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Debt Market

What are AT-1 Bonds?

23 Jan 2023 Zinkpot 415
What are AT-1 Bonds?
  1. Bonds refer to debt instruments that enable an entity to raise a loan from investors and pays them a fixed rate of return over a specific timeframe. 
  2. AT1 Bonds stand for Additional Tier-I bonds, are unsecured debt instruments with no maturity date. These are used by the banks to increase their capital. 
  3. The bonds are a debt instrument that can be redeemed anytime in a period of 100 years. In other words, they are perpetual or everlasting. In case of financial crisis, banks rely on AT1 Bonds to raise capital. 
  4. They don't have any expiration date, but have the call option. The bank issuing the AT1 Bonds has the option to call back the bonds or repay the principal after sometime. 
  5. These bonds were introduced during the global financial crisis by the Basel Accord. Base III Norm, also known as the Third Basel Accord or Basel Standards, is a regulatory framework followed on a voluntary basis on a global scale. The framework deals with capital inadequacy in banks, stress testing and market liquidity risk. 
  6. These bonds pay a higher rate of interest as compared to other bonds and can be issued by banks only on electronic platforms. 
  7. The minimum allotment size and trading lot size should be Rs 1 crore. AT1 bondholders can sell the bonds in the secondary market if in need of money. These bonds are tradable and can be used in exchanges. 
  8. The interest payout of Tier-1 Bonds can be skipped for a particular year without having the creditors questioning bondholders for defaulting the interest payouts. 

 

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