ML-Implode News - Fed Pays Banks $30 Billion Risk-Free for 2017

... note how the surging interest payments to the banks slashed into the remittances to the Treasury. If the Fed hadn't decided to pay interest on excess reserves, to benefit the banks, it could remit this money to the Treasury. In other words, every dime the banks receive comes indirectly out of the pocket of taxpayers.
The Fed will likely raise rates further this year. There is talk of four rate hikes. This would push the rate on excess reserves to 2.5% by the end of the year. Excess reserves will likely shrink as QE is being unwound, but not fast enough. And the amount that the Fed pays the banks this year might surge to $40 billion or more -- a glorious and hidden subsidy extracted from taxpayer pockets.

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Fed Pays Banks $30 Billion Risk-Free for 2017