
CLS (originally Continuous Linked Settlement) is a specialist US financial institution that provides settlement services to its members in the foreign exchange market (FX).
Full Answer
What is a Continuous Linked Settlement?
A continuous linked settlement is the process of settling foreign exchange transactions cooperatively among major banks to reduce the settlement risk. A continuous linked settlement is the process of settling foreign exchange transactions cooperatively among major banks to reduce the settlement risk.
What is CLS in forex?
CLS, or continuous linked settlement, is a cross-border payment system for the settlement of foreign exchange trades that eliminates settlement risk. CLS, or continuous linked settlement, is a cross-border payment system for the settlement of foreign exchange trades that eliminates settlement risk. BabyPips The beginner's guide to FX trading News
What are the risks associated with CLS?
Standard foreign exchange transactions involve a settlement risk. As the exchange of the two currencies involved is not simultaneous, the party that sells a currency before receiving the currency purchased from the counterparty is exposed to a certain risk. CLS removes settlement risk by using a payment-versus-payment mechanism (“PVP”).
How does the CLS settlement process flow work?
The CLS settlement process flow is for member banks to send their foreign exchange transaction information to CLS during the day, after which CLS creates a schedule of net payments that the member banks must pay to CLS.

What is CLS on my bank statement?
Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) is an inter- national payment system which was launched in Sep- tember 2002 for the settlement of foreign exchange transactions. In the conventional settlement of a for- eign exchange transaction the exchange of the two currencies involved in the trade is not normally syn- chronous.
What is the continuous linked settlement system?
Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) is a global initiative to reduce foreign exchange settlement risk by settling both legs of foreign exchange transactions simultaneously. Transactions are settled across the books of CLS Bank International (CLS Bank), a special purpose bank established to facilitate the CLS process.
What is a CLS payment?
CLS operates a global multi-currency cash settlement system through which settlement risk can be mitigated with finality using a combination of PvP (payment versus payment) settlement over CLS central bank accounts, local real-time gross settlements systems (RTGS) and multilateral payment netting supported by a ...
Is CLS a net settlement system?
Settlement in CLS is final and irrevocable. Under CLS, transactions are settled on a gross basis, whereas funding is on a netted basis. The mechanism involves an ongoing process of submitting trade instructions, matching those trades, funding the deals, and then paying out to the participating accounts.
What is a CLS in out swap?
An in/out swap is a swap transaction; the first leg settles inside CLS (the in part of the swap) and the second leg settles outside CLS (the out part of the swap). The effect of the swap is to reduce the net short position that settles within CLS and, therefore, the funding required by each participant in the swap.
Is CLS an FMI?
CLS main purpose is to eliminate settlement risk and they act as a central FMI in which all participants trades settle.
Who owns CLS Bank?
CLS Group Holdings AG is the parent company of the CLS group of companies. It is incorporated in Switzerland and is regulated by the US Federal Reserve as if it were a bank holding company.
Where is CLS located?
CLS LOCATION is located in Gaillan-en-médoc, Aquitaine, France .
What is CLS company?
CLS Bank International offers banking services. The Company provides foreign exchange settlement services to banks, brokers, funds, and corporations.
Is CLS a central counterparty?
However, unlike the previous example, CLS pays out the bought currency only if the sold currency is received. In effect, CLS acts as a trusted third party in the settlement process. (However, note that CLS is not a central counterparty - in the example shown, the trade remains between Banks A and B.)
Is CLS a CCP?
CLS CCP Service means the settlement system operated by US-based CLS Bank International (“CLS Bank”) for central counterparties to facilitate the settlement of and to mitigate the settlement risk associated with cleared foreign exchange and cross currency products which the central counterparties clear for their ...
What is CLS doing?
Clinical Laboratory Scientists work in laboratories of hospitals and other health organizations. They are responsible for performing tests related to the examination and treatment of patients, helping physicians to diagnosis and treat disease.
How does CLS work?
CLS removes principal risk by using PVP - you get paid only if you pay. On settlement day, each counterparty to the trade pays to CLS the currency it is selling - eg by using a correspondent bank, as with the example in the previous box.
Who owns CLS Bank?
CLS Group Holdings AG is the parent company of the CLS group of companies. It is incorporated in Switzerland and is regulated by the US Federal Reserve as if it were a bank holding company.
How many currencies do CLS deal in?
14 major currenciesCCIL undertakes settlement in the 14 major currencies.
Is RTGS real time?
Ans. Transactions in RTGS happen in real time and it is not possible to match name and account number before affording credit to the beneficiary.
Where is the continuous linked settlement bank directory maintenance screen?
You can invoke the ‘Continuous Linked Settlement Bank Directory Maintenance’ screen by typing ‘ FSDBICDI’ in the field at the top right corner of the Application tool bar and clicking on the adjoining arrow button.
What is CLS in banking?
Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) is an industry initiative to eliminate the settlement risk in foreign exchange transactions. This is achieved by using a 'payment versus payment' method, which provides a simultaneous exchange of currency values through CLS Bank International. The CLS concept is being adopted globally with a view to reduce the risks involved in settlement of Foreign Exchange transactions. Before CLS, each side of a trade was paid separately. Taking time-zone differences into account, this heightened the risk of one party defaulting. CLS is a real-time system that enables simultaneous settlement globally, irrespective of time zones. CLS is an ongoing process of:
How to allow a currency to be CLS compliant?
