12 U.S.C. § 615 - Powers of corporation

• Cite as: 12 U.S.C. § 615

Each corporation organized as provided in sections 611 to 614 of this title shall have power, under such rules and regulations as the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System may prescribe:

(a) Dealings in drafts, checks, bills of exchange, acceptances, and other evidences of indebtedness; purchase and sale of securities; letters of credit; purchase and sale of coin, bullion, and exchange; borrowing and loaning money; issue of debentures, bonds, and notes; deposits; limitation of liabilities; reserves

To purchase, sell, discount, and negotiate, with or without its indorsement or guaranty, notes, drafts, checks, bills of exchange, acceptances, including bankers' acceptances, cable transfers, and other evidences of indebtedness; to purchase and sell, with or without its indorsement or guaranty, securities, including the obligations of the United States or of any State thereof but not including shares of stock in any corporation except as herein provided; to accept bills or drafts drawn upon it subject to such limitations and restrictions as the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System may impose; to issue letters of credit; to purchase and sell coin, bullion, and exchange; to borrow and to lend money; to issue debentures, bonds, and promissory notes under such general conditions as to security and such limitations as the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Sys...

(b) Branches or agencies

To establish and maintain for the transaction of its business branches or agencies in foreign countries, their dependencies or colonies, and in the dependencies or insular possessions of the United States, at such places as may be approved by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and under such rules and regulations as it may prescribe, including countries or dependencies not specified in the original organization certificate.

(c) Purchase of stock in other corporations

With the consent of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to purchase and hold stock or other certificates of ownership in any other corporation organized under the provisions of this subchapter, or under the laws of any foreign country or a colony or dependency thereof, or under the laws of any State, dependency, or insular possession of the United States but not engaged in the general business of buying or selling goods, wares, merchandise, or commodities in the United States, and not transacting any business in the United States except such as in the judgment of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System may be incidental to its international or foreign business: Provided, however, That, except with the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, no corporation organized under this subchapter shall invest in any one corporation an amount in excess of 10 per centum of its own capital and surplus, except in a corporation engaged in the business of banking, when 15 per centum of its capital and surplus may be so invested: Provided further, That no corporation organized under this subchapter shall purchase, own, or hold stock or certificates of ownership in any other corporation organized under this subchapter or under the laws of any State which is in substantial competition therewith, or which holds stock or certificates of ownership in corporations which are in substantial competition with the purchasing corporation.