在現代國際貿易中，信用狀是整為廣泛的貿易結算和資金融通方式，早已成為各國普遍採用的一種支付方法。基本上，借助於銀行的信用擔保，信用狀以”銀行信用”取代”公司信用”，減少了買賣雙方各自承擔的”信用風險”，解決了付款和交貨上的問題．其發展大大促進了現今的國際貿易發展。
回歸正題，信用狀最重要的一環，就是銀行的信用擔保．其中可能會涉及兩間以上的銀行負責當中的真實金額交收．在一般環境之下，這門生意向來是商業銀行的低風險的生意，提供豐厚的利潤．
可是在這場金融海嘯當中，最關鍵的問題恰恰就是信心問題而非流動性問題．如是推論，信用狀所受的打擊應跟同業拆借相去不遠．如果信用狀的交收出現問題，其影響絕對比起股市樓市下跌更加可怕．因為在近年全球化的背景下，國際貿易而是各國公司賴以為生的道路，而信用狀市場的凍結，將會大大打擊國際之間的貿易，影響將會直接打擊實體經濟以及一般大眾．所以絕對不能輕視．尤以近年極力外各型經濟的東南亞各國（包括中國，甚至為首）所受的影響可能更大．
也許我只是杞人憂天，我也希望我真的是過份憂慮了．但請先看下文：
(來源：Financial Posts)
Grain piles up in ports
Canada next in inability to finance shipments
John Greenwood, Financial Post Published: Wednesday, October 08, 2008
The credit crisis is spilling over into the grain industry as international buyers find themselves unable to come up with payment, forcing sellers to shoulder often substantial losses.
Before cargoes can be loaded at port, buyers typically must produce proof they are good for the money. But more deals are falling through as sellers decide they don't trust the financial institution named in the buyer's letter of credit, analysts said.
"There's all kinds of stuff stacked up on docks right now that can't be shipped because people can't get letters of credit," said Bill Gary, president of Commodity Information Systems in Oklahoma City. "The problem is not demand, and it's not supply because we have plenty of supply. It's finding anyone who can come up with the credit to buy."
So far the problem is mostly being felt in U. S. and South American ports, but observers say it is only a matter of time before it hits Canada...
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