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Standby Letter of Credit

SBLC Definition

  • A standby letter of credit is a bank's commitment of payment to a third party in the event that the bank's client defaults on an agreement. It is a “standby” agreement because the bank will have to pay only in a worst-case scenario. A SBLC is most often sought by a business to help it obtain a contract.
  • Hassle-free loan application
  • Legal consultation

Power of the SBLC

Small businesses can have difficulty competing against bigger and better-known rivals. A SBLC can add credibility to its bid for a project.

The SBLC is often seen in contracts involving international trade, which tend to involve a large commitment of money and have added risks.

As previously stated, a guarantee issued by a bank or financial institution to pay a beneficiary on behalf of a client in a situation where the applicant fails to meet its obligations is called a standby letter of credit. This was developed because of a legal restriction placed by the US regulator on the authority of a bank to issue guarantees.

The standby letter of credit is considered quite suitable for a wide range of secure payments, which makes it quite flexible. It is most commonly used for international trade purposes to provide a guarantee to a party that it will receive payment in any case.

Having noted that, there are quite a few intricacies associated with a standby letter of credit. This suggests that consultation with a specialist is necessary in the absence of complete information about the procedure

For the business that is presented with a SBLC, the greatest advantage is the potential ease of getting out of that worst-case scenario. If an agreement calls for payment within 30 days of delivery and the payment is not made, the company can present the SBLC to the buyer's bank for payment. If a contract calls for construction of a building and the builder fails to deliver, the client presents the SBLC to the bank to be made whole.

  • A SBLC is a bank's commitment of payment to a third party in the event that the bank's client defaults on an agreement.
  • The process of obtaining a SBLC is similar to a loan application.
  • Thus, the recipient of a standby letter of credit is assured that it is doing business with an individual or company that is capable of paying the bill or finishing the project.
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