17 C.F.R. § 255.10
(a) Prohibition.
(2) Paragraph (a)(1) of this section does not include acquiring or retaining an ownership interest in a covered fund by a banking entity:
(i) Acting solely as agent, broker, or custodian, so long as;
(iv) On behalf of customers as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity for a customer that is not a covered fund, so long as:
(b) Definition of covered fund.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, covered fund means:
(ii) Any commodity pool under section 1a(10) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a(10)) for which:
(B) (1) A commodity pool operator is registered with the CFTC as a commodity pool operator in connection with the operation of the commodity pool;
(2) Substantially all participation units of the commodity pool are owned by qualified eligible persons under 17 CFR 4.7(a)(2) and (3); and
(3) Participation units of the commodity pool have not been publicly offered to persons who are not qualified eligible persons under 17 CFR 4.7(a)(2) and (3); or
(iii) For any banking entity that is, or is controlled directly or indirectly by a banking entity that is, located in or organized under the laws of the United States or of any State, an entity that:
(C) (1) Has as its sponsor that banking entity (or an affiliate thereof); or
(2) Has issued an ownership interest that is owned directly or indirectly by that banking entity (or an affiliate thereof).
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section, unless the appropriate Federal banking agencies, the SEC, and the CFTC jointly determine otherwise, a covered fund does not include:
(1) Foreign public funds.
(i) Subject to paragraphs (c)(1)(ii) and (iii) of this section, an issuer that:
(ii) With respect to a banking entity that is, or is controlled directly or indirectly by a banking entity that is, located in or organized under the laws of the United States or of any State and any issuer for which such banking entity acts as sponsor, the sponsoring banking entity may not rely on the exemption in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section for such issuer unless more than 75 percent of the ownership interests in the issuer are sold to persons other than:
(iii) For purposes of paragraph (c)(1)(i)(B) of this section, the term “public offering” means a distribution (as defined in § 255.4(a)(3)) of securities in any jurisdiction outside the United States to investors, including retail investors, provided that:
(2) Wholly-owned subsidiaries. An entity, all of the outstanding ownership interests of which are owned directly or indirectly by the banking entity (or an affiliate thereof), except that:
(3) Joint ventures. A joint venture between a banking entity or any of its affiliates and one or more unaffiliated persons, provided that the joint venture:
(4) Acquisition vehicles. An issuer:
(5) Foreign pension or retirement funds. A plan, fund, or program providing pension, retirement, or similar benefits that is:
(7) Bank owned life insurance. A separate account that is used solely for the purpose of allowing one or more banking entities to purchase a life insurance policy for which the banking entity or entities is beneficiary, provided that no banking entity that purchases the policy:
(8) Loan securitizations.
(i) Scope. An issuing entity for asset-backed securities that satisfies all the conditions of this paragraph (c)(8) and the assets or holdings of which are composed solely of:
(E) Debt securities, other than asset-backed securities and convertible securities, provided that:
(1) The aggregate value of such debt securities does not exceed five percent of the aggregate value of loans held under paragraph (c)(8)(i)(A) of this section, cash and cash equivalents held under paragraph (c)(8)(iii)(A) of this section, and debt securities held under this paragraph (c)(8)(i)(E); and
(2) The aggregate value of the loans, cash and cash equivalents, and debt securities for purposes of this paragraph is calculated at par value at the most recent time any such debt security is acquired, except that the issuing entity may instead determine the value of any such loan, cash equivalent, or debt security based on its fair market value if:
(i) The issuing entity is required to use the fair market value of such assets for purposes of calculating compliance with concentration limitations or other similar calculations under its transaction agreements, and
(ii) The issuing entity's valuation methodology values similarly situated assets consistently.
(ii) Impermissible assets. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(8), except as permitted under paragraph (c)(8)(i)(E) of this section, the assets or holdings of the issuing entity shall not include any of the following:
(iii) Permitted securities. Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(8)(ii)(A) of this section, the issuing entity may hold securities, other than debt securities permitted under paragraph (c)(8)(i)(E) of this section, if those securities are:
(iv) Derivatives. The holdings of derivatives by the issuing entity shall be limited to interest rate or foreign exchange derivatives that satisfy all of the following conditions:
(v) Special units of beneficial interest and collateral certificates. The assets or holdings of the issuing entity may include collateral certificates and special units of beneficial interest issued by a special purpose vehicle, provided that:
(9) Qualifying asset-backed commercial paper conduits.
(i) An issuing entity for asset-backed commercial paper that satisfies all of the following requirements:
(A) The asset-backed commercial paper conduit holds only:
(1) Loans and other assets permissible for a loan securitization under paragraph (c)(8)(i) of this section; and
(2) Asset-backed securities supported solely by assets that are permissible for loan securitizations under paragraph (c)(8)(i) of this section and acquired by the asset-backed commercial paper conduit as part of an initial issuance either directly from the issuing entity of the asset-backed securities or directly from an underwriter in the distribution of the asset-backed securities;
(ii) For purposes of this paragraph (c)(9), a regulated liquidity provider means:
(ii) Covered bond. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(10), a covered bond means:
(11) SBICs and public welfare investment funds. An issuer:
(ii) The business of which is to make investments that are:
(12) Registered investment companies and excluded entities. An issuer:
(14) Other excluded issuers.
