ISDA-Clarus RFR Adoption Indicator: August 2021

ISDA-Clarus RFR Adoption Indicator increased to an all-time high of 17.5% in August compared to 14.1% the prior month. The indicator tracks how much global trading activity (as measured by DV01) is conducted in cleared over-the-counter and exchange-traded interest rate derivatives (IRD) that reference the identified risk-free rates (RFRs) in six major currencies. On a traded notional basis, the percentage of RFR-linked IRD comprised 13.3% of total IRD in August compared to 12.3% the prior month.

Key highlights for August 2021 include:

  • RFR-linked IRD DV01 totaled $3.9 billion compared to $3.8 billion the prior month.
  • Total IRD DV01 transacted declined to $22.5 billion compared to $26.6 billion the prior month.
  • RFR-linked IRD traded notional decreased to $13.5 trillion versus $15.7 trillion the prior month.
  • Total IRD traded notional transacted declined to $102.0 trillion compared to $126.9 trillion the prior month.
  • The percentage of trading activity in SOFR reached 12.5% of total USD IRD DV01 transacted in August compared to 7.4% the prior month.
  • GBP saw the largest percentage of RFR-linked IRD trading activity, totaling 63.3% of total GBP IRD DV01.
  • JPY had the highest percentage of RFR-linked IRD DV01 executed as transactions with tenors longer than two years.

To access interactive charts and export the data, click here.

A whitepaper on the methodology is available here.

Documents (1) for ISDA-Clarus RFR Adoption Indicator: August 2021

ISDA Feedback on Identifying Reference Data

On July 20, ISDA submitted feedback to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) on draft Level 3 guidance on several technical issues caused by the interaction of the recently adopted regulatory technical standard on derivatives transparency (RTS 2) and...

US Basel III Endgame 2026 Update

In March 2026, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation published a new proposal for capital rules known as the US Basel III, based...

Episode 59: Reducing Burdens

As she nears the end of her term as chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority, Verena Ross joins The Swap to discuss progress in simplifying and reducing the burden of EU financial regulation, including transaction reporting. Please view...