For years, brokers, investment advisors, consultants, and others, relied on the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) to provide monthly balances of qualifying brokered CDs. Since 2014, however, the level of brokered CDs under $250,000 computed by IDC Financial Publishing (IDCFP) as part of brokered deposits, continues to outpace the levels reported by the DTCC.

Table I

Despite strong loan growth, excess liquidity due to growth in savings transactions and demand deposits resulted in time deposits declining 10.1%. While banks issuing brokered CDs approximated half of the number of banks with brokered deposits, the amount of brokered CDs was only 28% of brokered deposits.

IDCFP Estimates of Brokered CDs Outpace DTCC

As illustrated in Table II, IDCFP’s calculated value decreased to $316.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020, while DTCC reported qualifying brokered CDs less than $250,000 of $245.2 billion, a difference of $71.8 billion. Up until 2019, however, the two values were nearly equal.

The difference between the two values remained minimal through 2018. As of March 31^st, 2018, the difference was only $6.6 billion, with IDCFP calculating $314.1 billion and DTCC reporting $307.5 billion. From March 2018 to the peak in CDs in June 2019, IDCFP calculated a $154 billion increase to $468 billion, compared to a DTCC gain of $126 billion to $433 billion.

Both values declined in the past year due to Covid-19 in 2020. IDCFP estimates fell $124 billion, while DTCC declined $150.5 billion. The difference grew exponentially over 3 years from March 2018 to March 2020, going from $6.6 to $60.6 billion. In the last quarter this difference was $71.7 billion (see Table II).

Table II

Our calculation uses reported total brokered deposits, less reciprocals and uninsured brokered CDs. We then require an increase in the remainder (insured brokered deposits) to be less than the change in time deposits, in order to qualify as a brokered CD less than $250,000. IDCFP remains confident of its calculation given the many quarters our CD values closely approximated the DTCC reports in history.

IDCFP believes the difference is due to Issuing Paying Agents (IPA) replacing the custodian function of DTCC. IPAs have been in existence for some years at Deutsche Bank, Synchrony, among others. It is likely some banks issuing brokered CDs have switched from DTCC to IPAs. IDCFP welcomes your input on the difference in our calculations of brokered CDs less than $250,000 and the eligible CDs reported by DTCC.

Forecast for Insured Brokered CDs

DTC eligible brokered CDs declined from $297 billion in September 2020, to $245 billion in December, and to $213 in March 2021. With an accelerating economic recovery and the forecast for substantially higher 5-year yields, however, we project an increase in DTC eligible brokered CDs in 2021 and 2022. Given an approximate $70 billion difference between our estimates and DTCC reports, IDCFP estimates insured brokered CDs to reach $360 billion at the end of December 2021.

A steepening yield curve and stronger loan growth increases the demand for brokered CDs. A recovery in brokered CDs requires continued strong economic growth in 2022, allowing total brokered CDs to reach $490 billion by year-end 2022.

To view all our products and services please visit our website www.idcfp.com.

For more information about our ranks, or for a copy of this article, please contact us at 800-525-5457 or info@idcfp.com.

John E Rickmeier, CFA, President, jer@idcfp.com

Robin Rickmeier, Marketing Director