Commercial Letters of Credit

Commercial letters of credit

Trade-related agreement that a certain amount of bank funds is available to an entity.

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Letter of Credit

A statement issued by a bank to the buyer of a good stating that the seller will receive payment on time and in the correct amount. If the buyer fails to make payment, the bank will do so on his/her behalf. The buyer presents a letter of credit to the seller, which eliminates the risk that the seller will not be paid. Letters of credit have become very common in international commerce, as distance and other factors make it difficult for sellers to establish the creditworthiness of every buyer.