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

MOSCOW. Jan 30 (Interfax) - The Central Bank of Russia has decided to keep unchanged the national countercyclical buffer for the capital adequacy of banks at the 0.5% that has been in effect since July 1, 2025, the Central Bank said in a press release on macro-prudential policy decisions.

The banking sector's capital adequacy ratio has been gradually recovering following dividend payments. Capital adequacy was 13.3% on January 1, 2026, 13.0% on October 1, 2025, and 13.4% on July 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 regulator 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.

The Central Bank assumes that the countercyclical buffer should be 1% of risk-weighted assets in the long term.