IBRD Flexible Loan (2024)

The IBRD Flexible Loan (IFL) is the leading loan product of the World Bank for public sector borrowers of middle-income countries. Eligible borrowers work with their World Bank country office to obtain financing for development through Investment Project Financing,Development Policy Financing, Program-for-Results, or any combination of those by a Multiphase Programmatic Approach, and use the IFL as their loan product.

IFL offers:

  • Long maturities – up to 35 years
  • Market-based interest rates reflecting IBRD's triple-A credit rating
  • Flexibility to tailor repayment terms
  • Embedded tools to manage currency or interest rate risk over the life of the loan

What are the maturities in IFL?

IFL's maximum final maturity is 35 years, including a grace period. The maximum weighted average maturity or average repayment maturity (ARM) is 20 years.

What is the cost of IFL?

The cost of the IFL reflects IBRD's triple-A credit rating and is stable and transparent. Components of the pricing include the interest rate, front-end fee, and commitment fee.

The interest rate consists of a market-based variable reference rate and a variable spread1. A one-time front-end fee of 0.25% is charged on the committed loan amount, and a commitment fee of 0.25% per annum paid semi-annually is charged on the undisbursed balances, which begins to accrue sixty days after the loan agreement is signed. Countries are classified into four pricing groups based on income and other factors. Please refer to the IBRD Flexible Loan Pricing Basics product note for information on IBRD USD, EUR, JPY, and GBP lending rates and charges or consult our Lending Rates & Fees.

How does the IFL help borrowers customize the repayment terms?

The IBRD Flexible Loan (IFL) allows borrowers to customize repayment terms (i.e., grace period, repayment period, and amortization profile) to meet debt management or project needs. For example, if the objective is to reduce the overall refinancing risk of the debt portfolio, a borrower may choose repayment terms that smooth out the debt service profile. This flexibility can also be used in investment operations to match repayment terms to a project's expected cash flows. Borrowers can find the most up-to-date information on IBRD Flexible Loan in the Major Terms and Conditions product note.

How does the IFL help manage financial risk?

The IFL includes conversion options to manage currency and/or interest rate risks over the life of the loan. These options are embedded in the loan agreement and can be executed at a borrower's request at any time. In line with their debt management strategy requirements or changing market conditions, IFL borrowers have the option to change from a floating reference rate to a fixed reference rate or vice versa. The IFL also offers the flexibility of using interest rate caps or collars to manage interest rate volatility. Similarly, IFL provides a currency conversion option for hard currencies as well as specific local currencies.

How to select the financial terms for the IFL? - Loan Choice Worksheet (LCW)

To prepare for the IFL, World Bank project manager, the World Bank country office, and the borrower's representative in charge of selecting financial terms, review the preparatory package to choose the suitable financial terms. The package consists of the Loan Choice Worksheet (LCW), instructions for the LCW, and an informational letter to the borrower with a more detailed explanation of the options available. The worksheet serves as the basis for the preparation of the applicable draft legal documentation.

LCW in Francais, Portuguesand Espanol

Instructions for LCW in Francais,Portugues, and Espanol.

Borrowers can tailor the repayment schedule of IBRD loans to meet specific project or portfolio needs. Determine if the customized schedule falls within IBRD maturity limits (20 years average repayment maturity and 35 years final maturity) using theAmortization Schedule Analyzer(ASA)available throughClient Connection.

For a complete list of frequently asked questions about IFL, read more. For more information about IFL, contact Miguel Navarro-Martin, Manager of Financial Products and Client Solutions.

1 The fixed spread terms under the IFL is suspended effective April 1, 2021 until further notice.

IBRD Flexible Loan (2024)

FAQs

What is an IBRD loan? ›

The IBRD offers loans to middle-income developing countries. It is the first of five member institutions that compose the World Bank Group. The initial mission of the IBRD in 1944, was to finance the reconstruction of European nations devastated by World War II.

What does a flexible loan do? ›

A Flexi Loan is a different type of personal loan. Instead of having to take your whole balance in one lump sum and pay interest on that, you choose to withdraw as much as you need, whenever you need to – and only pay interest on those amounts.

What are the two types of loans given by the World Bank? ›

The World Bank's loans and guarantees

IBRD and IDA lending also can be used by governments to finance equity, guarantees, and other forms of financial support.

What are the IDA credits and IBRD loans? ›

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) lends to governments of middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries. The International Development Association (IDA) provides interest-free loans – called credits – and grants to governments of the poorest countries.

What does the IBRD stand for? ›

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries.

What is the purpose of the IBRD? ›

IBRD's purpose as articulated in the Agreement Establishing the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD Charter) are to (i) assist in the reconstruction and development of member countries, (ii) promote private foreign investment and provide private capital when unavailable on commercially ...

Do flex loans hurt your credit? ›

Getting a flex loan may not require a credit check so applying for one won't necessarily affect your credit score. But lenders assume extra risk when they don't do a credit check, so they might charge higher interest to make up for that. A flex loan may hurt your credit if you don't manage it responsibly.

What happens if I dont pay my Flexi loan? ›

What happens when I fail to repay my loan on time? A penalty fee of 0.17% per day past your due date will be applied based on the overdue principal loan balance until the total amount due, inclusive of penalties, is paid.

What happens if you don't pay back a flex loan? ›

The payday lender might send your loan to collections. Then there will be more fees and costs. If you do not pay the debt while it is in collections, the collection agency might try to sue you to get what you owe.

What is the difference between the World Bank and the IBRD? ›

Together, IBRD and IDA form the World Bank, which provides financing, policy advice, and technical assistance to governments of developing countries. IDA focuses on the world's poorest countries, while IBRD assists middle-income and creditworthy poorer countries.

Who gets loans from the World Bank? ›

The Bank lends money to middle-income countries at interest rates lower than the rates on loans from commercial banks. In addition, the Bank lends money at no interest to the poorest developing countries, those that often cannot find other sources of loans.

What is the interest rate on World Bank loans? ›

IDA Terms (Effective as of April 1, 2024)
MaturityPrincipal Repayments
Regular383.125% for yrs. 7-38
Blend306.8% for yrs. 26-30
SML1216.67% for yrs. 7-12
50-Year Credit502.5% for yrs. 11-50
4 more rows

What is the IBRD also known as? ›

India approached the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), popularly known as World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and received $7 billion as loan to manage the crisis.

Where do the IBRD and IDA get their money? ›

IDA is funded largely by contributions from donor member governments, who meet every three years to replenish its funds. Additional funds come from IBRD net income, and repayments of IDA credits go into issuing new credits.

What is the difference between IMF and IBRD? ›

The World Bank Group works with developing countries to reduce poverty and increase shared prosperity, while the International Monetary Fund serves to stabilize the international monetary system and acts as a monitor of the world's currencies.

What is the difference between the World Bank loan and the IMF loan? ›

The main difference between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank lies in their respective purposes and functions. The IMF oversees the stability of the world's monetary system, while the World Bank's goal is to reduce poverty by offering assistance to middle-income and low-income countries.

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