Unpacking the impact of the capital requirement regulation on non-performing loan dynamics in EU banks

In the wake of the global financial crisis, an increasing trend in non-performing loans has led to significant risks to financial stability. The 2014 Capital Requirements Regulation was introduced to tackle systemic vulnerabilities in the banking sector by setting an 8% risk- weighted capital requirement. This study demonstrates that stricter capital regulation increases the costs of holding risky assets, especially non-performing loans. This regulatory intervention also reduced the growth in the non-performing loan ratio. The study shows that the effect's magnitude depends on the bank's size and the extent of the non-performing loans held before the regulation. Finally, the regulatory impact continued for four years, gradually diminishing post-implementation.