The Federal Reserve Banks provide the Fedwire Securities Service, a securities settlement system that enables participants to hold, maintain, and transfer Fedwire-eligible securities. Depository institutions and certain other governmental or financial institutions that hold a funds account and a securities account with a Federal Reserve Bank are eligible to participate in the Fedwire Securities Service. In 2008, approximately 2,300 participants made Fedwire securities transfers. Fedwire-eligible securities include securities issued by the U.S. Treasury, other federal agencies, government-sponsored enterprises, and certain international organizations, such as the World Bank. Securities are held and transferred in book-entry form.
Securities transfers can be made free of payment or against a designated payment. Most securities transfers are, however, made against a designated payment. Transfers against payment involve the simultaneous exchange of payment for the security. All securities transfers are final at the time of transfer. Participants may originate securities transfers online, by initiating a secure electronic message, or off line, via telephone procedures.
The Fedwire Securities Service business day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:15 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, excluding designated holidays. During these hours participants can originate online securities transfers. Online participants can initiate reversal transactions until 3:30 p.m. ET and move (reposition) their securities among their securities accounts until 4:30 p.m. ET for payment and until 7:00 p.m. free of payment. Offline participants can initiate securities transfers or other requests from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET for same-day processing and until 4:00 p.m. ET for future-day processing. Under certain circumstances, Fedwire Securities Service operating hours may be extended by the Federal Reserve Banks.
For further information about Fedwire Securities Service, please see the Fedwire Securities Services page on the Federal Reserve Financial Services website.