Payment Core

Payment Core (the core of order payment) is not a standard term in international trade, but rather a general term used in practice for the most critical and non-negotiable conditions in the payment process of an order. It typically includes the payment method (such as T/T, L/C, D/P), payment timing milestones (such as deposit percentage, full payment before shipment, payment against copy of B/L), as well as the payment currency and allocation of bank charges. It is commonly used in contract negotiations, PI (proforma invoice) remarks, or internal risk control reviews to emphasize which payment terms are the bottom line. Note: Payment Core must be aligned with Incoterms (such as FOB, CIF) and delivery conditions, as risk varies greatly across different settlement methods. The difference from 'Payment Terms' is that Payment Terms refers to the complete payment terms, while Payment Core refers only to the core rigid parts. It also differs from 'Payment Schedule,' which focuses on the timeline. Foreign trade practitioners should clearly define the Payment Core and include it in the contract to avoid refusal of payment or exchange losses caused by vague wording.