I do not think this is a problem of mortgage-backed securities.
The problem is that SVB tied up their liquidity for 10 years at a yield far lower than they would get with more secure investments after the FED's rate hikes.
The specific assets they invested into are immaterial.
Aye, the mistake was the duration, not the instrument. I hope nobody would take 60% of their brokerage account and invest it in a 10 year bond either, ladders exist not just to manage liquidity but also to limit the duration you have to suffer low yields with.
Yep. Let's not forget this same thing pretty much happened last year in the UK - pension funds got margin called because they borrowed money to buy gilts (UK gov bonds). Low interest bonds, money tied up, messed them up when interest rates rose.
The problem is that SVB tied up their liquidity for 10 years at a yield far lower than they would get with more secure investments after the FED's rate hikes.
The specific assets they invested into are immaterial.