What is a bond?

Learn what a bond is

When governments and companies want to raise money, they’ll often do so by issuing bonds.

Bonds are effectively promissory notes. In return for buying bonds, investors will receive the money they put in back, plus interest.
Investors usually buy bonds because they promise a fixed return, in the form of interest, that is supposed to be paid back at one or several preset dates.

As the interest rate paid on bonds is usually fixed and pre-set, it’s common for bonds to be referred to as ‘fixed-income’ investments. Today, not all bonds have a fixed interest rate. Many are now issued with variable or floating interest rates, which change over time.

Deep dive: What are bonds and why investors buy them?

More terms

Wall Street

A street in New York that became a figure of speech for the financial markets of the US.
Read more

W-8BEN Form

Non-US individuals and businesses may have to file this form for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US tax authority.
Read more

Technical Analysis

Examining price movements of shares and other assets, and trying to predict how they will move in the future.
Read more

Compound interest

Understand what compound interest means and how it's calculated
Read more

Time-Weighted Rate of Return (TWRR)

A return calculated over the time period invested, that excludes extraneous elements, such as deposits to and withdrawals from the investment accounted.
Read more

Fundamentals

The data or information that is likely to impact a company's stock price.
Read more

Beta

Learn what Beta stands for in finance.
Read more

Growth stocks

These are stocks in companies that are considered to be “growing”. These companies may be delivering new products and services, or entering new markets.
Read more

UK Treasury bill

A debt instrument issued by the UK government with a maturity of less than one year.
Read more
Compare plans

Pick the plan that suits you best

Save 17% when you choose an annual subscription.
Basic
£0.00
/Mo.
 
Get basic
Accounts include
  • General investment account

  • Stocks and shares ISA

    New
Benefits include
  • Commission-free investing in 6,500+ UK, US, and European stocks, ETFs, and more

  • FX fee of 0.99% on non-GBP trades

  • 1% AER on up to £1k uninvested cash

Standard
£4.99
/Mo.
£59.88 billed annually
Accounts include
  • General investment account

  • Stocks and shares ISA

Benefits include
  • Commission-free investing in 6,500+ UK, US, and European stocks, ETFs, and more

  • FX fee of 0.59% on non-GBP trades

  • 3% AER on up to £2k uninvested cash

Plus
£9.99
/Mo.
£119.88 billed annually
Accounts include
  • General investment account

  • Stocks and shares ISA

  • Personal pension (SIPP)

Benefits include
  • Commission-free investing in 6,500+ UK, US, and European stocks, ETFs, and more

  • FX fee of 0.39% on non-GBP trades

  • 5% AER on up to £3k uninvested cash

Basic
£0.00
/Mo.
 
Get basic
Accounts include
  • General investment account

  • Stocks and shares ISA

    New
Benefits include
  • Commission-free investing in 6,500+ UK, US, and European stocks, ETFs, and more

  • FX fee of 0.99% on non-GBP trades

  • 1% AER on up to £1k uninvested cash

Standard
£5.99
/Mo.
billed monthly
Accounts include
  • General investment account

  • Stocks and shares ISA

Benefits include
  • Commission-free investing in 6,500+ UK, US, and European stocks, ETFs, and more

  • FX fee of 0.59% on non-GBP trades

  • 3% AER on up to £2k uninvested cash

Plus
£11.99
/Mo.
billed monthly
Accounts include
  • General investment account

  • Stocks and shares ISA

  • Personal pension (SIPP)

Benefits include
  • Commission-free investing in 6,500+ UK, US, and European stocks, ETFs, and more

  • FX fee of 0.39% on non-GBP trades

  • 5% AER on up to £3k uninvested cash

You’re just minutes away from commission-free investing

When you invest, your capital is at risk