Title 12, Banks and BankingRelease 119-110
§24a Financial Subsidiaries of National Banks
Title 12 › CHAPTER 2 — NATIONAL BANKS › SUBCHAPTER I — ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 24a
Summary
A national bank may own or control a financial subsidiary if the subsidiary only does financial work or things closely related to finance, and any activity the subsidiary does directly must be something a national bank could do itself. The bank and its deposit-taking affiliates must be well capitalized and well managed. All financial subsidiaries together cannot have more than the smaller of 45% of the parent bank’s consolidated assets or $50,000,000,000 (that dollar cap can be adjusted by the Treasury and Federal Reserve). The bank must meet credit-worthiness rules set by the Comptroller of the Currency, or for the biggest banks be one of the 100 largest insured banks and have at least one qualifying outstanding debt issue under standards set by the Treasury and the Fed. The Comptroller must approve the subsidiary’s activities based only on these rules. If a subsidiary only acts as an agent, the credit-worthiness rule does not apply. When deciding what counts as a “financial” activity, the law looks to the list used for bank holding companies or a determination by the Treasury after it consults with the Federal Reserve. The Treasury and the Fed must follow set time frames and consider market and technology changes and competition when adding new financial activities (examples include lending, moving or safeguarding financial assets, and arranging transactions). A bank must subtract the total equity it has invested in its financial subsidiaries from the bank’s assets and tangible equity when checking capital requirements, and it must report that separately in published financial statements. The bank must also manage and limit risks, keep the subsidiary’s legal identity separate, and follow these rules. If the bank stops meeting the capital, management, or safety rules, the Comptroller will notify it; the bank then has 45 days to agree to correct the problems. The Comptroller may limit activities until fixed, and if problems remain after 180 days, the Comptroller can force the bank to give up control of the subsidiary. Eligible debt, “well capitalized,” and “well managed” are defined in related law.
Full Legal Text
Title 12, §24a
Banks and Banking, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Authorization to conduct in subsidiaries certain activities that are financial in nature
(1)In general
Subject to paragraph (2), a national bank may control a financial subsidiary, or hold an interest in a financial subsidiary.
(2)Conditions and requirements
A national bank may control a financial subsidiary, or hold an interest in a financial subsidiary, only if—
(A)the financial subsidiary engages only in—
(i)activities that are financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity pursuant to subsection (b); and
(ii)activities that are permitted for national banks to engage in directly (subject to the same terms and conditions that govern the conduct of the activities by a national bank);
(B)the activities engaged in by the financial subsidiary as a principal do not include—
(i)insuring, guaranteeing, or indemnifying against loss, harm, damage, illness, disability, or death (except to the extent permitted under section 302 or 303(c) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act [15 U.S.C. 6712 or 6713(c)]) or providing or issuing annuities the income of which is subject to tax treatment under section 72 of title 26;
(ii)real estate development or real estate investment activities, unless otherwise expressly authorized by law; or
(iii)any activity permitted in subparagraph (H) or (I) of section 1843(k)(4) of this title, except activities described in section 1843(k)(4)(H) of this title that may be permitted in accordance with section 122 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act;
(C)the national bank and each depository institution affiliate of the national bank are well capitalized and well managed;
(D)the aggregate consolidated total assets of all financial subsidiaries of the national bank do not exceed the lesser of—
(i)45 percent of the consolidated total assets of the parent bank; or
(ii)$50,000,000,000;
(E)except as provided in paragraph (4), the national bank meets standards of credit-worthiness established by the Comptroller of the Currency or other requirement set forth in paragraph (3); and
(F)the national bank has received the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency for the financial subsidiary to engage in such activities, which approval shall be based solely upon the factors set forth in this section.
(3)Requirement
(A)In general
A national bank meets the requirements of this paragraph if the bank is one of the 100 largest insured banks and has not fewer than 1 issue of outstanding debt that meets standards of credit-worthiness or other criteria as the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System may jointly establish.
(B)Consolidated total assets
For purposes of this paragraph, the size of an insured bank shall be determined on the basis of the consolidated total assets of the bank as of the end of each calendar year.
(4)Financial agency subsidiary
The requirement in paragraph (2)(E) shall not apply with respect to the ownership or control of a financial subsidiary that engages in activities described in subsection (b)(1) solely as agent and not directly or indirectly as principal.
(5)Regulations required
Before the end of the 270-day period beginning on November 12, 1999, the Comptroller of the Currency shall, by regulation, prescribe procedures to implement this section.
(6)Indexed asset limit
The dollar amount contained in paragraph (2)(D) shall be adjusted according to an indexing mechanism jointly established by regulation by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(7)Coordination with section 1843(l)(2) of this title
section 1843(l)(2) of this title applies to a national bank that controls a financial subsidiary in the manner provided in that section.
(b)Activities that are financial in nature
(1)Financial activities
(A)In general
An activity shall be financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity only if—
(i)such activity has been defined to be financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity for bank holding companies pursuant to section 1843(k)(4) of this title; or
(ii)the Secretary of the Treasury determines the activity is financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity in accordance with subparagraph (B).
