The National Bank of Belgium has confirmed its previously announced macroprudential policy adjustment, effective 1 July 2026. The change removes the capital requirement specifically targeting risks in mortgage loan portfolios and increases the countercyclical capital buffer to 1.25% from 1%, shifting the framework toward a broader, uniform buffer applied to all banks’ exposures in Belgium. In monetary terms, the mortgage portfolio buffer of about EUR 1.4 billion will be abolished, while the countercyclical capital buffer will rise to about EUR 3.4 billion from EUR 2.7 billion. As a result, total macroprudential capital requirements will fall to about EUR 3.4 billion from EUR 4.1 billion. In its quarterly reassessment, the NBB also decided to keep the countercyclical capital buffer at 1.25% for the third quarter of 2026. It cited upward-trending credit and financial cycles, but said uncertainty linked to geopolitical developments, including the conflict in the Middle East, justified a wait-and-see approach rather than a further increase. The NBB also said banks should assess whether credit risk provisions adequately reflect current uncertainty and adverse scenarios, and increase provisions where needed.
National Bank of Belgium2026-06-25
National Bank of Belgium confirms 1 July 2026 macroprudential reset with 1.25% countercyclical buffer and end of mortgage portfolio buffer
The National Bank of Belgium confirmed that from 1 July 2026 it will remove the mortgage portfolio macroprudential buffer and raise the countercyclical capital buffer to 1.25%. That cuts total macroprudential capital requirements to about EUR 3.4 billion from EUR 4.1 billion. The bank also kept the 1.25% countercyclical buffer rate for the third quarter of 2026 and told banks to review whether provisions adequately cover current risks.