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Glossary Show All

LIBOR Replacement: Definition & Meaning | Bondfish

What it means

For decades, LIBOR (the London Interbank Offered Rate) was the world’s most-used benchmark for floating-rate loans, bonds and derivatives. Because it relied on banks’ estimated borrowing quotes rather than real transactions, it proved vulnerable to manipulation and was phased out. US dollar LIBOR ceased for new use after 30 June 2023, and the temporary “synthetic” USD LIBOR published for hard-to-amend legacy contracts ended on 30 September 2024.

Each currency moved to its own transaction-based, near risk-free overnight rate:

  • USD → SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate)
  • GBP → SONIA (Sterling Overnight Index Average)
  • EUR → €STR (euro short-term rate)
  • JPY → TONA and CHF → SARON

Unlike LIBOR, these rates are backward-looking overnight rates built from actual market transactions, so a term rate is usually created by compounding them over the interest period.

Why it matters for bond investors

If you hold older floating-rate notes, their coupons no longer reset off LIBOR — contracts fell back to the relevant replacement rate (often SOFR) plus a fixed credit-spread adjustment. For any floating-rate bond you buy today, check which benchmark and spread define the coupon, because the base rate determines how your income moves with policy rates. To screen and compare floating- and fixed-rate bonds, use the Bondfish bond screener.

Related terms

This definition is for general information only and is not investment advice. Bond investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.