Receivables Discounting is a form of Receivables Purchase, flexibly applied, in which sellers of goods and services sell individual or multiple receivables (represented by outstanding invoices) to a finance provider at a discount.

Forfaiting is a form of Receivables Purchase, consisting of the without recourse purchase of future payment obligations represented by financial instruments or payment obligations (normally in negotiable or transferable form), at a discount or at face value in return for a financing charge.

Factoring is a form of Receivables Purchase, in which sellers of goods and services sell their receivables (represented by outstanding invoices) at a discount to a finance provider (commonly known as the ‘factor’). A key differentiator of Factoring is that typically the finance provider becomes responsible for managing the debtor portfolio and collecting the payment of the underlying receivables.

Payables Finance is provided through a buyer-led programme within which sellers in the buyer’s supply chain are able to access finance by means of Receivables Purchase. The technique provides a seller of goods or services with the option of receiving the discounted value of receivables (represented by outstanding invoices) prior to their actual due date and typically at a financing cost aligned with the credit risk of the buyer. The payable continues to be due by the buyer until its due date.

Corporate Payment Undertaking is provided as a buyer-led programme within which sellers in the buyer’s supply chain can, at their option, access liquidity by means of receiving discounted early payment. Such payment to a seller covers seller’s invoices (or buyer approved amounts relating to such invoices). The technique provides a seller of goods or services (seller) with the option of receiving the discounted value as early payment of outstanding invoices (that have an unconditional approval by the buyer to pay on the due date) prior to their actual due date and typically at a discount with cost of early payment more aligned to the credit risk of the buyer.

An advance payment that is directly paid by the buyer to its seller. Unlike in other SCF techniques, there is no financing from the Finance Provider but rather a service to the buyer / seller in calculating (and optionally processing) the discount amount the buyer needs to pay. The buyer will pay the original invoice amount at a discount out of its own cash.

A technique that leverages a B2B network (that can be DLT-based). Following a ‘matched transaction’ in that network, a bank may issue a payment undertaking at the benefit of a corporate beneficiary or another bank. Such Bank Payment Undertaking may be the basis for a financing.

Loan or Advance against receivables is financing made available to a party involved in a supply chain on the expectation of repayment from funds generated from current or future trade receivables and is usually made against the security of such receivables, but may be unsecured.

Distributor Finance is the provision of financing for a distributor of a large manufacturer to cover the holding of goods for re-sale and to bridge the liquidity gap until the receipt of funds from receivables following the sale of goods to a retailer or end-customer.

Loan or Advance against Inventory is financing provided to a buyer or seller involved in a supply chain for the holding or warehousing of goods (either pre-sold, un-sold, or hedged) and over which the finance provider usually takes a security interest or assignment of rights and exercises a measure of control.

Pre-shipment Finance is a loan provided by a finance provider to a seller of goods and/or services for the sourcing, manufacture or conversion of raw materials or semi-finished goods into finished goods and/or services, which are then delivered to a buyer. A purchase order from an acceptable buyer, or a documentary or standby letter of credit or Bank Payment Obligation, issued on behalf of the buyer, in favour of the seller is often a key ingredient in motivating the finance in addition to the ability of the seller to perform under the contract
with the buyer.