Risk-weighted assets

Risk-weighted assets are a measure of a financial institution's risk exposure that takes into account the risk level associated with the assets held by the institution. The risk level is determined by assigning a risk weight to each asset, which is based on the asset's risk level. Risk weights can range from zero to 400 percent, and the higher the risk weight, the higher the risk exposure of the financial institution. The calculation of risk-weighted assets is done by multiplying the amount of each asset by its assigned risk weight, then summing up the results for all assets. Risk-weighted assets are used to calculate the amount of capital a financial institution must hold in order to comply with regulatory requirements.

Example of risk-weighted assets

• A bank has $500 million in cash and cash equivalents, $300 million in loans and $200 million in securities. The risk weight assigned to cash and cash equivalents is zero, the risk weight assigned to loans is 100 percent and the risk weight assigned to securities is 20 percent. The risk-weighted assets for this bank are therefore $500 million (cash and cash equivalents) + $300 million (loans x 100 percent) + $40 million (securities x 20 percent) = $840 million.
• An insurance company has $1 billion in equity investments, $500 million in fixed income investments and $500 million in derivatives. The risk weight assigned to equity investments is 75 percent, the risk weight assigned to fixed income investments is 50 percent and the risk weight assigned to derivatives is 150 percent. The risk-weighted assets for this insurance company are therefore $750 million (equity investments x 75 percent) + $250 million (fixed income investments x 50 percent) + $750 million (derivatives x 150 percent) = $1.75 billion.

When to use risk-weighted assets

Risk-weighted assets can be used in a variety of contexts. These include:

• Regulatory compliance: Risk-weighted assets are used to calculate the amount of capital a financial institution must hold to comply with regulations such as Basel III or Solvency II.
• Risk management: Risk-weighted assets are used to measure the level of risk that a financial institution is exposed to, and to identify areas of potential risk.
• Credit risk measurement: Risk-weighted assets can be used to measure the credit risk of a financial institution's loan portfolio, allowing for the comparison of the risk profiles of different lenders.
• Stress testing: Risk-weighted assets can be used to measure the impact of different stress scenarios on a financial institution's balance sheet.
• Portfolio optimization: Risk-weighted assets can be used to optimize the allocation of assets in a financial institution's portfolio in order to maximize returns and minimize risk.

Types of risk-weighted assets

• Credit Risk-Weighted Assets: These assets include loans, bonds, and other debt instruments that have a higher risk of default. Credit risk-weighted assets are assigned a risk weight of 100% or higher, depending on the risk of the asset.
• Market Risk-Weighted Assets: Market risk-weighted assets include investments in stocks, bonds, commodities, and other financial instruments that are exposed to market risk. These assets are assigned a risk weight of between 20% and 150%, depending on the type of instrument and its associated risk level.
• Operational Risk-Weighted Assets: Operational risk-weighted assets are assets that are exposed to operational risks such as fraud, IT system failures, and other operational risks. These assets are assigned a risk weight of between 10% and 50%, depending on the type of asset and its associated risk level.
• Liquidity Risk-Weighted Assets: Liquidity risk-weighted assets are assets that are exposed to liquidity risk, such as investments in illiquid assets. These assets are assigned a risk weight of between 5% and 100%, depending on the type of asset and its associated risk level.
• Concentration Risk-Weighted Assets: Concentration risk-weighted assets are assets that are exposed to concentration risk, such as investments in a single asset or industry. These assets are assigned a risk weight of between 5% and 100%, depending on the type of asset and its associated risk level.

Advantages of risk-weighted assets

Risk-weighted assets are a key tool for financial institutions to measure and manage their risk exposures. There are many advantages to using risk-weighted assets, including:

• Risk-weighted assets help financial institutions identify their risk exposures, which in turn helps them develop and implement risk management strategies.
• Risk-weighted assets can be used to measure the capital adequacy of a financial institution and ensure that it meets regulatory standards.
• Risk-weighted assets can be used to compare different financial institutions and their risk exposures.
• Risk-weighted assets are also useful for assessing the performance of financial institutions over time.
• Risk-weighted assets can be used to help financial institutions understand their loan portfolios and make informed decisions about lending.

Limitations of risk-weighted assets

Risk-weighted assets are a useful tool for measuring a financial institution's risk exposure, but there are some limitations that should be taken into consideration. These include:

• Risk-weighted assets do not take into account the creditworthiness of the assets, so the risk weight assigned to an asset may not accurately reflect its true risk.
• The risk weights assigned to assets are based on assumptions, which may not always be accurate.
• Risk-weighted assets are not forward-looking, and so do not account for potential changes in the risk profile of assets over time.
• Risk-weighted assets do not capture the complexity of some assets, such as derivatives, so the risk weight assigned may not accurately reflect its true risk.
• Risk-weighted assets do not take into account how the assets are held, so the risk weight assigned may not be appropriate.
• Risk-weighted assets do not take into account the liquidity of the assets, so the risk weight assigned may not be accurate.

Risk-weighted assets — recommended articles

Financial exposure — Risk of portfolio — Z spread — Long term investment balance sheet — Portfolio construction — Beta risk — Tier 1 leverage ratio — Banking book — Diversifiable risk

References

• Le Leslé, V., & Avramova, M. S. (2012). Revisiting risk-weighted assets. International Monetary Fund.
• Das, M. S., & Sy, M. A. N. (2012). How risky are banks' risk weighted assets? Evidence from the financial crisis. International Monetary Fund.