Title 12Banks and BankingRelease 119-73

§5466 Examination of and enforcement actions against designated financial market utilities

Title 12 › Chapter CHAPTER 53— - WALL STREET REFORM AND CONSUMER PROTECTION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - PAYMENT, CLEARING, AND SETTLEMENT SUPERVISION › § 5466

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

A Supervisory Agency must examine a designated financial market utility at least once annually. The exams check what the utility does, the risks it creates for itself and the financial system, its ability to manage those risks, its overall safety, and whether it follows this law and its rules. If another company (an affiliate or a contractor) does an important service for the utility, the agency can examine that service just as if the utility did the work itself. The agency must consult with the Board of Governors each year about how the exams will be done, and the Board may join the exams. The Board of Governors can recommend that the Supervisory Agency take enforcement action to stop big risks, and that recommendation must include detailed support. The Supervisory Agency must reply within 60 days. If the agency rejects the recommendation, the Board can send it to the Council, and a majority of the Council can require the agency to act. If the Board finds an imminent risk and the normal process cannot be used, the Board—after consulting the Supervisory Agency and with a majority Council vote—may itself order enforcement. In those enforcement cases, the agency or the Board has the same powers listed in section 1818(b) through (n) as if the utility were a bank under a federal banking regulator.

Full Legal Text

Title 12, §5466

Banks and Banking — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to subsection (d), the Supervisory Agency shall conduct examinations of a designated financial market utility at least once annually in order to determine the following:
(1)The nature of the operations of, and the risks borne by, the designated financial market utility.
(2)The financial and operational risks presented by the designated financial market utility to financial institutions, critical markets, or the broader financial system.
(3)The resources and capabilities of the designated financial market utility to monitor and control such risks.
(4)The safety and soundness of the designated financial market utility.
(5)The designated financial market utility’s compliance with—
(A)this subchapter; and
(B)the rules and orders prescribed under this subchapter.
(b)Whenever a service integral to the operation of a designated financial market utility is performed for the designated financial market utility by another entity, whether an affiliate or non-affiliate and whether on or off the premises of the designated financial market utility, the Supervisory Agency may examine whether the provision of that service is in compliance with applicable law, rules, orders, and standards to the same extent as if the designated financial market utility were performing the service on its own premises.
(c)For purposes of enforcing the provisions of this subchapter, a designated financial market utility shall be subject to, and the appropriate Supervisory Agency shall have authority under the provisions of subsections (b) through (n) of section 1818 of this title in the same manner and to the same extent as if the designated financial market utility was an insured depository institution and the Supervisory Agency was the appropriate Federal banking agency for such insured depository institution.
(d)(1)The Supervisory Agency shall consult annually with the Board of Governors regarding the scope and methodology of any examination conducted under subsections (a) and (b). The Supervisory Agency shall lead all examinations conducted under subsections (a) and (b) 11 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.
(2)The Board of Governors may, in its discretion, participate in any examination led by a Supervisory Agency and conducted under subsections (a) and (b).
(e)(1)The Board of Governors may, after consulting with the Council and the Supervisory Agency, at any time recommend to the Supervisory Agency that such agency take enforcement action against a designated financial market utility in order to prevent or mitigate significant liquidity, credit, operational, or other risks to the financial markets or to the financial stability of the United States. Any such recommendation for enforcement action shall provide a detailed analysis supporting the recommendation of the Board of Governors.
(2)The Supervisory Agency shall consider the recommendation of the Board of Governors and submit a response to the Board of Governors within 60 days.
(3)If the Supervisory Agency rejects, in whole or in part, the recommendation of the Board of Governors, the Board of Governors may refer the recommendation to the Council for a binding decision on whether an enforcement action is warranted.
(4)Upon an affirmative vote by a majority of the Council in favor of the Board of Governors’ recommendation under paragraph (3), the Council may require the Supervisory Agency to—
(A)exercise the enforcement authority referenced in subsection (c); and
(B)take enforcement action against the designated financial market utility.
(f)(1)The Board of Governors may, after consulting with the Supervisory Agency and upon an affirmative vote by a majority the Council, take enforcement action against a designated financial market utility if the Board of Governors has reasonable cause to conclude that—
(A)either—
(i)an action engaged in, or contemplated by, a designated financial market utility (including any change proposed by the designated financial market utility to its rules, procedures, or operations that would otherwise be subject to section 5465(e) of this title) poses an imminent risk of substantial harm to financial institutions, critical markets, or the broader financial system of the United States; or
(ii)the condition of a designated financial market utility poses an imminent risk of substantial harm to financial institutions, critical markets, or the broader financial system; and
(B)the imminent risk of substantial harm precludes the Board of Governors’ use of the procedures in subsection (e).
(2)For purposes of taking enforcement action under paragraph (1), a designated financial market utility shall be subject to, and the Board of Governors shall have authority under 22 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma. the provisions of subsections (b) through (n) of section 1818 of this title in the same manner and to the same extent as if the designated financial market utility was an insured depository institution and the Board of Governors was the appropriate Federal banking agency for such insured depository institution.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

12 U.S.C. § 5466

Title 12Banks and Banking

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73