RBI sets Rs50-lakh peer-to-peer lending cap across NBFC platforms
24 Dec 2019
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set a Rs50-lakh cap on the aggregate exposure of a lender to all borrowers across all non-banking financial company – peer-to-peer (NBFC-P2P) lending platforms at any point of time.
- RBI will not prescribe any limit for raising short-term liabilities from banks. However, the IBUs must maintain LCR as applicable to Indian banks on a stand-alone basis and strictly follow the liquidity risk management guidelines issued by RBI to banks. Further, NSFR will also be applicable to IBUs as and when it is applied to Indian banks;
- IBUs are not allowed to open savings accounts. They can open foreign currency current accounts of units operating in IFSC and of non-resident institutional investors to facilitate their investment transactions. They can also open foreign currency current accounts (including escrow accounts) of their corporate borrowers subject to the provisions of FEMA 1999 and regulations issued thereunder, wherever applicable in addition to these provisions. However, IBUs cannot raise liabilities from retail customers, including high net worth individuals (HNIs). Also, no cheque facility will be available for holders of current accounts in the IBUs. All transactions through these accounts must be undertaken via bank transfers;
- IBUs can accept fixed deposits in foreign currency of tenor less than one year from non-bank entities and can also repay fixed deposits prematurely without any time restrictions;
- IBUs will be required to scrupulously follow "Know Your Customer (KYC)", Combating of Financing of Terrorism (CFT) and other anti-money laundering instructions issued by RBI from time to time, including the reporting thereof, as prescribed by the Reserve Bank /other agencies in India. IBUs are prohibited from undertaking cash transactions.