As part of the default risk charge (DRC) in the internal models approach (IMA) within the Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB), the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) has set a floor of 3 basis points (bp) for the probability of default (PD) of any entity. This input floor applies to all entities and primarily impacts the highest rated AAA sovereigns.
There has been no evidence published to date to support the calibration of the 3 bps floor and as local jurisdictions implement FRTB, some jurisdictions have already published their intentions to adjust this floor.
This paper provides quantitative and qualitative analysis in support of the removal of the PD floor. The paper uses the Bayesian inference model to estimate the probability distribution of rare events (eg, defaults of highly-rated entities) and sensitivity analysis is performed to demonstrate its robustness.
Documents (1) for FRTB IMA DRC and the 3 Basis Point Floor
Latest
ISDA/ASIFMA/GFXD Letter to RBI on INR-Denominated FX Derivatives Reporting
On March 9, 2026, ISDA, ASIFMA, and GFXD submitted a joint letter to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in response to the RBI’s Reporting Instructions for Authorised Dealer (AD) Category – I Banks draft directions to mandate the reporting...
IRD Trading Activity FY 2025 and Q4 2025
This report analyzes interest rate derivatives (IRD) trading activity reported in Europe. The analysis is based on transactions publicly reported by 30 European approved publication arrangements (APAs) and trading venues (TVs). Key highlights for the full year 2025 include: European...
A Financial Markets Revolution
Every financial center has its own unique features, but it was particularly fitting that ISDA’s recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held in Boston – not only a global hub for asset management and insurance, but also a city that...
ISDA AGM Studio: Nnamdi Okaeme & John Pucciarelli
Marking the 10‑year anniversary of the ISDA Standard Initial Margin Model (ISDA SIMM), Joel Clark, senior director, communications, at ISDA, speaks with Nnamdi Okaeme, ISDA’s head of SIMM, and John Pucciarelli, head of partnerships and director of industry engagement at...