Final answer:
The main benefits to a borrower of selling asset-backed securities are the immediate liquidity by trading future cash flows for current ones and the potential for a high credit rating on the securities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of securitization offers notable benefits to the borrower. The primary advantage is that the borrower is able to trade future cash flows for current cash flows, enabling immediate liquidity. This liquidity is often critical for conducting business operations or pursuing investments. Moreover, when these asset-backed securities are backed by a diverse pool of assets, they tend to be rated more highly by credit rating agencies, increasing investor confidence and potentially lowering the cost of borrowing. High credit ratings, often AA or better, make these securities more attractive to investors, as they are perceived as safe investments.
It's important to note, however, that these positives come with the caveat that the originating bank may be incentivized to be less diligent in loan underwriting if it intends to offload the loans quickly through securitization. This led to the prevalence of 'subprime' loans and contributed to financial crises. Nonetheless, from the borrower's perspective, securitization can mitigate certain financial risks and support liquidity needs.