Usance Letter of Credit Discounting (UCP600)
Ship, present clean documents, and get paid now. We arrange discounting of usance LCs so exporters receive sight funds while the importer settles at maturity. Structures include UPAS under deferred payment and discounting of accepted time drafts. We align wording, banks, and reimbursement so there are no surprises between presentation and settlement.
Best for
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Exporters who want sight proceeds under time LCs
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Traders managing long voyages or production cycles
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Corridors where suppliers demand bank-risk payment
Instruments discounted
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Usance LC with UPAS for sight funding
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Acceptance LC via banker's acceptance of time draft
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Confirmed usance LCs at nominated bank
Main decision drivers
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Issuing bank name and country risk
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Confirmation and nominated bank capacity
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Tenor basis and documentary quality
Scope of work
Structuring
UCP600 reference, tenor start, presentation period, documents list, UPAS or acceptance wording, charges clause, reimbursement path, and settlement responsibilities.
Bank lineup
Nominated and confirming banks with discounting appetite, FX setup if needed, and clear roles for advising and reimbursing banks.
Execution
Draft MT700 review, fee letters, issuance support, pre-check of documents, presentation coaching, discrepancy cure, discount settlement, and maturity reconciliation.
Eligibility and documents required
Baseline profile
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Active exporter or trader with verifiable shipments
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LC issuer within acceptable bank and country lists
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Tenor commonly 30 to 180 days, longer by approval
Document checklist
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Draft LC text and sales contract with Incoterms
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KYC pack, corporate docs, ownership table
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Financial statements and recent bank statements
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For acceptance LCs, time draft format and drawee
How discounting works
Usance LC with UPAS
- LC states deferred payment with UPAS allowed and names the nominated or confirming bank.
- Exporter presents compliant documents. Nominated or confirming bank pays at sight.
- Issuing bank reimburses at maturity. Applicant repays under their facility.
- Discount cost equals funding margin for the tenor plus bank fees.
Acceptance LC with time draft
- Exporter draws a time draft. Bank accepts and stamps maturity.
- Exporter sells the accepted draft to a bank at a discount.
- At maturity, the accepting bank pays the holder of the draft.
- Discount rate tracks the accepting bank name and tenor.
Pricing guide
Fees split into issuance, advising, document checking, confirmation if used, and a funding margin for the tenor. For many corridors, funding margins sit around 2.5 to 6.5 percent per annum pro rated by days to maturity. Confirmation premia depend on issuing bank and country. Example on 3,000,000 for 120 days with confirmation and UPAS: issuance 0.40 percent, advising 0.10 percent, document check 0.10 percent, confirmation 0.30 to 1.25 percent, funding margin 3.5 percent per annum for 120 days. Charges allocation follows the LC wording.
Wording that speeds discount approval
Supportive wording
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Irrevocable LC subject to UCP600, tenor and start date defined
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UPAS or acceptance stated, named nominated bank, clear reimbursement
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Presentation period and documents aligned with Incoterms
Common pitfalls
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Mixing deferred payment and acceptance without clarity
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Ambiguous tenor basis that conflicts with transport dates
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Bespoke certificates that increase discrepancy risk
Steps to arrange discounting
- Share draft LC, contract or PO, shipment plan, KYC, and financials.
- Receive indicative pricing bands, bank lineup, and fee letters.
- Lock wording, confirmation, and reimbursement path. Issue MT700.
- Pre-check documents before presentation. Cure any issues early.
- Present. Nominated or confirming bank discounts at sight.
- Maturity reconciliation between banks. Final statements issued.
Frequently asked questions
Can any usance LC be discounted?
No. Banks look at the issuing bank name, country, tenor, LC wording, and your presentation history. Confirmation often improves eligibility and price.
Is UPAS different from acceptance discounting?
Yes. UPAS funds a deferred payment LC at sight without a draft. Acceptance discounting relies on a bank-accepted time draft that is sold at a discount.
Do I need to change my Incoterms to use discounting?
Not necessarily. The LC documents must be consistent with the agreed Incoterms and shipment plan. We align the wording to your trade flow.
What tenors are most price efficient?
30 to 120 days is common. Longer is possible but funding margins increase with tenor and risk. Issuer and corridor matter.
Request Usance LC Discounting Terms
Share your draft LC text, contract or PO, shipment plan, KYC, and financials to receive eligibility feedback and pricing bands.
Request Indicative Terms
Financely acts as advisor and arranger on a best efforts basis. All transactions are subject to KYC and AML, sanctions screening, document compliance, and approvals by counterparties. Nothing here is a commitment to lend or an offer of securities. Terms depend on bank names, jurisdiction, and documentary quality.