespective of the fact that an affiliate of the member bank is a principal underwriter of the security. (3) The approval requirement of paragraph (b)(2) of this section may be met if: (i) A majority of the directors of the member bank approves standards for the member bank's acquisitions of securities described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, based on the determination set forth in paragraph (b)(2) of this section; (ii) Each acquisition described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section meets the standards; and (iii) A majority of the directors of the member bank periodically reviews acquisitions described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section to ensure that they meet the standards and periodically reviews the standards to ensure that they continue to meet the criterion set forth in paragraph (b)(2) of this section. (4) A U.S. branch, agency, or commercial lending company of a foreign bank may comply with paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section by obtaining the approvals and reviews required by paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) from either: (i) A majority of the directors of the foreign bank; or (ii) A majority of the senior executive officers of the foreign bank. (c) Special definitions. For purposes of this section: (1) “Principal underwriter” means any underwriter who, in connection with a primary distribution of securities: (i) Is in privity of contract with the issuer or an affiliated person of the issuer; (ii) Acting alone or in concert with one or more other persons, initiates or directs the formation of an underwriting syndicate; or (iii) Is allowed a rate of gross commission, spread, or other profit greater than the rate allowed another underwriter participating in the distribution. (2) “Security” has the same meaning as in section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(10)). (a) In general. A member bank and its affiliates may not publish any advertisement or enter into any agreement stating or suggesting that the member bank will in any way be responsible for the obligations of its affiliates. (b) Guarantees, acceptances, letters of credit, and cross-affiliate netting arrangements subject to section 23A. Paragraph (a) of this section does not prohibit a member bank from: (1) Issuing a guarantee, acceptance, or letter of credit on behalf of an affiliate, confirming a letter of credit issued by an affiliate, or entering into a cross-affiliate netting arrangement, to the extent such transaction satisfies the quantitative limits of §§223.11 and 223.12 and the collateral requirements of §223.14, and is otherwise permitted under this regulation; or (2) Making reference to such a guarantee, acceptance, letter of credit, or cross-affiliate netting arrangement if otherwise required by law. The Board may prescribe regulations to exempt transactions or relationships from the requirements of section 23B and subpart F of this part if it finds such exemptions to be in the public interest and consistent with the purposes of section 23B.
Title 12: Banks and Banking
PART 223—TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN MEMBER BANKS AND THEIR AFFILIATES (REGULATION W)
Subpart F—General Provisions of Section 23B
§ 223.51 What is the market terms requirement of section 23B?
§ 223.52 What transactions with affiliates or others must comply with section 23B's market terms requirement?
§ 223.53 What asset purchases are prohibited by section 23B?
§ 223.54 What advertisements and statements are prohibited by section 23B?
§ 223.55 What are the standards under which the Board may grant exemptions from the requirements of section 23B?
