Commercial banks are the cornerstone of IFC's global syndications program. For more than 60 years, IFC has relied on banks to extend our lending capacity to developing-country firms operating in infrastructure, information technology, the real sector, and the financial sector.

We have successfully syndicated over $50 billion in loans for borrowers in more than 90 countries to this critical set of partners. Nearly 200 international commercial banks are presently eligible lenders in our B Loan program.

Global banks typically co-invest alongside us in loans denominated in hard currencies, where we are lender of record. The B Loan structure offers commercial banks the added protection of IFC’s privileges and immunities. 

We work with a growing network of local commercial banks to source additional local currency financing for our borrowers, most often under a parallel loan structure​. We also are leading commercial lending markets in the development of new standards, such as the Green Loan Principles, to help our partners better measure their contributions to impact and sustainability.

IFC is able to partner with international banks to extend additional support for their clients' operations in developing countries with project finance and corporate loans, equity, guarantees, trade finance and working capital products.