Exhibit 5.3
January 27, 2025
[Letterhead of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP]
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.,
200 West Street,
New York, New York 10282.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We refer to the Amended and Restated General Guarantee Agreement, dated September 28, 2018 (the “Guarantee Agreement”), by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Guarantor”), which is filed as Exhibit 4.93 to the Registration Statement referenced below. We understand that Goldman Sachs Bank USA, a New York corporation and a subsidiary of the Guarantor (“GS Bank”), intends to issue, offer and sell certificates of deposit from time to time, either directly or to or through affiliated financial institutions, and that those certificates of deposit would be subject to the Guarantee Agreement.
We are acting as counsel to the Guarantor in connection with the filing today by the Guarantor of a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”). The Registration Statement registers the guarantees by the Guarantor, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Guarantee Agreement (the “Guarantees”), of the obligations of GS Bank under certain certificates of deposit identified as “specified CDs” in the prospectus dated January 27, 2025 contained in the Registration Statement (the “Specified CDs”).
In connection with the filing of the Registration Statement, we, as counsel to the Guarantor, have examined such corporate records, certificates and other documents, including the resolutions of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors authorizing the issuance of the Guarantees (the “Resolutions”), and such questions of law, as we have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. Upon the basis of such examination, we advise you that, in our opinion, when any Specified CDs are issued, offered and sold by GS Bank, the Guarantees of such Specified CDs will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Guarantor, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles. For the purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that each Specified CD, when issued, offered and sold by GS Bank, will have been duly authorized, issued and paid for and that the issuance, offer and sale thereof, and the use of the proceeds therefrom, will comply with all applicable laws and will not cause the Guarantor, by issuing the Guarantees, to violate any applicable law.