What is a Banker’s Acceptance?

A banker’s acceptance (BA) is a debt instrument which is guaranteed by a commercial bank and issued by an individual company. A bankers acceptance represents the commitment of a commercial bank to make a payment in the future. A bankers acceptance can also be referred to as a commercial bank draft which reflects the commitment of the bank to pay whoever holds the acceptance a certain amount at a future date.

How Does a Banker’s Acceptance Work?

A bankers acceptance is a draft that states the amount of money the holder of the instrument must be paid at a specified date. Bankers acceptances are issued by companies and backed by commercial banks. The short-term debt instrument allows the holder or bearer to receive the amount stated in the acceptance on the specified date. Being a short-term negotiable instrument, a bankers acceptance can have a maturity date which ranges from 30 to 180 days.