When setting up currency details in the ‘Currency Definition’ screen, you can allow a currency to be CLS compliant by selecting the ‘CLS Currency’ option. FX deals in the CLS currency only will be eligible to be routed through the CLS bank.
How to support CLS?
In order to support CLS as a third party participant, you must: Maintain the CLS preferences for your branch. Allow your customers to settle their deals via the CLS bank. Maintain currency restrictions for customers to participate in CLS trades. Maintain currency preferences for your branch exclusively for CLS.
What is CLS FX control account?
The debit and credit accounts maintained for the module ‘FS’ and ‘CLS Currency’ combination will be referred to as the ‘Control Accounts’ and will be debited/credited on liquidation of a CLS FX deal. Entries will be posted to the Control Accounts at the individual deal level. On receipt of pay-out/pay-in advice from the settlement member, you can pass a net entry to the Control Account and post the other leg to the Real CLS Nostro account.
What module do you have to select to maintain the settlement instructions exclusively for CLS deals?
You have to maintain the settlement instructions exclusively for CLS deals. For this, you have to select the module ‘FS’ (FX Settlements) which will indicate that the instructions are applicable to CLS deals alone.
Why is CLS being adopted globally?
The CLS concept is being adopted globally with a view to reduce the risks involved in settlement of Foreign Exchange transactions. Before CLS, each side of a trade was paid separately. Taking time-zone differences into account, this heightened the risk of one party defaulting.
What does CLS do on settlement day?
On settlement day, each counterparty to the trade pays to CLS the currency it is selling . CLS pays out the bought currency only if the sold currency is received. In effect, CLS acts as a trusted third party in the settlement process.
What is CLS in banking?
CLS, or continuous linked settlement, is a cross-border payment system for the settlement of foreign exchange trades that eliminates settlement risk. Standard foreign exchange transactions involve a settlement risk.
How long does it take for a bank to settle a transaction?
All transactions are settled through the bank in a single 5-hour window during each business day.
When was CLS Bank established?
The CLS Bank was established in 2002 and is owned by the world’s largest banks.
Is CLS a central counterparty?
It’s important to note that CLS is not a central counterparty, the trade remains between the two counterparties.
When does CLS settlement take place?
The CLS settlement process takes place during the European morning (i.e. the Australian late afternoon/evening), during which time RITS and other participating RTGS systems must be open [1] .
What is CLS in banking?
Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) is a global initiative to reduce foreign exchange settlement risk by settling both legs of foreign exchange transactions simultaneously. Transactions are settled across the books of CLS Bank International (CLS Bank), a special purpose bank established to facilitate the CLS process. Payments between CLS Bank and CLS ‘settlement members’ for each participating currency are made in the local RTGS systems. Aside from the Australian dollar (AUD), the other six initial participating currencies were the US Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, Swiss Franc, Pound Sterling and Canadian Dollar. The Danish Krone, Norwegian Krone, Singaporean Dollar, and Swedish Krona commenced settlement in September 2003. The Hong Kong Dollar, South Korean Won, New Zealand Dollar and South African Rand commenced CLS settlement in December 2004. The Israeli Shekel and Mexican Peso commenced in May 2008.
What time does CLS take?
CLS settlement processing for the Australian dollar (and the other ‘Asia-Pacific’ currencies) occurs during a 3 hour pay-in window, from 07:00 to 10:00 Central European Time ( CET) [2] . This equates to 15:00 to 18:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time, and 17:00 to 20:00 in Australian Eastern Daylight (Savings) Time (summer time). There are three pay-in deadlines (for making AUD payments to CLS Bank across RITS), at 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00 CET.
Does CLS Bank have a RITS?
CLS Bank has an Exchange Settlement Account (ESA) with the Reserve Bank and is a member of the SWIFT Payment Delivery System (APCA's High Value Clearing System), through which CLS pay-ins and pay-outs in AUD are made.#N#CLS Bank does not have a RITS logon. The Reserve Bank undertakes any necessary RITS entries acting on instructions from CLS Bank, including use of RITS cash transfers if a contingency affects the ability of CLS Bank or a CLS participant (local settlement member or nostro agent of an overseas settlement member) to make CLS AUD payments using the SWIFT PDS.#N#In the extremely unlikely event of a major outage affecting RITS operations at its Primary and Secondary Sites, the Reserve Bank may at its sole discretion consider direct processing of CLS AUD payments across the Reserve Bank's internal accounting system if it is unaffected by the outage.
What time does the evening settlement session end?
The Evening Settlement Session follows and ends at 22:00 all year round [3] .
Is RITS open for settlement?
To facilitate CLS-related settlement activity, RITS is open for extended hours beyond the normal settlement day, particularly during summer time. The diagram below illustrates:
Can banks not participate in settlement session?
Banks not participating in the Evening Settlement Session must be able to receive reports in a timely manner after the end of the Settlement Close Session.
