How To Get An SBLC When You Do Not Have The Collateral
You have a real contract. The counterparty wants a standby. Your bank wants cash you do not have. You can still secure issuance by bringing in a third party collateral provider. This guide shows the exact procedure from screening to MT760, what documents are needed, what gets checked, what it costs, and how to avoid dead ends. No em dashes are used in this document.
Snapshot:
Four to six weeks with responsive parties. Draft to ISP98 with objective evidence. Third party posts funded collateral at the issuing bank. Applicant gives indemnity and security and usually a margin. Escrow and account control prevent diversion. MT760 goes only to a verified beneficiary.
Step By Step Procedure
- Screen the deal.
Provide corporate KYC, ownership chart, two years of financials, current bank statements, the commercial contract or near final draft, and full beneficiary coordinates. Sanctions and fraud checks are run on both sides.
- Confirm eligibility.
The arranger validates that the contract is real, the beneficiary is reachable at a known bank, and the purpose fits a standby. If the goal is monetization, stop here. Real issuers do not support that.
- Draft the standby to ISP98.
Amount, tenor, expiry, presentation place, and a tight evidence list. Examples include engineer certificates, shipment documents, or audited earnout proofs. Open first demand text is avoided.
- Set the security package.
You sign a reimbursement and indemnity agreement. Provide cash margin or pledged assets. Share pledge, debenture, and assignment of proceeds are common. This creates recourse if a compliant draw happens.
- Lock the cash path.
Escrow agreement and account control agreement are drafted. These set who can instruct, when funds release, and how sweeps work. This prevents diversion and reduces bank risk.
- Collateral provider approval.
A vetted provider agrees to post cash or eligible securities at the issuing bank. Insurance may be added when the contract supports it. The bank allocates a line for the issuance.
- Post margin and collateral.
You post your agreed margin. The provider posts funded collateral at the issuer. The issuer confirms receipt. Conditions precedent are ticked off.
- Issuance.
Optional MT799 pre advice if requested by the beneficiary bank. The issuer sends MT760. You receive a closing pack with SWIFT copies and executed documents.
- Monitoring and expiry.
Milestones are checked. Step downs can reduce exposure. If no compliant draw is presented by expiry, collateral is released and the standby is canceled.
What You Must Prepare First
| Item |
Detail |
| Contract Proof |
Executed or near final contract, award letter, or PO with value, dates, and obligations |
| Beneficiary Bank Coordinates |
Legal name, SWIFT, branch, contact. No generic emails. Verification call is standard |
| Corporate KYC |
Registration docs, share register, director list, UBO IDs, proof of address, sanctions checks |
| Financials And Banks |
Two years financials, latest management accounts, six months bank statements |
| Draft SBLC Text |
ISP98 citation, objective draw package, amount, tenor, expiry, place of presentation |
Fees, Margin, And Timeline
| Item |
Typical Range Or Note |
| Upfront Premium |
3 to 7 percent of face, paid at signing or staged against milestones |
| Annual Fee On Renewal |
2 to 3 percent while outstanding |
| Applicant Margin |
10 to 40 percent in cash or pledged assets depending on risk and tenor |
| Timeline |
Four to six weeks with clean files and responsive counterparties |
Red Flags That Kill Issuance
- Talk of monetizing the standby with a trader.
- Beneficiary refuses to share bank coordinates or will not confirm receipt path.
- Open text with first demand and no evidence list.
- Applicant refuses indemnity or any margin.
- No escrow or account control agreements.
- Sanctions or fraud hits that are not cleared.
Ready To Pursue A Funded SBLC
Move to the core service page and request underwriting. You will be asked for KYC, contract proof, and beneficiary details.
Request A Quote
FAQ
Can my bank issue without funded collateral
Only if you have an existing facility or pledged assets the bank accepts. If not, a third party collateral provider is required.
Which rules do you use for the standby
ISP98 by default. UCP600 can be used if the beneficiary requires it. The aim is objective evidence for any draw.
Do I always need to post margin
Yes in almost all cases. Margin aligns incentives and covers first loss if the standby is called.
How do you prevent abusive calls
Verified beneficiary, contract checks, ISP98 text with a precise evidence list, and bank compliance review. Escrow and account control add further protection.
Where do I apply for issuance with third party collateral
Financely structures, underwrites, and coordinates issuances with banks and investors through regulated partners. We do not issue letters of credit. Nothing here is a commitment to lend or invest. All transactions are subject to KYC, AML, sanctions screening, contract verification, and bank approvals. Terms and timelines vary by jurisdiction and counterparty readiness.