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☆ Ukraine Needs Money to Fight. Can Seized Russian Assets Help?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Steven Erlanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As much as $300 billion in Russian assets, frozen in the West since the invasion of Ukraine, is piling up profits and interest income by the day. Now, Europe and the United States are considering how to use those gains to aid the Ukrainian military as it wages a grueling battle against Russian forces. There has been a debate for months about whether it would be legal or even wise to confiscate the frozen assets altogether. They argue that confiscation would be a bad precedent, a violation of sovereignty and could lead to legal challenges, financial instability and retaliatory seizures of Western assets abroad. But proposals to seize and use the profits earned on those Russian assets — the interest on accumulated cash stemming from the sanctions, said Euroclear, a financial services company — are gaining considerable ground.

Persons: Christine Lagarde, Euroclear Organizations: Russian, European Central Bank Locations: West, Ukraine, Europe, United States, Britain, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia

☆ Explainer-How the West Might Use Russia's Frozen Reserves
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

Here are some of the ideas that have been suggested:CONFISCATIONSome international policymakers and lawyers say the immobilised Russian reserves can simply be confiscated under a doctrine of international law known as "countermeasures". Some in the bloc are still wary, though, and the European Central Bank has warned that claiming the trapped Russian assets should only be done in tandem with G7 powers. The bondholders would not have a contractual claim on the Kremlin’s frozen reserves. Ukraine would have a plausible way to collect on any damages awarded up to the value of the reserves. If Moscow refused to pay the damages, the allies could then use Russia’s frozen assets to pay off the loan.

Persons: Marc Jones, Lee Buchheit, Daleep Singh, Mark Heinrich Organizations: Marc Jones LONDON, Emergency Economic, U.S, European Central Bank Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kuwait, United States, EU, Russian, Brussels, Belgium, U.S, Britain, China, Hong Kong, Dubai, Moscow

☆ Russia’s frozen assets are generating billions. The EU is getting ready to send them to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Russian assets frozen in European accounts are generating billions of dollars in interest payments that could be diverted to help repair Ukraine’s war-torn economy — and the European Union just took a step closer to doing that. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries froze nearly half of Moscow’s foreign reserves — some €300 billion ($327 billion). Around €200 billion ($218 billion) sits in the European Union — mostly at Euroclear, a financial institution that keeps assets safe for banks, exchanges and investors. The EU has been at pains to contrast the illegality of Russia’s invasion with its own strict adherence to the rule of law. Lawyers are working on the text of the agreement before returning it to EU member states for final approval.

Persons: Euroclear, —, ” — James Frater Organizations: London CNN, European Union, EU, immobilised Central Bank of Russia, ”, Group, World Bank, European, European Central Bank, CNN Locations: Ukraine, ” Belgium, Euroclear, Russia, EU

☆ Goldman leads new funding for Fnality blockchain payments firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Goldman Sachs company logo is on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, U.S., July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Fnality, a blockchain-based wholesale payments firm, said on Tuesday it has raised 77.7 million pounds ($95.09 million) in a second round of funding backed by Goldman Sachs and other blue chip financial firms as it awaits Bank of England approval to start operations. UK-based Fnality seeks to bridge the gap between mainstream and digital finance to cut the time and cost of settling, managing collateral and making payments for financial market transactions. Fnality said the round was led by Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas, with participation from settlement houses DTCC and Euroclear, as well as Nomura and WisdomTree. Finality raised 55 million pounds in its first whip round in June 2019.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Brendan McDermid, Fnality, Mathew McDermott, Goldman's, Huw Jones, Susan Fenton Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, of, BNP, Nomura, Banco Santander, BNY Mellon, Barclays, CIBC, Commerzbank, ING, Lloyds Banking Group, Nasdaq Ventures, Street, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, UBS, Sterling, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, DTCC

