Euroclear is on the cusp of gaining access to providing limited clearing for US equities.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed to an information sharing arrangement with the National Bank of Belgium (NBB)—where Euroclear is headquartered—thereby enabling it to refer to the NBB for Euroclear’s registration information and fast-track the bank’s entrance into the US market.
The SEC initially approved Euroclear’s application to modify its exemption from registration to clear US equities in December 2016.
The SEC and the NBB added an addendum to their 2001 Understanding Regarding An Application of Euroclear Bank for an Exemption under US Federal Securities Laws to allow for Euroclear’s new US business lines.
The president of this exemption was set when the SEC originally allowed Euroclear’s predecessor to provide clearing services for US government securities in 1998.
Paul Leder, director of the SEC’s office of international affairs, said: “This addendum will expand the signatories’ ability to cooperate and exchange information related to Euroclear Bank and augment the SEC’s oversight of Euroclear Bank’s activities under its exemption order.”
