Us Code § 1831w - Safety and soundness firewalls applicable to financial subsidiaries of banks

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 1831w — Safety and soundness firewalls applicable to financial subsidiaries of banks, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 1831w. Safety and soundness firewalls applicable to financial subsidiaries of banks

(a) In general

An insured State bank may control or hold an interest in a subsidiary that engages in activities as principal that would only be permissible for a national bank to conduct through a financial subsidiary if—

(1) the State bank and each insured depository institution affiliate of the State bank are well capitalized (after the capital deduction required by paragraph (2));

(2) the State bank complies with the capital deduction and financial statement disclosure requirements in section 24a(c) of this title;

(3) the State bank complies with the financial and operational safeguards required by section 24a(d) of this title; and

(4) the State bank complies with the amendments to sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act [12 U.S.C. 371c and 371c–1] made by section 121(b) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

(b) Preservation of existing subsidiaries

Notwithstanding subsection (a), an insured State bank may retain control of a subsidiary, or retain an interest in a subsidiary, that the State bank lawfully controlled or acquired before November 12, 1999, and conduct through such subsidiary any activities lawfully conducted in such subsidiary as of such date.

(c) Definitions

For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) Subsidiary

The term "subsidiary" means any company that is a subsidiary (as defined in section 1813(w)(4) of this title) of 1 or more insured banks.

(2) Financial subsidiary

The term "financial subsidiary" has the meaning given the term in section 24a(g) of this title.

(d) Preservation of authority

(1) This chapter

No provision of this section shall be construed as superseding the authority of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to review subsidiary activities under section 1831a of this title.

(2) Federal Reserve Act

No provision of this section shall be construed as affecting the applicability of the 20th undesignated paragraph of section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act [12 U.S.C. 335].

(Sept. 21, 1950, ch. 967, §2[46], as added Pub. L. 106–102, title I, §121(d)(1), Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1380.)


Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 121(b) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is section 121(b) of Pub. L. 106–102, title I, Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1378, which amended section 371c of this title.


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective 120 days after Nov. 12, 1999, see section 161 of Pub. L. 106–102, set out as an Effective Date of 1999 Amendment note under section 24 of this title.

About This Section

12 U.S.C. § 1831w is part of Title 12 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 12 U.S.C. § 1831w. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Us Code § 1831w

What does United States Code § 1831w cover?

Section 1831w ("Safety and soundness firewalls applicable to financial subsidiaries of banks") is part of the United States Code, the codified statutory law of Us Code. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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Is this the official text of Us Code law?

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Sources & Verification

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