In finance, a advance rate agreement (FRA) is an interest rate derivative (IRD). In particular, it is a linear IRD with strong associations with interest rate swaps (IRS). Although the N-Displaystyle N is the fictitious of the contract, the R-Displaystyle R is the fixed rate, the published -IBOR fixing rate and displaystyle rate of a decimal fraction of the value of the IBOR debit value. For the USD and EUR, it will be an ACT/360 agreement and an ACT/365 agreement. The cash amount is paid on the start date of the interest rate index (depending on the currency in which the FRA is traded, either immediately after or within two business days of the published IBOR fixing rate). A borrower could enter into an advance rate agreement to lock in an interest rate if the borrower believes interest rates could rise in the future. In other words, a borrower might want to set their cost of borrowing today by entering an FRA. The cash difference between the FRA and the reference rate or variable interest rate is offset on the date of the value or settlement. Company A enters into an FRA with Company B, in which Company A obtains a fixed interest rate of 5% on a capital amount of $1 million in one year. In return, Company B receives the one-year LIBOR rate set in three years on the amount of capital. The agreement is billed in cash in a payment made at the beginning of the term period, discounted by an amount calculated using the contract rate and the duration of the contract. There is a risk to the borrower if he were to liquidate the FRA and if the market price had moved negatively, so that the borrower would take a loss in cash billing.

FRAs are highly liquid and can be settled in the market, but a cash difference will be compensated between the fra and the prevailing market price. ADFs are not loans and are not agreements to lend an amount to another party on an unsecured basis at a pre-agreed interest rate. Their nature as an IRD product produces only the effect of leverage and the ability to speculate or secure interests. In other words, a Discount Rate Agreement (FRA) is a short-term, tailored and agreed-upon financial futures contract. A transaction fra is a contract between two parties for the exchange of payments on a deposit, the notional amount, which must be determined later on the basis of a short-term interest rate called the benchmark rate over a predetermined period. FRA transactions are introduced as a hedge against changes in interest rates. The buyer of the contract blocks the interest rate to protect against an interest rate hike, while the seller protects against a possible drop in interest rates. At maturity, no funds exchange hands; On the contrary, the difference between the contractual interest rate and the market interest rate is exchanged. The purchaser of the contract is paid when the published reference rate is higher than the fixed rate agreed by contract and the buyer pays the seller if the published reference rate is lower than the fixed rate agreed by contract.

A company trying to guard against a possible interest rate hike would buy FRAs, while a company seeking interest coverage against a possible interest rate cut would sell FRAs. [3×9 dollars – 3.25/3.50%p.a ] means that interest rates on deposits from 3 months are 3.25% for 6 months and that the interest rate from 3 months is 3.50% for 6 months (see also the spread of the refund application).