Beyond Libor special report 2018

Financial markets are sitting on a time bomb. In just over three years’ time, the rate that underpins $350 trillion of financial contracts could disappear. Whether by choice or by regulatory force, transition away from discredited Libor rates is something market participants can no longer ignore.

But while regulators are calling on banks to transition to risk-free rates (RFRs), they are also introducing higher capital charges for illiquid trades as part of the forthcoming Fundamental Review of the Trading Book. That means it would be costly for banks to transition to alternative RFRs before sufficient liquidity emerges. 

The scale of the issue has hardly been played down. At $350 trillion, the world’s most important number is more than four times gross world product. But that may just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to solving the problem. 

Download the full 2018 Beyond Libor special report in PDF format