(15) Credit funds. Subject to paragraphs (c)(15)(iii), (iv), and (v) of this section, an issuer that satisfies the asset and activity requirements of paragraphs (c)(15)(i) and (ii) of this section.
(i) Asset requirements. The issuer's assets must be composed solely of:
(C) Rights and other assets that are related or incidental to acquiring, holding, servicing, or selling such loans or debt instruments, provided that:
(1) Each right or asset held under this paragraph (c)(15)(i)(C) that is a security is either:
(i) A cash equivalent (which, for the purposes of this paragraph, means high quality, highly liquid investments whose maturity corresponds to the issuer's expected or potential need for funds and whose currency corresponds to either the underlying loans or the debt instruments);
(ii) A security received in lieu of debts previously contracted with respect to such loans or debt instruments; or
(iii) An equity security (or right to acquire an equity security) received on customary terms in connection with such loans or debt instruments; and
(2) Rights or other assets held under this paragraph (c)(15)(i)(C) of this section may not include commodity forward contracts or any derivative; and
(D) Interest rate or foreign exchange derivatives, if:
(1) The written terms of the derivative directly relate to the loans, debt instruments, or other rights or assets described in paragraph (c)(15)(i)(C) of this section; and
(2) The derivative reduces the interest rate and/or foreign exchange risks related to the loans, debt instruments, or other rights or assets described in paragraph (c)(15)(i)(C) of this section.
(ii) Activity requirements. To be eligible for the exclusion of paragraph (c)(15) of this section, an issuer must:
(iii) Requirements for a sponsor, investment adviser, or commodity trading advisor. A banking entity that acts as a sponsor, investment adviser, or commodity trading advisor to an issuer that meets the conditions in paragraphs (c)(15)(i) and (ii) of this section may not rely on this exclusion unless the banking entity:
(iv) Additional Banking Entity Requirements. A banking entity may not rely on this exclusion with respect to an issuer that meets the conditions in paragraphs (c)(15)(i) and (ii) of this section unless:
(v) Investment and Relationship Limits. A banking entity's investment in, and relationship with, the issuer must:
(16) Qualifying venture capital funds.
(i) Subject to paragraphs (c)(16)(ii) through (iv) of this section, an issuer that:
(ii) A banking entity that acts as a sponsor, investment adviser, or commodity trading advisor to an issuer that meets the conditions in paragraph (c)(16)(i) of this section may not rely on this exclusion unless the banking entity:
(iv) A banking entity's ownership interest in or relationship with the issuer must:
(17) Family wealth management vehicles.
(i) Subject to paragraph (c)(17)(ii) of this section, any entity that is not, and does not hold itself out as being, an entity or arrangement that raises money from investors primarily for the purpose of investing in securities for resale or other disposition or otherwise trading in securities, and:
(B) If the entity is not a trust:
(1) A majority of the voting interests in the entity are owned (directly or indirectly) by family customers;
(2) A majority of the interests in the entity are owned (directly or indirectly) by family customers;
(3) The entity is owned only by family customers and up to 5 closely related persons of the family customers; and
(ii) A banking entity may rely on the exclusion in paragraph (c)(17)(i) of this section with respect to an entity provided that the banking entity (or an affiliate):
(iii) For purposes of paragraph (c)(17) of this section, the following definitions apply:
(B) Family customer means:
(1) A family client, as defined in Rule 202(a)(11)(G)-1(d)(4) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (17 CFR 275.202(a)(11)(G)-1(d)(4)); or
(2) Any natural person who is a father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law or daughter-in-law of a family client, or a spouse or a spousal equivalent of any of the foregoing.
(18) Customer facilitation vehicles.
(ii) A banking entity may rely on the exclusion in paragraph (c)(18)(i) of this section with respect to an issuer provided that:
(C) The banking entity and its affiliates:
(1) Maintain documentation outlining how the banking entity intends to facilitate the customer's exposure to such transaction, investment strategy, or service;
(2) Do not, directly or indirectly, guarantee, assume, or otherwise insure the obligations or performance of such issuer;
(3) Comply with the disclosure obligations under § 255.11(a)(8), as if such issuer were a covered fund, provided that the content may be modified to prevent the disclosure from being misleading and the manner of disclosure may be modified to accommodate the specific circumstances of the issuer;
(4) Do not acquire or retain, as principal, an ownership interest in the issuer, other than as described in paragraph (c)(18)(ii)(B) of this section;
(5) Comply with the requirements of §§ 255.14(b) and 255.15, as if such issuer were a covered fund; and
(6) Except for riskless principal transactions as defined in paragraph (d)(11) of this section, comply with the requirements of 12 CFR 223.15(a), as if such banking entity and its affiliates were a member bank and the issuer were an affiliate thereof.
