The MNB identifies and annually reviews the list of global and other systemically important credit institutions and investment firms based in Hungary, and if necessary, imposes an additional capital buffer requirement on these institutions while continuously monitoring their operation.

Improving the loss-absorption capacity of systemically important institutions is a preventive macroprudential tool intended to limit the severe contagion effects stemming from the insolvency or stress situation of systemically important institutions. The purpose of the buffers is to lower the probability of negative external financial and real economy effects generated by the stress situation of important institutions (as well as the costs to be incurred by the state budget during the prevention of such effects). The requirement may curtail the misaligned motivation of managers and owners of capital arising from the moral hazard problem, as a higher “skin in the game” may prompt stakeholders to reduce the extent of their risk-taking.

On the negative side, banking operations may become more expensive due to the increase in the cost of funds. Imposing the surcharge may reconfirm the institution's priority status both for the relevant institution and its creditors, which could give rise to a special kind of moral hazard, as it increases their expectations about a funding subsidy in the event of a default. This risk, however, is considerably reduced by the uniform resolution framework (BRRD) harmonised at the EU level (e.g.: through bail-in).

Taking into account the exceptional circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the MNB has decided to release capital buffer requirements set for domestic systemically important banks from 1 July 2020, which supported the maintenance of lending capacity and the prevention of a potential contraction in credit supply. After the temporary release of the buffers, systemically important banks has been required to rebuild their buffers over three years to strengthen their loss absorbing capacity in a proportionate and gradual manner. In 2022 and 2023, the transitional buffer rates have increased by one-quarter of the final rates, and from 2024 onwards, the MNB expects compliance with the final buffer rates. In 2023 the MNB has assessed the capital position and lending activity of systemically important banks as sufficient to complete the phase-in of the buffers along the path already envisaged in 2020. The MNB will modify the final buffer rates if material future changes in the systemic importance of the credit institutions necessitate adjustments during the annual revisions.

Main indicators used for identification

 

 

Source: MNB

The scores of credit institutions identified as systemically important in 2023 and the buffer rates prescribed for them for 2024

Name of the institution

Score

 

O-SII capital buffer rates

 

MNB Methodology

Realized

 

Prescribed

2020

From 1 July 2020

2022

2023

2024

OTP Bank Nyrt.

3277

2.00%

0%

0.50%

1.00%

2.00%

MBH Bank Nyrt.

1061

-

-

0.25%

0.50%

1.00%

UniCredit Bank Hungary Zrt.

973

1.00%

0%

0.25%

0.50%

1.00%

Kereskedelmi és Hitelbank Zrt.

917

1.00%

0%

0.25%

0.50%

1.00%

Erste Bank Hungary Zrt.

753

0.50%

0%

0.125%

0.25%

0.50%

Raiffeisen Bank Zrt.

685

0.50%

0%

0.125%

0.25%

0.50%

CIB Bank Zrt.

421

0.50%

0%

0.125%

0.25%

0.50%

Note: The identification is based on the 31 December 2022, audited reports of the consolidated groups

Source: MNB

The development over time of the scores of the systemically important credit institutions identified by the MNB

Note: Results of the annual O-SII identification exercises between 2016 and 2023, the reference date of the data of the calculations is in every case the end of the previous year, and the calculated scores apply until the following identification exercise next year.

Methodological note

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