Word "Sanctions" is displayed on EU and Russian flags in this illustration taken, February 27, 2022. The United States and Britain last month signalled support for an EU plan to tax windfall profits generated by frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance Ukraine as Kyiv battles a full-scale Russian invasion that started in February 2022. EU members Germany and France are part of the G7 club, where the EU executive European Commission is also represented. The EU's own work among its 27 member states on harnessing frozen Russian state assets for Ukraine has been repeatedly delayed due to legal concerns, among others, after the bloc's sanctions on private Russian wealth were challenged in courts. Belgian clearing house Euroclear manages some 125 billion euros of frozen Russian central bank assets.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Thomson, Gabriela Baczynska, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Union, European, Reuters, Friday, Diplomats, European Commission, EU, Deutsche Boerse's Eurex, London Stock Exchange, Thomson Reuters, Thomson Locations: Rights BRUSSELS, Ukraine, United States, Britain, Kyiv, Morocco, Germany, France, Brussels, Belgium, EU, Belgian, Euroclear, Europe, Frankfurt, London, LSEG

☆ Janet Yellen says she supports using proceeds from frozen Russian assets to fund more aid for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen backed a European proposal to access profits from frozen Russian funds. Yellen said she supported "harnessing windfall proceeds from Russian sovereign assets" for Ukraine. European countries froze more than $212 billion in Russian assets after Moscow invaded Ukraine. AdvertisementAdvertisementJanet Yellen backed European plans to tap proceeds stemming from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, the Financial Times reported. AdvertisementAdvertisementFor its part, Euroclear announced on Wednesday it would put the profits made from the frozen assets into a fund for Ukraine.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, —, Euroclear, Alexander De Croo Organizations: Service, Financial Times, Treasury, Euroclear, European Central Bank, Ukraine, Belgian Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Morocco, Belgium, Russia

☆ Is China really dumping Treasury bonds and sending yields higher? A former US official explains the mystery
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China is not actually dumping its stockpile of US bonds, former Treasury official Brad Setser wrote. A large part of China's holdings are not accounted for in official US data, he said. While it has sold some Treasurys, Beijing has also bought up US debt in the form of agency bonds. Agency bonds are issued by government-sponsored enterprises, and some of the top issuers are US-backed firms like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. During 2022 and the first six months of 2023, China purchased over $100 billion agency debt and sold just $40 billion in Treasurys, he estimated.

Persons: Brad Setser, —, Torsten Sløk, Setser, Belgium's, China's, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Organizations: Treasury, Service, Council, Foreign Relations, Apollo, Treasury International Capital, Foreign, Administration of Foreign Exchange, Agency Locations: China, Beijing, Treasurys

☆ JPMorgan adding India local govt bonds to index to trigger higher inflows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

India's local bonds will be included in the Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) index and the index suite, benchmarked by about $236 billion in global funds according to JPMorgan. JPMorgan said 23 Indian Government Bonds (IGBs) with a combined notional value of $330 billion are eligible. "India's weight is expected to reach the maximum weight threshold of 10% in the GBI-EM Global Diversified (.JPMGBIEMGD), and approximately 8.7% in the GBI-EM Global index," said JPMorgan. Foreign investor buying in Indian bonds has remained tepid with net purchases of $3.4 billion so far in 2023. The Indian rupee rose 0.3% in offshore trade before local markets opened while traders expected local bond yields to fall sharply.

Persons: Thomas White, ”, Sanjeev Sanyal, Aftab Ahmed, Rodrigo Campos, Sarita Singh, Chris Reese, David Gregorio, Christian Organizations: REUTERS, JPMorgan, Government Bond, Global, Council, Securities, DBS, Thomson Locations: India, Egypt, New Delhi, New York

Sept 14 (Reuters) - Russian retailer Magnit (MGNT.MM) said on Thursday it had fully completed a deal to buy back blocked shares from Western investors at a 50% discount by purchasing shares held through Euroclear, the first such arrangement since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Magnit said it had bought back 21,903,163.8 shares from shareholders, representing about 21.5% of all issued and outstanding shares at an amount of around 48.5 billion roubles ($507.32 million). "Magnit's GDR program depositary bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank, also took part, as well as international investors," Magnit said, such as hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds and individuals. Magnit had tripled the size of its original offer after strong demand from Western investors. Russia's presidential office is currently reviewing a request from oil major Lukoil (LKOH.MM) to buy back up to 25% of its shares from foreign investors.

