Most requests land as “I need an LC.” That’s vague. The wrong instrument adds weeks, burns fees, and can still fail compliance. Use the quick matrix below to pick the tool that actually gets the cargo released and the supplier paid on time.
| Goal | Pick | What it achieves | When funds move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control shipment with documents (B/L, invoice, packing list) | Commercial LC | Bank pays against compliant documents; seller relies on LC terms, not buyer promises | At sight or at usance per LC terms |
| Give a payment/performance guarantee without a full LC | SBLC(Standby LC) | Bank undertakes to pay if buyer fails to pay/perform; often used for deposits, rentals, or contract security | On demand upon presentation under SBLC wording |
| Supplier wants cash at sight; buyer needs tenor financing | UPAS LC(Usance Payable At Sight) | Exporter gets paid at sight; importer repays bank at a later date (30–180 days typical) | Exporter: sight; Importer: at usance maturity |
| Feature | Commercial LC | SBLC | UPAS LC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Documentary payment for goods | Payment/performance backstop | Sight payment to seller + tenor to buyer |
| Who it reassures | Exporter (gets paid vs docs) | Exporter/landlord/counterparty (if buyer defaults) | Exporter (sight cash), Importer (credit) |
| Typical add-ons | Confirmation by a top-tier bank; discounting | On-demand wording; expiry and claim window clarity | Confirmation + usance financing mechanics |
| Tenor | Sight or usance (30–180 days common) | Expiry + claim terms; not a payment schedule | Seller paid at sight; buyer repays at 30–180 days |
| Issuance speed* | ~3–10 business days post-KYC and terms | ~3–10 business days post-KYC and wording sign-off | ~5–12 business days (adds usance/confirmation steps) |
| Cost drivers | Issuance %, confirmation %, advising, SWIFT, courier | Issuance %, wording, advising, SWIFT | Issuance %, confirmation %, usance interest, fees |
*Ranges reflect clean files. Add time for complex KYC, sanctions, or extra confirmations.
| Item | Commercial LC | SBLC | UPAS LC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuance fee (per annum, pro-rated) | ~0.75%–2.00% | ~1.00%–2.50% | ~0.90%–2.00% |
| Confirmation (if added) | ~0.50%–3.00% p.a. (market/country risk) | ~0.75%–3.50% p.a. | ~0.75%–3.00% p.a. |
| Usance interest (buyer tenor) | N/A or per discounting terms | N/A | Benchmark + spread for 30–180 days |
| Advising / SWIFT / courier | Fixed bank charges per bank | Fixed bank charges per bank | Fixed bank charges + usance mechanics |
| Typical issuance time (clean file) | 3–10 business days | 3–10 business days | 5–12 business days |
We scope the trade, pick the right instrument, and place it with banks that will actually sign. That includes drafting workable wording, lining up confirmation when needed, and walking the document set so your shipment isn’t stuck over avoidable discrepancies. Start to finish, we keep you out of dead ends and into a bankable path.
Share your contract terms, shipment window, and target amount. We’ll map the instrument and get you a path that can clear credit and compliance.
Price My LC / SBLC / UPAS Do I always need confirmation
No. Add it when the exporter won’t accept the issuing bank/country risk or when contractually required.
How big can these transactions be
We work across small tickets to eight- and nine-figure trades. The bank set changes with size and risk.
Can an SBLC replace a Commercial LC
Different purpose. An SBLC is a backstop. A Commercial LC is a document-against-payment engine. Use the right tool for the promise you’re making.
What’s special about UPAS LC
Seller gets sight cash. Buyer repays later. Good when supplier wants immediate payment but the buyer needs short tenor to sell or process the goods.
What slows issuance the most
Messy KYC, vague wording, and missing contract terms. Clean files move fastest.
This page is informational. Any placement depends on bank credit approval, KYC/AML, sanctions checks, and finalized wording consistent with the sales contract and applicable rules.
Submit your deal using our secure intake form, and receive a quote within 1-3 business days. Existing clients can connect with their relationship manager through our secure web portal.
All submissions are
promptly reviewed, and all communications are conducted through the intake form or the client portal for a seamless and secure process.