(B)Coordination between the Board and the Secretary of the Treasury
(i)Proposals raised before the Secretary of the Treasury
(I)Consultation
The Secretary of the Treasury shall notify the Board of, and consult with the Board concerning, any request, proposal, or application under this section for a determination of whether an activity is financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity.
(II)Board view
The Secretary of the Treasury shall not determine that any activity is financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity under this section if the Board notifies the Secretary in writing, not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of the notice described in subclause (I) (or such longer period as the Secretary determines to be appropriate under the circumstances) that the Board believes that the activity is not financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity or is not otherwise permissible under this section.
(ii)Proposals raised by the Board
(I)Board recommendation
The Board may, at any time, recommend in writing that the Secretary of the Treasury find an activity to be financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity for purposes of this section.
(II)Time period for secretarial action
Not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of a written recommendation from the Board under subclause (I) (or such longer period as the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board determine to be appropriate under the circumstances), the Secretary shall determine whether to initiate a public rulemaking proposing that the subject recommended activity be found to be financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity under this section, and shall notify the Board in writing of the determination of the Secretary and, in the event that the Secretary determines not to seek public comment on the proposal, the reasons for that determination.
(2)Factors to be considered
In determining whether an activity is financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity, the Secretary shall take into account—
(A)the purposes of this Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act;
(B)changes or reasonably expected changes in the marketplace in which banks compete;
(C)changes or reasonably expected changes in the technology for delivering financial services; and
(D)whether such activity is necessary or appropriate to allow a bank and the subsidiaries of a bank to—
(i)compete effectively with any company seeking to provide financial services in the United States;
(ii)efficiently deliver information and services that are financial in nature through the use of technological means, including any application necessary to protect the security or efficacy of systems for the transmission of data or financial transactions; and
(iii)offer customers any available or emerging technological means for using financial services or for the document imaging of data.
(3)Authorization of new financial activities
The Secretary of the Treasury shall, by regulation or order and in accordance with paragraph (1)(B), define, consistent with the purposes of this Act 1 and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the following activities as, and the extent to which such activities are, financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity:
(A)Lending, exchanging, transferring, investing for others, or safeguarding financial assets other than money or securities.
(B)Providing any device or other instrumentality for transferring money or other financial assets.
(C)Arranging, effecting, or facilitating financial transactions for the account of third parties.
(c)Capital deduction
(1)Capital deduction required
In determining compliance with applicable capital standards—
(A)the aggregate amount of the outstanding equity investment, including retained earnings, of a national bank in all financial subsidiaries shall be deducted from the assets and tangible equity of the national bank; and
(B)the assets and liabilities of the financial subsidiaries shall not be consolidated with those of the national bank.
(2)Financial statement disclosure of capital deduction
Any published financial statement of a national bank that controls a financial subsidiary shall, in addition to providing information prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, separately present financial information for the bank in the manner provided in paragraph (1).
(d)Safeguards for the bank
A national bank that establishes or maintains a financial subsidiary shall assure that—
(1)the procedures of the national bank for identifying and managing financial and operational risks within the national bank and the financial subsidiary adequately protect the national bank from such risks;
(2)the national bank has, for the protection of the bank, reasonable policies and procedures to preserve the separate corporate identity and limited liability of the national bank and the financial subsidiaries of the national bank; and
(3)the national bank is in compliance with this section.
(e)Provisions applicable to national banks that fail to continue to meet certain requirements
(1)In general
If a national bank or insured depository institution affiliate does not continue to meet the requirements of subsection (a)(2)(C) or subsection (d), the Comptroller of the Currency shall promptly give notice to the national bank to that effect describing the conditions giving rise to the notice.
(2)Agreement to correct conditions
Not later than 45 days after the date of receipt by a national bank of a notice given under paragraph (1) (or such additional period as the Comptroller of the Currency may permit), the national bank shall execute an agreement with the Comptroller of the Currency and any relevant insured depository institution affiliate shall execute an agreement with its appropriate Federal banking agency to comply with the requirements of subsection (a)(2)(C) and subsection (d).
(3)Imposition of conditions
Until the conditions described in a notice under paragraph (1) are corrected—
(A)the Comptroller of the Currency may impose such limitations on the conduct or activities of the national bank or any subsidiary of the national bank as the Comptroller of the Currency determines to be appropriate under the circumstances and consistent with the purposes of this section; and
(B)the appropriate Federal banking agency may impose such limitations on the conduct or activities of any relevant insured depository institution affiliate or any subsidiary of the institution as such agency determines to be appropriate under the circumstances and consistent with the purposes of this section.
(4)Failure to correct
If the conditions described in a notice to a national bank under paragraph (1) are not corrected within 180 days after the date of receipt by the national bank of the notice, the Comptroller of the Currency may require the national bank, under such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the Comptroller and subject to such extension of time as may be granted in the discretion of the Comptroller, to divest control of any financial subsidiary.
