Understanding Letter of Credit

Book excerpt: The book elucidates the importance of a letter of credit in matters of trade finance. A letter of credit is an instrument that is used worldwide to facilitate the flow of trade finance. This book is ideal for beginners who are interested in the subject but do not possess a clear understanding of the basics of the letter of credit or adequate technical knowledge. It may also benefit bankers and students of international trade finance. It will help them build a strong foundation to help understand how to tackle difficult day to day transactions. The book explains the UCP 600 guidelines that govern letters of credit and the roles of the issuing bank, beneficiary, advising bank, nominated bank, confirming bank, applicant and so on. This book is not exhaustive as letter of credit is a vast subject and every single transaction carried out is unique. The book has been written keeping in mind the difficulties I faced while working at a bank and the experiences I have gained thus far, on my journey as a trade finance professional.