## The Stand by Arrangement (SBA)

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [The Stand by Arrangement (SBA)](https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/stand-by-arrangement-sba)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/stand-by-arrangement-sba/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/stand-by-arrangement-sba/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/stand-by-arrangement-sba/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: March 17, 2023

---

### Overview
- The Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) provides short-term financial assistance to countries facing balance of payments problems.
- Historically, the SBA has been the IMF lending instrument most used by advanced and emerging market countries.
- The SBA has been upgraded to be more flexible and responsive to countries’ needs, and can also serve as a precautionary arrangement.
- The factsheet was last updated in April 2025.

### Purpose
- Provide short-term balance of payments support.
- Serve as a precautionary arrangement when countries wish to retain the option to draw on approved amounts without immediate use.

### Eligibility
- For countries facing balance of payments problems and for those seeking precautionary coverage.

### Conditionality
- Disbursements are conditional on the observance of quantitative performance criteria.
- Progress in implementing structural measures that are critical to achieving the objectives of the program is assessed holistically, including via benchmarks.

### Review modalities
- Program progress and conditionality implementation are assessed through reviews (modalities not further specified in the factsheet).

### Terms and charges
- Resources are subject to a commitment fee levied at the beginning of each 12-month period on amounts that could be drawn in the period.
- Commitment fee schedule:
  - 15 basis points for committed amounts up to 200 percent of quota,
  - 30 basis points on committed amounts above 200 percent and up to 600 percent of quota,
  - 60 basis points on amounts exceeding 600 percent of quota.
- Fees are refunded pro rata if amounts are drawn during the course of the relevant period.
- If a country borrows the entire amount, the fee is fully refunded.
- No refund is made when countries do not draw.
- A service charge of 50 basis points is applied on each amount drawn.

### Repayment
- Repayment terms are part of the SBA terms (specific repayment schedule details are not included in the factsheet).

### Access
- Precautionary access: arrangements are used when countries do not intend to draw on approved amounts but retain the option to do so should they need it.

---

## Content in this bundle

- **The Stand-by Arrangement**
  - [The Stand-by Arrangement (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/factsheets/english/2025/the-standby-arrangement-sba2025final.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [The Stand-by Arrangement (PDF)](/-/media/files/factsheets/english/2025/the-standby-arrangement-sba2025final.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

---

## References

- [IMF lending](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/IMF-Lending)
- [Extended Credit Facility (ECF)](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2016/08/02/21/04/Extended-Credit-Facility)
- [Extended Fund Facility (EFF)](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2016/08/01/20/56/Extended-Fund-Facility)
- [Flexible Credit Line (FCL)](https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/flexible-credit-line-fcl)
- [Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL)](https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/precautionary-liquidity-line-pll)
- [Rapid Credit Facility (RCF)](https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/rapid-credit-facility-rcf)
- [Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI)](https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/rapid-financing-instrument-rfi)
- [Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF)](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2022/resilience-and-sustainability-facility-rsf)
- [Short-term Liquidity Line (SLL)](https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/short-term-liquidity-line-sll)
- [Stand-by Credit Facility (SCF)](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2016/08/02/21/10/Standby-Credit-Facility)
- [conditionality](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2023/IMF-Conditionality)
- [IMF’s Executive Board](https://www.imf.org/en/About/executive-board/eds-voting-power)
- [Special Drawing Rights (SDR)](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2023/special-drawing-rights-sdr)
- [quota](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2022/IMF-Quotas)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/stand-by-arrangement-sba_