FLOATING CHARGE

A security (i.e. mortgage, lien, etc.) that has an underlying asset or group of assets which is subject to change in quantity and value. Corporations can use floating charges and it does not affect their ability to use the underlying asset as normal. Only if the company fails to repay the loan and/or goes into liquidation, does the floating charge become "crystallized" or frozen into a fixed charge. At that point the lender becomes the first-in-line creditor to be able to draw against the underlying asset and/or its value to recoup its loss on the loan.