[author: Steve Quinlivan]

The SEC has adopted rule 17Ad-22  that establishes standards for how registered clearing agencies should manage their risks and run their operations.

The rule was adopted in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The Dodd Frank Act provides the SEC with additional authority to establish standards for clearing agencies, including for those clearing agencies that clear security-based swaps.

The new rule would require registered clearing agencies that provide central counterparty services to maintain certain standards with respect to risk management and operations. Among other things, the rules would set standards with respect to measurement and management of credit exposures, margin requirements, financial resources and margin model validation. The rule also establishes certain recordkeeping and financial disclosure requirements for all registered clearing agencies as well as several new operational standards for these entities.

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