What does it mean to receive an instrument for value?

The holder must provide some form of value, such as assets, services, or money in exchange for the instrument. Receiving the instrument as a gift is not for value. Value may also mean taking the instrument as payment of an antecedent debt, as consideration for a fully-performed contract, in exchange for another negotiable instrument, or in exchange for an irrevocable obligation. When exchanging the instrument for services or irrevocable obligations, the key characteristic is that the value must have already been provided. That is, there is no future obligation (such as a promise to sell goods or perform services) as part of the transfer for value.