The ISDA Margin Survey considers the impact of regulatory and other changes on collateral practices, and analyzes the amount and type of initial margin (IM) and variation margin (VM) posted for non-cleared derivatives, and the IM posted for cleared transactions.

The survey finds that the amount of IM collected by the 20 largest market participants (phase-one firms) for their non-cleared derivatives increased by nearly 22% to $130.6 billion at year-end 2017 compared to the first quarter of 2017. Of this amount, $73.7 billion represented margin posted by counterparties currently in scope of the rules (an increase of 58%), and $56.9 billion comprised discretionary IM posted by counterparties not currently in scope (a decrease of 6%).

The survey also finds that $194.1 billion in IM had been posted by all market participants to major central counterparties (CCPs) for their cleared interest rate derivatives (IRD) and credit default swap (CDS) transactions at the end of 2017.

Click on the attached PDF to read the survey.