PRECIOUS METALS

London banks get exemption from gold clearing rules

Exemption welcomed by UBS

Staff reporter

This article is 4 years old. Images might not display.

New international banking regulations known as Basel 3 are designed to make banks more stable and prevent a repeat of the Global Financial Crisis.

They are due to come into force in 2022.

The rules include a requirement for banks to hold more cash to match their gold exposure.

The London Bullion Market Association has argued against them, saying gold is liquid enough not to need an additional buffer and that it could force some banks to stop trading.

The Bank of England's Prudential Regulatory Authority said on Friday it had "decided to amend its approach to precious metal holdings related to deposit-taking and clearing activities", meaning the required capital buffer will be reduced. Reuters said.

The news agency quoted UBS as saying it "welcomes the PRA's decision, which supports stability in bullion clearing and avoids disruption to the London market".

Expert-led Insights reports and Analytics tools built on robust data, rigorous analysis and expert commentary covering mining Risk, Projects, ESG, Leadership, and Investor Sentiment.

Expert-led Insights reports and Analytics tools built on robust data, rigorous analysis and expert commentary covering mining Risk, Projects, ESG, Leadership, and Investor Sentiment.

editions

ESG Index 2025: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Index provides an in-depth evaluation of the ESG performance of 60+ of the world’s largest mining companies. It assesses companies across 10 weighted indicators within 6 essential ESG pillars.

editions

Leadership Insights 2025

Leadership Insights reveals key trends in priority mining issues through interviews with 15+ top mining company executives and an industrywide survey.

editions

Mining IQ Risk Analytics

Risk Analytics offers interactive access to World Risk Insight data, allowing you to customise risk views, benchmark jurisdictions, explore data behind scores and read expert commentary to guide your decision-making.

editions

Project Pipeline Index 2025

View our 50 top mining projects, handpicked using a unique, objective selection process from an expanded database of 600+ global assets.