DTCC RECAPS Dates 2020-2025

This is a simple indicator which marks the RECAPS dates of the DTCC, during the periods of 2020 to 2025.
These dates have marked clear settlement squeezes in the past, such as GME's squeeze of January 2021.

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The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has published the 2025 schedule for its Reconfirmation and Re-pricing Service (RECAPS) through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC). RECAPS is a monthly process for comparing and re-pricing eligible equities, municipals, corporate bonds, and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) that have aged two business days or more .

At its core, the Reconfirmation and Re-pricing Service (RECAPS) is a risk management tool used by the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC), a subsidiary of the DTCC. Its primary purpose is to reduce the risks associated with aged, unsettled trades in the U.S. securities market .

When a trade is executed, it is sent to the NSCC for clearing and settlement. However, for various reasons, some trades may not settle on their scheduled date and become "aged." These unsettled trades create risk for both the trading parties and the clearinghouse (NSCC) because the value of the underlying securities can change over time. If a trade fails to settle and one of the parties defaults, the NSCC may have to step in to complete the transaction at the current market price, which could result in a loss.

RECAPS mitigates this risk by systematically re-pricing these aged, open trading obligations to the current market value. This process ensures that the financial obligations of the clearing members accurately reflect the present value of the securities, preventing the accumulation of significant, unmanaged market risk .

Detailed Mechanics: How Does it Work?
The RECAPS process revolves around two key dates you asked about: the RECAPS Date and the Settlement Date .

The RECAPS Date: On this day, the NSCC runs a process to identify all eligible trades that have remained unsettled for two business days or more. These "aged" trades are then re-priced to the current market value. This re-pricing is not just a simple recalculation; it generates new settlement instructions. The original, unsettled trade is effectively cancelled and replaced with a new one at the current market price. This is done through the NSCC's Obligation Warehouse.

The Settlement Date: This is typically the business day following the RECAPS date. On this date, the financial settlement of the re-priced trades occurs. The difference in value between the original trade price and the new, re-priced value is settled between the two trading parties. This "mark-to-market" adjustment is processed through the members' settlement accounts at the DTCC.

Essentially, the process ensures that any gains or losses due to price changes in the underlying security are realized and settled periodically, rather than being deferred until the trade is ultimately settled or cancelled.

Are These Dates Used to Check Margin Requirements?
Yes, indirectly, this process is closely tied to managing margin and collateral requirements for NSCC members. Here’s how:

The NSCC requires its members to post collateral to a clearing fund, which acts as a mutualized guarantee against defaults. The amount of collateral each member must provide is calculated based on their potential risk exposure to the clearinghouse.

By re-pricing aged trades to current market values through RECAPS, the NSCC gets a more accurate picture of each member's outstanding obligations and, therefore, their current risk profile. If a member has a large number of unsettled trades that have moved against them in value, the re-pricing will crystallize that loss, which will be settled the next day.

This regular re-pricing and settlement of aged trades prevent the build-up of large, unrealized losses that could increase a member's risk profile beyond what their posted collateral can cover. While RECAPS is not the only mechanism for calculating margin (the NSCC has a complex system for daily margin calls based on overall portfolio risk), it is a crucial component for managing the specific risk posed by aged, unsettled transactions. It ensures that the value of these obligations is kept current, which in turn helps ensure that collateral levels remain adequate.
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Future dates of 2025:
- November 12, 2025 (Wed)
- November 25, 2025 (Tue)
- December 11, 2025 (Thu)
- December 29, 2025 (Mon)
The dates for 2026 haven't been published yet at this time.


The RECAPS process is essentially the industry's way of retrying the settlement of all unresolved FTDs, netting outstanding obligations, and gradually forcing resolution (either delivery or buy-in). Monitoring RECAPS cycles is one way to track the lifecycle, accumulation, and eventual resolution (or persistence) of failures to deliver in the U.S. market.

The US Stock market has become a game of settlement dates and FTDs, therefore this can be useful to track.