What is
Bill Discounting?
Bill discounting is a financial arrangement where businesses receive immediate cash by selling bills of exchange to a financial institution before their maturity date. The discount house or bank pays the bill’s face value minus a discount (interest charge) for the period between purchase and maturity.
This provides immediate liquidity against trade bills, allowing businesses to access funds tied up in bills of exchange without waiting for the maturity date. The discounting institution then collects the full amount from the bill’s acceptor when it matures.
Bills of exchange
as underlying financial instruments
Discount rate
applied for the period until maturity
Immediate cash
available against bill value
Credit assessment
of bill acceptor's creditworthiness
Maturity period
typically 30-180 days
Recourse arrangement
where you remain liable if bill is dishonored
Bank endorsement
transferring bill ownership
Interest calculation
based on time to maturity and discount rate