The credit derivatives market has revolutionised the transfer of credit risk. Its impact has been borne out by its significant growth which has currently achieved a market notional close to $2 trillion. While not directly comparable, it is worth noting that the total notional outstanding of global investment grade corporate bond issuance currently stands at $3.1 trillion.
This growth in the credit derivatives market has been driven by an increasing realisation of the advantages credit derivatives possess over the cash alternative, plus the many new possibilities they present to both credit investors and hedgers. Those investors seeking diversification, yield pickup or new ways to take an exposure to credit are increasingly turning towards the credit derivatives market.
The primary purpose of credit derivatives is to enable the efficient transfer and repackaging of credit risk. In their simplest form, credit derivatives provide a more efficient way to replicate in a derivative format the credit risks that would otherwise exist in a standard cash instrument.