Cross margining of tri-party repo transactions

Abstract

A computer implemented method for determining a margin requirement for a market participant includes maintaining, by a processor associated with an exchange, an exchange account reflecting an exchange position resulting from a trade executed on the exchange for a product available via the exchange, the exchange account being maintained separately from a custodian bank account associated with a custodian bank, the custodian bank account reflecting a repo position resulting from a repo transaction facilitated by the custodian bank between the market participant and a counterparty to the repo transaction. The method further includes receiving data reflective of the repo position via a communication interface between the exchange account and the custodian bank account, and determining the margin requirement for the market participant based on the received data and the exchange position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for determining a margin requirement for a market participant, the computer implemented method comprising:
 maintaining, by a processor associated with an exchange, an exchange account reflecting an exchange position;   receiving data reflective of a repo position via a communication interface between the exchange account and a custodian bank account, the custodian bank account being associated with a custodian bank, the repo position resulting from a repo transaction facilitated by the custodian bank between the market participant and a counterparty to the repo transaction; and   determining, by the processor, a margin offset credit for the margin requirement based on the received data and the exchange position through application of a margin offset ratio to a notional value of the exchange position when a market value of the collateral exceeds the notional value and through application of the margin offset ratio to the market value of the collateral when the notional value exceeds the market value.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a relationship between the exchange and the custodian bank. 
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the relationship comprises a contractual relationship between the exchange and the custodian bank to recognize offsets between the exchange and the custodian bank accounts. 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the relationship specifies the margin offset ratio. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the custodian bank comprises a tri party repo agent. 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the repo transaction comprises a tri party repo transaction. 
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the repo transaction comprises a loan from the counterparty to the market participant such that the repo position reflects collateral provided by the market participant. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the repo transaction comprises a cash loan from the counterparty to the market participant to facilitate a purchase of an asset held by the custodian bank as collateral. 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the asset comprises a security asset and wherein the exchange position results from a trade of a derivative asset of the security asset. 
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the exchange position and the repo position are characterized by a marginable correlation. 
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a default by the market participant; and   coordinating liquidation of the exchange position and the repo position upon detecting the default.   
     
     
         12 . The computer implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising allocating a gain resulting from the coordinated liquidation among the exchange, the custodian bank, and the counterparty. 
     
     
         13 . The computer implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising allocating a loss resulting from the coordinated liquidation among the exchange, the custodian bank, and the counterparty. 
     
     
         14 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the exchange position is an intra-exchange account net position. 
     
     
         15 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the exchange position is an inter-exchange account net position. 
     
     
         16 . A system for determining a margin requirement for a market participant, the system comprising:
 an exchange account stored in a first database for the market participant, the exchange account reflecting an exchange position;   a communication interface processor configured to receive data from a second database via a communication interface between the exchange account and a custodian bank account, the custodian bank account being associated with a custodian bank, the data being reflective of a repo position resulting from a repo transaction facilitated by the custodian bank between the market participant and a counterparty to the repo transaction;   a margin requirement processor coupled with the communication interface processor and the first database and operative to determine a margin offset credit for the margin requirement based on the data and the exchange position through application of a margin offset ratio to a notional value of the exchange position when a market value of the collateral exceeds the notional value and through application of the margin offset ratio to the market value of the collateral when the notional value exceeds the market value.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the exchange account is coupled with the custodian bank account via a contractual relationship between the exchange and the custodian bank to recognize offsets between the exchange and the custodian bank accounts. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the relationship specifies the margin offset ratio. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the custodian bank comprises a tri party repo agent. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the repo transaction comprises a tri party repo transaction. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the communication interface processor comprises a position receiver operative to receive the data reflective of the repo position. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the repo transaction comprises a loan from the counterparty to the market participant such that the repo position reflects collateral provided by the market participant. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the repo transaction comprises a cash loan from the counterparty to the market participant to facilitate a purchase of an asset held by the custodian bank as collateral. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the asset comprises a security asset and wherein the exchange position results from a trade of a derivative asset of the security asset. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the exchange position and the repo position are characterized by a marginable correlation. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a liquidation processor coupled with the exchange and the custodian bank accounts and operative to coordinate liquidation of the exchange position and the repo position upon detection of a default by the market participant, wherein the communication interface processor is configured to receive further data from the custodian bank reflective of the default by the market participant. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the liquidation processor comprises a gain/loss calculator operative to determine a gain resulting from the liquidation and further operative to allocate the gain among the exchange, the custodian bank, and the counterparty. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the liquidation processor comprises a gain/loss calculator operative to determine a loss resulting from the liquidation and further operative to allocate the loss among the exchange, the custodian bank, and the counterparty. 
     
     
         29 . A system for determining a margin requirement for a market participant, the system comprising:
 means for maintaining an exchange account reflecting an exchange position;   means for receiving data reflective of a repo position via a communication interface between the exchange account and a custodian bank account, the custodian bank account being associated with a custodian bank, the repo position resulting from a repo transaction facilitated by the custodian bank between the market participant and a counterparty to the repo transaction; and   means for determining a margin offset credit for the margin requirement based on the received data and the exchange position through application of a margin offset ratio to a notional value of the exchange position when a market value of the collateral exceeds the notional value and through application of the margin offset ratio to the market value of the collateral when the notional value exceeds the market value.   
     
     
         30 . A system for determining a margin requirement for a market participant, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled with the processor;   first logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor to maintain an exchange account reflecting an exchange position;   second logic, coupled with the first logic, stored in the memory and executable by the processor to receive data reflective of a repo position via a communication interface between the exchange account and a custodian bank account, the custodian bank account being associated with a custodian bank, the repo position resulting from a repo transaction facilitated by the custodian bank between the market participant and a counterparty to the repo transaction; and   third logic, coupled with the first logic and the second logic, stored in the memory and executable by the processor to determine a margin offset credit for the margin requirement based on the received data and the exchange position through application of a margin offset ratio to a notional value of the exchange position when a market value of the collateral exceeds the notional value and through application of the margin offset ratio to the market value of the collateral when the notional value exceeds the market value.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the repo transaction comprises a tri party repo transaction. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the repo transaction comprises a loan from the counterparty to the market participant such that the repo position reflects collateral provided by the market participant. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the repo transaction comprises a cash loan from the counterparty to the market participant to facilitate a purchase of an asset held by the custodian bank as collateral. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the asset comprises a security asset and wherein the exchange position results from a trade of a derivative asset of the security asset. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the exchange position and the repo position are characterized by a marginable correlation. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising fourth logic stored in the memory, executable by the processor, and coupled with the first logic and the second logic to coordinate liquidation of the exchange position and the repo position upon detection of a default by the market participant wherein the second logic is configured to receive further data reflective of the default via the communication interface. 
     
     
         37 . The system of claim  40  wherein the fourth logic is configured to allocate a gain resulting from the liquidation among the exchange, the custodian bank, and the counterparty. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the fourth logic is configured to allocate a loss resulting from the liquidation among the exchange, the custodian bank, and the counterparty.