Citigroup gets regulatory relief as Fed lifts trading risk notices

Core Insights - The US Federal Reserve has lifted supervisory notices requiring Citigroup to address weaknesses in its trading risk management, indicating a significant reduction in regulatory pressure on the bank [1][4] - The termination of these notices suggests that regulators are satisfied with Citigroup's remediation efforts, even as broader supervision of large banks continues to evolve [2] Regulatory Actions - The Federal Reserve had previously issued three Matters Requiring Immediate Attention (MRIAs) to Citigroup, highlighting deficiencies in trading risk controls [3] - The closure of these MRIAs represents a tangible regulatory relief for Citigroup [4] Focus Areas of MRIAs - One MRIA focused on how Citigroup calculates and manages counterparty credit risk within its trading business, which is crucial for determining capital requirements [5] - Another notice addressed the use of proxies when direct counterparty data is unavailable, raising concerns about the application and governance of these substitutes [5] - The third MRIA highlighted governance weaknesses, including unclear accountability across different legal entities within the bank [6] Data Governance Issues - Citigroup has faced long-standing challenges with data consistency, stemming from multiple legacy systems that were not fully integrated after acquisitions [7] - Weak data governance has been identified as a core risk, contributing to reporting errors and regulatory criticism [7] - One terminated MRIA specifically required improvements in data quality and governance related to capital allocation for counterparty exposures [8] Changes in Fed Supervision - The decision to lift the notices aligns with a shift in the Federal Reserve's approach to bank supervision, led by Michelle Bowman [9] - A recent memo from a senior Fed supervisor instructed examiners to terminate MRIAs promptly once a bank's internal audit confirms remediation, provided the audit quality meets regulatory standards [10] Ongoing Regulatory Challenges - Despite the relief from trading risk notices, Citigroup remains subject to other regulatory actions due to past incidents, including a $900 million mistaken transfer in 2020 [11] - In 2024, Citigroup was fined $136 million for failures related to data governance and quality [12]