Letter of credit
Letter of Credit is abbreviated as an LC or L/C, and often is referred to as a documentary credit, abbreviated as DC or D/C, documentary letter of credit, or simply as credit.
It’s a document issued mostly by a financial institution, used primarily in trade finance, which usually provides an irrevocable payment undertaking, it can also be revocable, confirmed, unconfirmed, transferable or others e.g. back to back: revolving but is most commonly irrevocable/confirmed to a beneficiary against complying documents as stated in the Letter of Credit.
Once the beneficiary or a presenting bank acting on its behalf, presents to the issuing bank or confirming bank, if any, on or before the expiry date of the LC, documents complying with the terms and conditions of the LC, the applicable UCP and international standard banking practice, the issuing bank or confirming bank, if any, is obliged to honour irrespective of any instructions from the applicant to the contrary.
Letters of credit are used primarily in international trade transactions of significant value, for deals between a supplier in one country and a customer in another. They are also used in the land development process to ensure that approved public facilities (streets, sidewalks, stormwater ponds, etc.) will be built.
[...] It refers to the various terms of financial support and financial transactions used in international trade. Trade finance uses a range of instruments to provide finance to exporters and importers, including documentary credits such as letters of credit. [...]