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UBS Capital Enough to Meet Proposed Banking Reforms, Swiss Central Bank Says

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UBS Capital Enough to Meet Proposed Banking Reforms, Swiss Central Bank Says

UBS Group (UBSG.SW) already has sufficient capital to meet Switzerland's proposed capital reforms when the group's existing reserves are taken into account, according to the Swiss central bank.

In its latest financial stability report released Thursday, the Swiss National Bank (SNBN.SW) said UBS' eligible common equity Tier 1 capital exceeds the fully applied capital requirements under the current "too-big-to-fail" regulations by $9 billion as of the first quarter of 2026.

The Swiss Federal Council's proposed changes are aimed at addressing weaknesses in the regulatory framework that became apparent following the crisis at collapsed lender Credit Suisse. The proposal includes requiring UBS to fully back its investments in foreign subsidiaries with its common equity tier 1 capital, which would lead to UBS increasing its CET1 capital by $20 billion.

Taking into account the group's reserves and expected profits, as well as the seven-year transition period, the SNB said "UBS can be expected to be able to comply with the proposed capital measures, while continuing to distribute profits to its shareholders."

"A high resilience of UBS is particularly important for Switzerland considering the bank's size and its increased market share following the acquisition of Credit Suisse. With the implementation of the proposed reform, UBS will become more resilient, which will strengthen financial stability in Switzerland," the central bank added.

UBS has since expressed its disagreement with the council's proposed package of measures, saying in an April statement that it is "extreme, lacks international alignment and disregards concerns expressed by the majority of respondents to the government's consultations."

The legislative proposal is now being debated in parliament, with the amendments to the Capital Adequacy Ordinance set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

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