Contact Us

CME Group/Chicago HQ
Main Switchboard
Local: 312-930-1000
Toll Free: 866-716-7274

 

Customer Service
Product inquiries, website issues, and specific questions
Phone: 312-930-2316
Toll Free: 800-331-3332
E-mail:
info@cmegroup.com

 

More CME Group Direct Lines
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Collateral Types Accepted
Collateral Types Accepted

CME Clearing accepts a wide range of collateral for deposit into trading accounts, including U.S. dollars, select foreign currencies, U.S. Treasuries, select foreign sovereign debt, asset-backed securities, and agency bonds. See requirements for each below.

In addition, the clearing house also provides a Moneychanger program for converting currencies related to non-U.S. dollar transactions, in conjunction with banks and other currency vendors who offer competitive exchange rates daily. All CME Clearing members can use the service, at no additional charge, for the transfer of overnight funds required to satisfy the terms of a futures contract or other related legal transactions. Moneychanger provides exchange in: Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, British pound, Swiss franc, Swedish krona and euros. If you wish to use this service, please contact CME Clearing.

Acceptable Performance Bond deposits by customers of Clearing Member Firms are subject to CME Rule 930.C (the following list of acceptable collateral pertains exclusively to deposits made by Clearing Member Firms to meet their obligations at CME Clearing).

Cash

Foreign Sovereign Cash
Haircuts will be applied only when performance bond cash is utilized to meet PB requirements in other currencies:
Australian dollar, British pound, Canadian dollar, Euro, Japanese Yen, New Zealand dollar, Norwegian krone, Swedish krona, Swiss franc 5% haircut.
Mexican peso 15% haircut
Turkish Lira 20% haircut
US Dollar
No haircuts are applied.

Gold

  • Limited to 20% of clearing member’s non-segregated (NSEG) core performance bond requirement, 50% of reserve, and 50% of concentration requirement
  • Limited to firm asset of $200 million
  • 15% haircut applied to the market value

Please see advisory notice #09-452 for more details.

Foreign Sovereign Debt

Selected Sovereign debt of Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and United Kingdom:
Discount bills 3%      
0-5 years 5.50%      
5-10 years 7.00%      
10-30 years 8.50%      
>30 years 10%      

U.S. Treasuries

U.S. Treasury Bills
No haircuts applied to market value.
U.S. Treasury Bonds
U.S. Treasury Notes
0-5 years 5-10 years 10-30 years If security is off the run
2% 3.5% 5% 0.5% added
U.S. Treasury Strips (Principal & Coupon)
10% haircut applied to market value of security.
Please see Advisory Notice # 03-97 for more details.

U.S. Government Agencies

Limited to the combination of letters of credit and government agencies of no more than 50% of clearing member's core performance bond requirement in excess of $5 million. This restriction does not apply to the clearing firm's reserve performance bond or concentration requirements.
See Clearing House Advisory #03-64 for more details.

Discount notes (with remaining maturity of no more than 12 months).
Issued by Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Home Loan Bank System, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. and Federal National Mortgage Assoc.

3% haircut on market value (0.5% added if security is off the run)

Callable and Non-callable Fannie Mae Benchmark Bills
Callable and Non-callable Freddie Mac Reference Bills
Callable and Non-callable Federal Home Loan Bank Bills
Callable and Non-callable Federal Farm Credit Bank Bills

3% haircut on market value of Agency Bills (0.5% added if security is off the run).
Callable and Non-callable Fannie Mae Benchmark Notes and Bonds
Callable and Non-callable Freddie Mac Reference Notes and Bonds
Callable and Non-callable Federal Home Loan Bank Notes and Bonds
Callable and Non-callable Federal Farm Credit Bank Notes and Bonds
Agency Bonds and Notes have a haircut on market value:

0-5 yrs 5-10 yrs 10+ yrs If the security is off the run
3% 4.5% 6% 0.5% added

Select Mortgage Backed Securities

Fannie Mae (FNMA)
Freddie Mac (FHLMC)
Ginnie Mae (GNMA)
Haircut is 10% on market value
 

Specialized Collateral Programs

IEF2
CME's platform of money market mutual funds. Must be an IEF2 participant.
3% haircut

(List of acceptable money market mutual funds supported in its IEF2 Program.)

IEF3
Specialized Collateral Program - utilizing Bank of New York and JP Morgan Chase.

Must be an IEF3 participant.
IEF3 Guidelines

 

IEF4
Specialized Collateral Program - utilizing Bank of New York and JP Morgan Chase. Must be an IEF4 participant.
IEF4 Guidelines
IEF5
Specialized Cash Program - utilizing JP Morgan Chase. Please see Advisory Notice #04-121 for more details.
Description of IEF Programs

Letters of Credit

Issued in the Exchange's name by approved banks.

Limited to combination use of letters of credit and government agencies of no more than 50% of clearing member's core performance bond requirement in excess of $5 million.

- Reserve requirements
- no limitation on the amount of letters credit

See List of Approved Banks
See Requirements for Issuance of Letter of Credit (PDF)
See Requirements for Amending Letter of Credit (PDF)
See Uniform Letter of Credit Format Standby (PDF)
See Uniform Letter of Credit Format Pass Through (PDF)

Stocks

Selected from those in the S&P 500 Index.
30% haircut of market value. Acceptable only for Reserve performance bond and Concentration requirements.
See Stock Pledge (PDF) for current quarter list of eligible stocks
See Advisory Notice (PDF) for current quarter information

Security Deposit

Security deposit collateral may be in the form of cash or U.S. Treasury bills, strips, notes or bonds, government agencies or certain IEF2 funds. Please note that use of agency securities to satisfy security deposit requirements are capped at 50% of the firm’s security deposit required. Please also note that there are specific limitations with respect to IEF2 investments.

All securities must be denominated in multiples of $5,000. Stripped securities and securities dated prior to January 1, 1973, are not acceptable.

The Clearing House currently does not accept letters of credit, or any other foreign currency cash as security deposits.

Please contact Clearing House Financial Unit at 312-207-2594 for more information.