Persons: Magnit, Russia's, Magnit's, JPM, JP, Alexander Marrow, Gareth Jones Organizations: Reuters, Nordic, Magnit, Euroclear Bank, RIC, Kremlin, JPMorgan, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Thomson Locations: Euroclear, Ukraine, Russian, Italy, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Magnit, Russia, Uzbekistan, Magnit's Moscow, Washington, GDR

A Russian state flag flies over the Central Bank headquarters in Moscow, Russia, August 15, 2023. International sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine have blocked many Russian investors' access to securities held in jurisdictions outside the country, while Russian countermeasures have frozen Western funds within. "Interested foreign investors would be given the opportunity to buy 'blocked' foreign securities from Russian investors in exchange for funds held in type-C accounts," the central bank said. "The participation of investors (both Russian and foreign) in this process will be voluntary." Finance Minister Anton Siluanov on Tuesday asked President Vladimir Putin to support the plans, starting with the unblocking of about 100 billion roubles ($1.06 billion) in frozen funds belonging to retail investors.

Persons: Shamil Zhumatov, Clearstream, Anton Siluanov, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Polevoy, Alexander Marrow, Devika Organizations: Central Bank, Bank of, REUTERS, Wednesday, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Bank of Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Locko

☆ EU proposal on using frozen Russian funds delayed to September
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) - A European Commission proposal to use frozen public Russian assets to help finance Ukraine will not be published until September, a spokesman said on Thursday. The EU has frozen over 200 billion euros ($223.70 billion) of Russian central bank assets since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with the bulk held in Belgium. The EU has also frozen privately held funds and legal pushback has already started. G7 countries and the EU have frozen over 300 billion euros ($335.55 billion) combined. A legal proposal we aim to have after the summer break."

Persons: pushback, Roman Abramovich, Julia Payne, Sharon Singleton Organizations: European Union, EU, Group, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, EU, Russian, Belgium

According to JPM's circular, the shares currently unaccounted for are estimated to be less than 1% of the shares held in custody at another financial institution. This meant Deutsche was unable to reconcile the company shares held at another custodian bank with the depositary receipts on its own books. The Bank of Russia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on JP Morgan's search for the potentially missing Magnit shares. More than 60% of Magnit's shares are free-float, with shareholders including major global asset managers, Refinitiv data shows. When first announcing the plans, Magnit said its voluntary tender offer was also addressed to JPM, regarding shares held in its DR program custody account.

Persons: Morgan Chase, Mike Segar, Morgan, JPM, Deutsche, Russia's, Magnit, Sinead Cruise, Alexander Marrow, Jane Merriman Organizations: Co, New York City, REUTERS, Reuters, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Bank . Lawyers, Deutsche, Bank of Russia, Settlement Depository, NSD, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: New York, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Krasnodar, Russia, Uzbekistan, Euroclear

☆ Russian asset manager files $2 billion Euroclear lawsuit in Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, July 12 (Reuters) - One of Russia's oldest asset managers, First AM, has filed a claim for 184.8 billion roubles ($2.04 billion) with the Moscow Arbitration Court against Euroclear Bank, court documents showed, trying to protect investors whose assets were frozen. Sanctions on Russia's National Settlement Depository (NSD), as well as other Western measures aimed at restricting Russia's access to global financial infrastructure, have blocked many Russian investors' access to securities held in jurisdictions outside Russia. First AM, formerly known as Sber Asset Management, had 1.44 trillion roubles in assets under management as of September 2022. In 2022, it blocked Russian investors' operations on assets which were accounted for in the NSD account." Late last year, First AM applied to European authorities to unblock its assets at Euroclear and Clearstream.

Persons: Euroclear, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Court, Euroclear Bank, Settlement Depository, Asset Management, Reuters, NSD, European Union, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Moscow, Russia, European, Belgium, Kremlin, Euroclear, Luxembourg

☆ $200 billion in frozen Russian assets could help rebuild Ukraine. Europe is trying to figure out how
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Russian assets frozen in European accounts could generate billions of dollars a year for rebuilding Ukraine. One idea put forward in the EU is to draw off the interest on income generated by Russian assets while leaving the assets themselves untouched. This approach would probably deliver about €3 billion ($3.3 billion) a year, according to Anders Ahnlid, the director general of the Swedish National Board of Trade and head of the EU working group looking into frozen Russian assets. The group said in April that cash on its balance sheet had more than doubled over the year to March to stand at €140 billion ($153 billion), boosted by payments associated with frozen Russian assets, including bonds. Euroclear routinely invests such long-term cash balances and, in the first quarter, it recorded €734 million ($802 million) in interest earned on cash balances from sanctioned Russian assets.