(5)Consultation
In taking any action under this subsection, the Comptroller shall consult with all relevant Federal and State regulatory agencies and authorities.
(f)Failure to meet standards of credit-worthiness meet applicable criteria
(1)In general
A national bank that does not continue to meet standards of credit-worthiness established by the Comptroller of the Currency or other requirement of subsection (a)(2)(E) after acquiring or establishing a financial subsidiary shall not, directly or through a subsidiary, purchase or acquire any additional equity capital of any financial subsidiary until the bank meets such requirements.
(2)Equity capital
For purposes of this subsection, the term “equity capital” includes, in addition to any equity instrument, any debt instrument issued by a financial subsidiary, if the instrument qualifies as capital of the subsidiary under any Federal or State law, regulation, or interpretation applicable to the subsidiary.
(g)Definitions
For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)Affiliate, company, control, and subsidiary
The terms “affiliate”, “company”, “control”, and “subsidiary” have the meanings given those terms in section 1841 of this title.
(2)Appropriate Federal banking agency, depository institution, insured bank, and insured depository institution
The terms “appropriate Federal banking agency”, “depository institution”, “insured bank”, and “insured depository institution” have the meanings given those terms in section 1813 of this title.
(3)Financial subsidiary
The term “financial subsidiary” means any company that is controlled by 1 or more insured depository institutions other than a subsidiary that—
(A)engages solely in activities that national banks are permitted to engage in directly and are conducted subject to the same terms and conditions that govern the conduct of such activities by national banks; or
(B)a national bank is specifically authorized by the express terms of a Federal statute (other than this section), and not by implication or interpretation, to control, such as by section 25 or 25A of the Federal Reserve Act [12 U.S.C. 601 et seq., 611 et seq.] or the Bank Service Company Act [12 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.].
(4)Eligible debt
The term “eligible debt” means unsecured long-term debt that—
(A)is not supported by any form of credit enhancement, including a guarantee or standby letter of credit; and
(B)is not held in whole or in any significant part by any affiliate, officer, director, principal shareholder, or employee of the bank or any other person acting on behalf of or with funds from the bank or an affiliate of the bank.
(5)Well capitalized
The term “well capitalized” has the meaning given the term in section 1831o of this title.
(6)Well managed
The term “well managed” means—
(A)in the case of a depository institution that has been examined, unless otherwise determined in writing by the appropriate Federal banking agency—
(i)the achievement of a composite rating of 1 or 2 under the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (or an equivalent rating under an equivalent rating system) in connection with the most recent examination or subsequent review of the depository institution; and
(ii)at least a rating of 2 for management, if such rating is given; or
(B)in the case of any depository institution that has not been examined, the existence and use of managerial resources that the appropriate Federal banking agency determines are satisfactory.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2)(B)(iii), (b)(2)(A), (3), is Pub. L. 106–102, Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1338. section 122 of the Act is set out as a note under section 1843 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
of 1999 Amendment note set out under section 1811 of this title and Tables. section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act, referred to in subsec. (g)(3)(B), is classified to subchapter I (§ 601 et seq.) of chapter 6 of this title. section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act is classified to subchapter II (§ 611 et seq.) of chapter 6 of this title. The Bank Service Company Act, referred to in subsec. (g)(3)(B), is Pub. L. 87–856, Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1132, which is classified generally to chapter 18 (§ 1861 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1861 of this title and Tables.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 5136A of the Revised Statutes was renumbered section 5136B by Pub. L. 106–102 and is classified to section 25a of this title.
Amendments
2010—Subsec. (a)(2)(E). Pub. L. 111–203, § 939(d)(1), substituted “standards of credit-worthiness established by the Comptroller of the Currency” for “any applicable rating”. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 111–203, § 939(d)(2), substituted “Requirement” for “Rating or comparable requirement” in heading. Subsec. (a)(3)(A). Pub. L. 111–203, § 939(d)(3), amended subpar. (A) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “A national bank meets the requirements of this paragraph if— “(i) the bank is 1 of the 50 largest insured banks and has not fewer than 1 issue of outstanding eligible debt that is currently rated within the 3 highest investment grade rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; or “(ii) the bank is 1 of the second 50 largest insured banks and meets the criteria set forth in clause (i) or such other criteria as the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System may jointly establish by regulation and determine to be comparable to and consistent with the purposes of the rating required in clause (i).” Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–203, § 939(d)(4), substituted “meet standards of credit-worthiness” for “maintain public rating or” in heading. Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 111–203, § 939(d)(5), substituted “standards of credit-worthiness established by the Comptroller of the Currency” for “any applicable rating”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2010 Amendment Pub. L. 111–203, title IX, § 939(g), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1887, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section, section 1817, 1831e, and 4519 of this title, section 78c and 80a–6 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and section 286hh of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse] shall take effect 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act [July 21, 2010].”
Effective Date
Section effective 120 days after Nov. 12, 1999, see section 161 of Pub. L. 106–102, set out as an
Effective Date
of 1999 Amendment note under section 24 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
12 U.S.C. § 24a
Title 12, Banks and Banking
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110