Exploring the Complex Russian Share Swap Scheme and Its Underwhelming Outcomes
Complex Russian Share Swap Scheme Underperforms
The Complex Russian Share Swap Scheme, devised by Moscow to swap frozen assets of Russian and Western investors, has drastically underdelivered. Having managed to secure merely Rbs8.1bn ($89mn), the scheme only benefitted just over 708,000 ordinary Russians, far short of the expected 3.5mn participants.
Background and Objectives
Initially, the Kremlin anticipated the swap would enable ordinary Russians to reclaim up to Rbs100bn ($1.12bn) worth of foreign equities frozen due to sanctions. However, interest from foreign investors proved tepid, undermining the scheme’s effectiveness.
- Investitsionnaya Palata operated the program without success.
- Ordinary Russians submitted less than half of the required applications.
- Foreign investors took up only about 20% of the offers made.
Investor Sentiment
Although there was initial confidence from the program's operator, foreign investors expressed significant reservations. Security concerns regarding counterparty risk were predominant.
- Some investors doubted the legitimacy of their potential counterparts.
- Increased sanctions against the Moscow Stock Exchange further dampened enthusiasm.
Both Euroclear and Clearstream distanced themselves from the initiative, stressing that participation was taken at the investor's risk. This skepticism is reflected in the lack of engagement from foreign entities.
Future of the Russian Share Swap Scheme
As of now, there has been no announcement regarding a second round of the scheme. The complexities surrounding asset transfer have also raised the stakes for future participation from foreign investors.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.