Rubino Warns of Bank Risks as U.S. Banks Held $4.75 Trillion in Securities

John Rubino warned of simultaneous pressures on U.S. banks in an Oct. 24 interview, as June 2026 figures showed commercial banks held $4.7503 trillion in Treasury and agency securities.

A day earlier, Rubino wrote, “US banks hold nearly $5 trillion of government paper.” The $4.7503 trillion figure was not seasonally adjusted and covered Treasury and agency securities.

Institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) had $326.7 billion in unrealized losses on non-equity securities as of June 30, equal to 5.5% of amortized cost. The total rose $1.6 billion, or 0.5%, from the prior quarter and fell $68.6 billion, or 17.4%, from a year earlier.

Unrealized losses compare market value with book value and are not losses institutions have already realized. FDIC-insured institutions recorded $90.1 billion in net income for the second quarter, up $9.7 billion, or 12%, from the first quarter. Asset-quality measures improved, and banks maintained strong capital and liquidity levels.