Thank you for considering working with us. A nominal fee of US$500 is required upon completion of each form. This fee covers the time and effort we invest in reviewing your submission and crafting a thorough proposal. We receive numerous inquiries and prioritize those that carry this fee, ensuring serious applicants receive prompt attention.
Tap into solutions like letters of credit, bank guarantees, and payment facilitation. We address the challenge of global transaction risk through structured strategies that foster cross-border growth. Complete the form to unlock streamlined funding aligned with your commercial objectives.
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Submit a RequestOnce we receive your submission, our team will review your information to determine feasibility. If eligible, you will receive a proposal or term sheet within 1–3 business days. Visit our FAQ and Procedure pages for more information.
Disclaimer: Financely provides financing based on due diligence and feasibility. Approval is not guaranteed, and past performance does not predict future outcomes. All terms are subject to review. Financely primarily assists with structuring and distribution. Qualified parties carry out the project if the client approves the proposal.
Financely advises growth-focused businesses on accessing capital by introducing their opportunities to professional investors. Financely is not a securities broker or dealer. Where appropriate, engagements are coordinated with regulated broker-dealers, investment banks, legal counsel, and other specialists.
Financely does not solicit, offer, or accept orders to buy or sell securities and makes no assurance regarding capital-raising outcomes.
Services are strictly business-to-business. Financely does not provide personal finance, consumer credit, or retail advisory services.
Advisory services are reserved for post-revenue companies that recognize the time and resources required for professional underwriting.
All mandates start with an RFQ. We review submissions, issue a brief Go/No-Go memo, and where bankable, release a Term Sheet that leads to funding. We arrange capital across Senior Secured, Unitranche, Second Lien/Mezzanine, Preferred Equity, and Gap Solutions. We do not process deals by email or chat.
Letters of Credit, Standby LCs, Confirmations, Receivables Finance, and Inventory Lines with control.
Funding arranged for trade flows with instruments sized to your cycle and aligned to delivery and settlement.
Move forward to secure working capital and keep goods moving. Submit the RFQ to start underwriting for funding.
Limited or non-recourse structures for energy and infrastructure with lender-ready materials.
Funding solutions aligned to project cash flows with credible covenants and conditions to reach notice to proceed.
Advance the file to termable status. Submit the RFQ so we can underwrite and secure funding.
Debt and Preferred solutions anchored on cash flow, Quality of Earnings, and clear closing mechanics.
Funding across senior, unitranche, and preferred to match stable cash flows and acquisition timelines.
Get financed on workable terms for closing. Submit the RFQ to start underwriting.
Acquisition, development, bridge, and refinance with lender-ready packs and third-party reports managed.
Funding calibrated to DSCR, leverage, and tenancy with terms designed to close.
Move to a financeable package. Submit the RFQ to initiate underwriting for funding.
KYC and Source of Funds required. Engagements are best-efforts and subject to underwriting. Preference for operating companies with meaningful revenue. See our FAQ and Procedure.
Financely Inc. (“Financely”) provides corporate-finance advice and is wholly owned by Aurora Bay Trust, a trust formed under Bahamian law, together with its authorized affiliates. Depending on deal structure, jurisdiction, and local rules, engagements may be carried out through Financely Group LLC, a non-deposit-taking, non-banking financial company; Ashford Capital Advisory LLC; or another related entity.
Financely and its affiliates are not registered as securities broker-dealers and do not execute securities transactions or hold client funds or securities. When a mandate involves the purchase or sale of securities and a registered intermediary is required, any orders are introduced to and executed by one or more independent U.S. broker-dealers registered with the SEC and FINRA. Those broker-dealers are solely responsible for trade execution, custody, and related regulatory obligations. Nothing in this material constitutes an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security or to engage in any specific transaction. Before engaging Financely Group LLC, Ashford Capital Advisory LLC, or any affiliate, you are responsible for confirming that such engagement complies with your own legal, regulatory, tax, and other requirements. In the United States, certain advisory activities may be conducted in reliance on exemptions available under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, including the “foreign private adviser” exemption where applicable. Our services and regulatory status may vary by jurisdiction and by transaction type.
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