(d) Definition of other terms related to covered funds. For purposes of this subpart:
(6) Ownership interest.
(i) Ownership interest means any equity, partnership, or other similar interest. An “other similar interest” means an interest that:
(A) Has the right to participate in the selection or removal of a general partner, managing member, member of the board of directors or trustees, investment manager, investment adviser, or commodity trading advisor of the covered fund, excluding:
(1) The rights of a creditor to exercise remedies upon the occurrence of an event of default or an acceleration event; and
(2) The right to participate in the removal of an investment manager for “cause” or participate in the selection of a replacement manager upon an investment manager's resignation or removal. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(6)(i)(A)(2), “cause” for removal of an investment manager means one or more of the following events:
(i) The bankruptcy, insolvency, conservatorship or receivership of the investment manager;
(ii) The breach by the investment manager of any material provision of the covered fund's transaction agreements applicable to the investment manager;
(iii) The breach by the investment manager of material representations or warranties;
(iv) The occurrence of an act that constitutes fraud or criminal activity in the performance of the investment manager's obligations under the covered fund's transaction agreements;
(v) The indictment of the investment manager for a criminal offense, or the indictment of any officer, member, partner or other principal of the investment manager for a criminal offense materially related to his or her investment management activities;
(vi) A change in control with respect to the investment manager;
(vii) The loss, separation or incapacitation of an individual critical to the operation of the investment manager or primarily responsible for the management of the covered fund's assets; or
(viii) Other similar events that constitute “cause” for removal of an investment manager, provided that such events are not solely related to the performance of the covered fund or the investment manager's exercise of investment discretion under the covered fund's transaction agreements;
(ii) Ownership interest does not include:
(A) Restricted profit interest, which is an interest held by an entity (or an employee or former employee thereof) in a covered fund for which the entity (or employee thereof) serves as investment manager, investment adviser, commodity trading advisor, or other service provider, so long as:
(1) The sole purpose and effect of the interest is to allow the entity (or employee or former employee thereof) to share in the profits of the covered fund as performance compensation for the investment management, investment advisory, commodity trading advisory, or other services provided to the covered fund by the entity (or employee or former employee thereof), provided that the entity (or employee or former employee thereof) may be obligated under the terms of such interest to return profits previously received;
(2) All such profit, once allocated, is distributed to the entity (or employee or former employee thereof) promptly after being earned or, if not so distributed, is retained by the covered fund for the sole purpose of establishing a reserve amount to satisfy contractual obligations with respect to subsequent losses of the covered fund and such undistributed profit of the entity (or employee or former employee thereof) does not share in the subsequent investment gains of the covered fund;
(3) Any amounts invested in the covered fund, including any amounts paid by the entity in connection with obtaining the restricted profit interest, are within the limits of § 255.12 of this subpart; and
(4) The interest is not transferable by the entity (or employee or former employee thereof) except to an affiliate thereof (or an employee of the banking entity or affiliate), to immediate family members, or through the intestacy, of the employee or former employee, or in connection with a sale of the business that gave rise to the restricted profit interest by the entity (or employee or former employee thereof) to an unaffiliated party that provides investment management, investment advisory, commodity trading advisory, or other services to the fund.
(B) Any senior loan or senior debt interest that has the following characteristics:
(1) Under the terms of the interest the holders of such interest do not have the right to receive a share of the income, gains, or profits of the covered fund, but are entitled to receive only:
(i) Interest at a stated interest rate, as well as commitment fees or other fees, which are not determined by reference to the performance of the underlying assets of the covered fund; and
(ii) Repayment of a fixed principal amount, on or before a maturity date, in a contractually-determined manner (which may include prepayment premiums intended solely to reflect, and compensate holders of the interest for, forgone income resulting from an early prepayment);
(2) The entitlement to payments under the terms of the interest are absolute and could not be reduced based on losses arising from the underlying assets of the covered fund, such as allocation of losses, write-downs or charge-offs of the outstanding principal balance, or reductions in the amount of interest due and payable on the interest; and
(3) The holders of the interest are not entitled to receive the underlying assets of the covered fund after all other interests have been redeemed or paid in full (excluding the rights of a creditor to exercise remedies upon the occurrence of an event of default or an acceleration event).
(9) Sponsor means, with respect to a covered fund:
(10) Trustee.
(i) For purposes of paragraph (d)(9) of this section and § 255.11 of subpart C, a trustee does not include:
[79 FR 5779, 5805, Jan. 31, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 35022, July 22, 2019; 84 FR 62244, Nov. 14, 2019; 85 FR 46523, July 31, 2020]