Persons: Anders Ahnlid, “, ” Ahnlid, ”, Euroclear, Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš, John Thys, I’m, ’, ” — James Frater Organizations: London CNN, Union, Bank, EU, Swedish National Board of Trade, CNN, European Commission, European Central Bank, ECB, Group, Latvia’s, Latvia's, European Locations: Ukraine, Brussels, Russia, EU, Belgium, AFP, Europe

☆ EU leaders push to fund Ukraine with proceeds from Russia's frozen assets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Jan Strupczewski | Thomson Reuters | Jan Is The Acting Bureau Chief In Brussels. He Has Been Covering European Union Policy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 29 (Reuters) - European Union leaders will push senior officials on Thursday to find legal ways to funnel proceeds from billions of dollars of frozen Russian assets into projects helping rebuild Ukraine, papers showed. The bloc has said it froze more than 200 billion euros ($218.2 billion) of Russian central bank assets in reaction to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Another 30 billion euros of Russian oligarchs' private assets were also immobilised. The EU also needs to establish where to keep any proceeds from the Russian assets and how to disburse them. Belgium's Euroclear, which settles transactions and safeguards assets, said blocked coupon payments and redemptions boosted its balance sheet by 88 billion euros year-on-year by the end of March to 140 billion euros.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Belgium's, Ursula von der Leyen, Jan Strupczewski, Philip Blenkinsop, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Union, Kremlin, European Council, High Representative, Commission, EU, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, Russian, Brussels, Estonian, Russia, EU, United States, Canada, Britain, Japan

☆ Using frozen Russian money for Kyiv is barmy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

European officials are still discussing options to use the proceeds of Russia’s frozen funds to help Ukraine. Yet funnelling the money to the war-torn country, which looks justifiable on moral grounds, would set a bad precedent. Euroclear, the Belgium-based settlement house, is sitting on some 180 billion euros of Russian central bank reserves – part of the 280 billion euros Ukraine’s allies froze last year after Russia’s invasion. The clearing firm also holds another 17 billion euros from sanctioned Russian individuals. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Luxembourg authorises some frozen Russian assets to be unblocked
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The general licence issue should allow non-sanctioned Russian investors to transfer assets from the NSD, Russia's domestic paying agent that was sanctioned by the European Union in June, to other locations. Analysts from Otkritie Investments wrote that Luxembourg appeared to have taken numerous appeals from Russian depositories and investors into account. "This is a clear and positive signal that gives grounds to expect a decision on the issue of unblocking securities of Russian private investors," Otkritie analysts said. The EU sanctions on the NSD, as well as other Western measures aimed at restricting Russia's access to global financial infrastructure, have blocked many Russian investors' access to securities held in jurisdictions outside Russia. "Comments and interpretations of the text will be given later, after consultation with the group's legal consultant," the NSD said.

Index investors tend to favour international settlement platforms such as Euroclear but India has said it wants to settle bonds onshore, like China. GLOBAL AMBITIONIndia has sought to be included in global bond indexes since 2013, but that ambition has been held up by a number of factors over the years, and JP Morgan only began considering India's inclusion in its global bond index in 2021. If successful, India would be the last major emerging market to be added to the JP Morgan index. Its inclusion could result in additional flows of as much as $30 billion within 10 months into the Indian government bond market, Morgan Stanley estimated earlier this month. Most of JPMorgan's index investors are in favour of including India in the index, but think issues such as investor verification and settlement rules need to be ironed out first, three of the sources said.

☆ Russia's settlement depository demands EU sanctions be recognised as unlawful
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe NSD filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg on Aug. 12, but gave no further details. The EU sanctions on the NSD, as well as other Western measures aimed at restricting Russia's access to global financial infrastructure, have blocked many Russian investors' access to securities held in jurisdictions outside Russia. The NSD said that sanctions had been imposed based on "unsubstantiated" facts and that the Council had "failed to meet the required standard of proof", making the sanctions unlawful. Russian Eurobond issuers have started issuing securities to replace those stuck abroad due to sanctions imposed on Moscow for what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Elena Fabrichnaya and Alexander Marrow, editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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