Counterparty Risk: Definition, Types, and Examples

What is counterparty risk?

Counterparty risk (also called default risk) is the likelihood that one party in a financial transaction will fail to meet its contractual obligations. It applies across lending, investing, and trading activities and affects lenders, investors, insurers, and any party exposed to another’s performance.

Key points

Counterparty risk is the chance of loss when the other party defaults.
It influences pricing: higher counterparty risk usually requires a risk premium (higher interest or yield).
Assessing the issuer or counterparty—through credit scores, ratings, or other measures—is essential to gauge risk.

How counterparty risk is assessed and priced

Credit scores and reports are commonly used for individual and corporate borrowers. Scores indicate creditworthiness and help set interest rates or lending terms.
Typical individual credit score bands:
- Excellent: 750 and above
- Good: 700–749
- Fair: 650–699
- Poor: 550–649
- Bad: 549 and below
A lower credit score implies greater counterparty risk and usually leads to higher interest rates or penalties (for example, higher credit-card rates or penalty rates when payments are late).
In capital markets, bond ratings (e.g., from Moody’s or S&P) serve a similar role: lower-rated bonds pay higher yields to compensate investors for increased default risk.

Investment counterparty risk

Stocks, bonds, derivatives, and other financial instruments carry counterparty risk.
Government securities (e.g., U.S. Treasuries) are generally considered low counterparty risk and therefore pay lower yields.
Corporate and junk bonds carry higher counterparty risk and offer higher yields to attract investors.

Examples of counterparty risk in practice

Subprime mortgages and CDOs (2007–2009): Securitized products that contained low-quality mortgages were often misrated as high quality. When borrowers defaulted en masse, investors and financial institutions faced large losses, contributing to the financial crisis.
Insurance counterparties (e.g., AIG in 2008): When major insurers or reinsurers face solvency problems, policyholders and counterparties suddenly face higher counterparty risk, disrupting markets and requiring interventions.

Causes of counterparty risk

For individuals: job loss, medical emergencies, or unexpected expenses can increase default likelihood.
For businesses: operational failures, poor management, market downturns, or sector-specific shocks can lead to default.
Macroeconomic events and mispricing or misrating of risk can amplify counterparty exposures across the financial system.

Counterparty risk vs. credit risk

Credit risk is a specific type of risk referring to potential loss from a borrower failing to pay a loan—most often used in lending contexts.
Counterparty risk is broader, encompassing any loss that arises when a counterparty in a transaction (not just a borrower) fails to perform.

Bottom line

Counterparty risk is a fundamental consideration in nearly all financial transactions. Assessing counterparties—through credit scores, ratings, and due diligence—and pricing that risk appropriately (via interest rates, premiums, or other protections) are key to managing potential losses.