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Asset Rehypothecation

Definition

Asset rehypothecation occurs when a financial institution reuses client assets that were provided as collateral for its own transactions. This practice permits a broker to lend out client securities to other parties, often for short selling or to collateralize its own borrowings. Such reusage multiplies the risk exposure of the original assets, as multiple claims may exist against the same underlying holdings. It is a process that can increase market liquidity but simultaneously introduces additional counterparty risk.