Capital adequacy ratio

Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) also known as Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR),[1] is the ratio of a bank's capital to its risk. National regulators track a bank's CAR to ensure that it can absorb a reasonable amount of loss and complies with statutory Capital requirements.

It is a measure of a bank's capital. It is expressed as a percentage of a bank's risk-weighted credit exposures. The enforcement of regulated levels of this ratio is intended to protect depositors and promote stability and efficiency of financial systems around the world.

Two types of capital are measured:

  • tier one capital, which can absorb losses without a bank being required to cease trading; and
  • tier two capital, which can absorb losses in the event of a winding-up and so provides a lesser degree of protection to depositors.
  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference investopedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).