general | March 19, 2026

What does back to back mean in finance?

A back-to-back loan, also known as a parallel loan, is when two companies in different countries borrow offsetting amounts from one another in each other’s currency as a hedge against currency risk. These days, currency swaps and similar instruments have largely replaced back-to-back loans.

Who can open back to back LC?

An exporter can open a Back to Back LC 75% to 100% of FOB value of the Export LC and the payments of back to back LC is adjusted when the export proceeds is received. A company can open more than one Back to Back import LC against one or more Export LC.

Why is a back to back credit needed?

Back-to-back LCs essentially substitute the two issuing banks’ credit to the buyer’s and intermediary’s and thus help facilitate trade between parties who may be dealing from great distances and who may not otherwise be able to verify one another’s credit.

What is back to back pricing?

Fixing the price of a commodity for which the commitment to purchase has been made in advance. The buyer can fix the price relative to any monthly or periodic delivery using the futures markets.

What is back to back business model?

Back-to-back refers to anything, such as a document, in which all the features mirror the next document. Trade intermediaries use a back-to-back document to open a second credit in favor of a seller (supplier).

What is the difference between transferable back to back LC?

In a transferable LC middleman only gets “profit” and no debit is made to his account and hence no impact on his cash flow whereas in Back-to-Back LC the middleman is applicant and beneficiary of first credit and the hence the transaction will move through his account.

What is back to back LC with example?

Back-to-Back Letter of Credit is a negotiable instrument in which the seller gets a Letter of Credit from the buyer and the seller further transfers the Letter of Credit to its supplier.

What is a back to back guarantee?

A Back to Back Guarantee (also known as back-to-back credit or reciprocal credit) is two letters of credit issued by two banks, one guaranteeing payment by a seller and the other guaranteeing performance by a buyer that is the arrangement securities for a contractor or seller’s performance at the same time a guarantee …

How many times can you transfer LC?

The LC can be transferred to more than one second beneficiary provided LC permits partial shipment and aggregate value of amounts so transferred does not exceed value of original LC.

What is the process of back to back LC?

The broker asks his bank to issue another letter of credit to the actual supplier, keeping the first one as collateral. This letter of credit is known as the back to back LC. The supplier transports the cargo to the original buyer and submits the documents of transport like the bill of lading, etc. to its bank.

How many beneficiaries can be there in case of a back to back LC?

What is the difference between transferable back-to-back LC?

What Cannot be changed while transferring LC?

A transferred LC cannot be transferred at the request of a second beneficiary to any subsequent beneficiary. You can only transfer an amount that is less than or equal to the amount available under the original LC. An Import LC can be transferred only if the Applicant and Beneficiary are customers of your bank.

Is back to back LC transferable?

Back-to-Back Letter of Credit acts as an alternative to Transferable Letter of Credit. It provides the middlemen/first beneficiary/exporter the right to use the original Letter of Credit as a security in favor of the supplier i.e. the secondary beneficiary.

Can LC be transferred twice?

No, it can only be transferred to one or more second beneficiary, but cannot be further transferred. Can I partially transfer the Letter of Credit?

Can back to back LC transferable?

The issuing bank has to designate such an LC as transferable at the time of issuing it. Only then can the beneficiary transfer the credit to a third party. In the case of a back to back LC, the LC is issued by the bank against the primary LC, which acts as collateral.

Can an LC be transferred more than once?