50. The Committee permits banks a choice between two broad methodologies for calculating their capital requirements for credit risk. One alternative, the Standardised Approach, will be to measure credit risk in a standardised manner, supported by external credit assessments. [The notations follow the methodology used by one institution, Standard & Poor's. the use of Standard & Poor's credit ratings is an example only; those of some other external credit assessment institutions could equally well be used. The ratings used throughout this document, therefore, do not express any preferences or determinations on external assessment institutions by the Committee.]

51. The other alternative, the Internal Ratings-based Approach, which is subject to the explicit approval of the bank's supervisor, would allow banks to use their internal rating systems for credit risk.