ING Groep NV (ING.US) has finalized two significant risk transfer transactions (SRT deals) tied to €10.5 billion ($12.1 billion) in corporate loans, reinforcing its capital buffer. The group stated in a Monday announcement that these SRT transactions are expected to increase its CET1 ratio by 0.14 percentage points.

Reports in June indicated that ING was negotiating with investors for two separate SRT deals, each involving approximately €5 billion portfolios. Last month, the bank raised its CET1 ratio target to 13%, effectively reducing funds available for investor returns as the gap between the target and actual level (13.4% at Q3-end) narrowed. Outgoing CFO Tanate Phutrakul noted in an interview that ING would slow its shareholder return pace.

The newly announced SRT transactions mark the first such deals within ING's wholesale banking division and are projected to cut risk-weighted assets by €3.4 billion. The bank aims to "expand strategic SRT applications to retail banking and additional wholesale portfolios in coming years."

SRTs enable banks to purchase default protection on loans by selling credit-linked notes to pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and hedge funds, thereby freeing up regulatory capital. Multiple European banks have been utilizing this risk management tool to unlock capital reserves.