What is "forfaiting"

In trade finance, forfaiting is a financial transaction involving the purchase of receivables from exporters by a forfaiter. The forfaiter takes on all the risks associated with the receivables but earns a margin. The forfaiter may also be immunized from certain risks if the transaction involves payment by negotiable instrument. The forfaiting is a transaction involving the sale of one of the firm's transactions. Factoring is also a financial transaction involving the purchase of financial assets, but factoring involves the sale of any portion of a firm's receivables.