Central Bank of Russia retains countercyclical buffer for banks' capital adequacy at 0.5%

MOSCOW. Oct 31 (Interfax) - The Central Bank of Russia has retained the national countercyclical buffer for banks' capital adequacy at 0.5%, which has been in effect since July 1, 2025, the Central Bank said, having previously kept it at 0.5% on July 31.

The banking sector's capital adequacy ratio has been gradually recovering following dividend payments by large banks on the back of profit capitalization, the regulator said.

Central Bank data indicate that capital adequacy was 13% as on October 1, 2025, 13.4% as on July 1, 2025, and 12.7% as on August 1, 2025.

"The banking sector has sufficient capital reserves to finance the economy sustainably this year and going forward accounting for the decisions already reached on macro-prudential instruments, as well as the planned increase in capital adequacy buffers. Therefore, the value of the national countercyclical buffer has not been revised," the bank said.

The countercyclical buffer accumulates during accelerated growth in lending and is tapped during a crisis. Utilizing the buffer is intended to improve the banking sector's resilience to possible shocks and limit the impact of shocks on lending to the economy.

The Central Bank previously implemented a countercyclical buffer of 0.25% on February 1, 2025, amid ongoing growth in corporate lending, and raised it to 0.5% as of July 1. The regulator said that this should allow banks to accumulate a capital buffer of 800 billion rubles.