Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) Services
We arrange SBLCs under ISP98 with wording that gets paid when it should. You receive a clear, independent undertaking, clean demand mechanics, and optional confirmation by a first-class bank. Use cases include payment backstops, performance security, bid participation, and safeguarding advance payments. Our work covers draft text, issuer selection, confirmation, and full lifecycle support from issuance to expiry.
Who this is for
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Exporters, EPCs, lessors, and landlords
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Developers and project sponsors needing security
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Buyers that must post a bank backstop to win terms
Standby types we arrange
- Payment standby
- Performance standby
- Bid or tender standby
- Advance-payment standby
- Rental or lease standby
Rule sets and options
- Primary: ISP98
- Alternate on request: UCP600 standbys
- URDG 758 if beneficiary mandates a guarantee form
- Optional confirmation and assignment of proceeds
What we deliver
Wording and structure
Draft standby text under ISP98, demand content, expiry and place, extend or pay mechanics, transfer or assignment provisions, and charges clause that align with the contract.
Bank lineup
Issuer selection by jurisdiction, advising bank coordination, and confirmation by a top-tier bank where beneficiary risk policy requires a local undertaking.
Execution and support
Fee letters, issuance via SWIFT MT760, beneficiary verification, amendment control, monitoring of expiry, and support on presentation or waiver requests.
Eligibility and documents required
Baseline profile
- Operating company with verifiable revenues
- Underlying contract or lease that requires a standby
- Acceptable issuer jurisdiction and sanctions posture
- Security or reimbursement agreement acceptable to issuer
Checklist to start
- KYC, corporate docs, ownership table
- Audited or reviewed financials and bank statements
- Draft standby text with purpose, amount, expiry, rule set
- Beneficiary details and any required local format
Illustrative pricing
Annual commission charged on the face amount based on issuer name, tenor, purpose, and security. Setup and SWIFT fees apply. Confirmation, if required, is priced by the confirming bank. Legal and courier costs are standard. Exact allocation follows the charges clause.
How the process works
- Share your contract, preferred wording, KYC, and financials.
- Receive indicative terms, issuer options, and confirmation proposal.
- Finalize ISP98 wording, demand content, expiry, and place of presentation.
- Issuer transmits the SBLC by SWIFT MT760 to the advising bank.
- We monitor effectiveness, amendments, and any extend or pay triggers.
- If called, beneficiary presents the stated demand and receives payment if compliant.
Controls that prevent disputes
Clear demand wording
Simple certificate language, no need to prove the underlying breach beyond what the standby requires.
Dates and place of expiry
Aligned with project or lease milestones and a specific place of presentation.
Confirmation where needed
Local paying bank undertaking when issuer or country risk is higher or the beneficiary requires it.
Frequently asked questions
Is an SBLC the same as a bank guarantee?
They serve the same purpose as independent undertakings. SBLCs are letters of credit governed mainly by ISP98. Demand guarantees are usually governed by URDG 758 if specified.
Can an SBLC be confirmed?
Yes. A confirming bank adds its own irrevocable undertaking to pay. This improves payout certainty and may enable discounting of proceeds in some cases.
Should I use ISP98 or UCP600 for a standby?
ISP98 is written for standbys and handles extend or pay, transfer, and notices cleanly. Some parties choose UCP600 for familiarity. We recommend ISP98 unless a counterparty mandates otherwise.
Request SBLC Terms
We deliver SBLCs that pay when called. You get ISP98 wording with simple demand content, issuer options that fit your jurisdiction, confirmation by a first-class bank where required, and full execution support from SWIFT issuance to expiry control. Send your contract, preferred wording, amount, expiry, KYC, and financials and we will return eligibility and pricing bands with a direct path to issuance.
Request Indicative Terms
Financely acts as advisor and arranger on a best efforts basis. We are not a bank. All transactions are subject to KYC and AML, sanctions screening, credit approval, legal documentation, and available capacity from counterparties. Nothing here is a commitment to lend or an offer of securities. Terms vary by bank names, jurisdictions, and documentary quality.