Dodd-Frank Act Stress Tests (DFAST)

Annual assessments by the Federal Reserve evaluating large banks’ capital adequacy under hypothetical severe economic scenarios to ensure resilience.

What is Dodd-Frank Act Stress Tests (DFAST)?

Mandated by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act for banks with over $250 billion in assets (33 firms in 2025), DFAST uses scenarios like a 7.8% GDP drop and 10% unemployment. In 2025, the severely adverse scenario projected $685 billion in aggregate losses, with banks maintaining minimum CET1 ratios above 4.5% plus buffers. Results inform stress capital buffers (SCB), ranging from 2.5% to 7.3% for firms like JPMorgan (4.8% in 2025).

Banks submit capital plans, with the Fed modeling losses across portfolios like $400 billion in credit cards and $150 billion in commercial real estate. Failures can restrict dividends; in 2020, amid COVID, the Fed capped payouts at prior levels. For Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, 2025 tests showed $17 billion in projected losses under baseline.

The process includes qualitative reviews until 2020, now quantitative only, with results released in June, influencing stock prices (e.g., bank shares rose 2% post-2025 results).