The term "Merchant Banking" is mainly of English origin and was often seen in its earliest form as "Merchants and Bankers". Generally, it described a firm that began as merchants or traders and then extended its activities by offering credit to its clients. Such credits were sometimes retained by the merchant banker as principal but were often sold as Bills of Exchange or Acceptances. By the early 20th century, most such firms had ceased to act as "goods merchants", and, were concentrated in trade finance, securities, investment management and venture capital. However, the original term is still used.
In the United States, the term "Securities Dealer" or "Investment Banker" is the more common form for its functions as corporate advisor, underwriter and broker, although in the 1980's certain U.S. investment banks began to refer to leveraged buyout and corporate restructuring activities where they would invest funds as principal ... as "merchant banking".
Traditional merchant banks primarily perform international financing activities such as foreign corporate investing, foreign real estate investment, trade finance and international transaction facilitation. Some of the activities that a pure merchant bank is involved in may include issuing letters of credit, transferring funds internationally, trade consulting and co-investment in projects involving trade of one form or another.
Today, notwithstanding our Gold Bullion Ownership Program, Sterling Merchant Group is one of the world’s fastest-rising “merchant banking” organizations specializing in an extensive array of financial services, including, in addition to Private Banking, Treasury and Foreign Exchange, Commodity and Metal Trading, and, much more ... see the following areas of Sterling’s additional professional services and venues of expertise.
Additionally, the foundational imperative to maintain an impeccable record of quality service has been paramount to our operation. With that in mind, the enforcement of stringent due diligence and compliance standards from within has, by design, set Sterling Merchant Group at the pinnacle of our specialized venue.
We help high-net-worth individuals and families along with select foundations and endowments pursue their wealth management goals
Sterling Asset Management applies insights and risk management expertise to help individual investors with their financial goals, now and in the future
Our experts provide investment advice and services to a wide range of clients, creating a plan that evolves with each unique client, helping them protect and grow their capital to meet their long-term financial goals
Tier-1 Capital
We are actively involved in the market of Tier-1 Capital. We connect with those who need us ... to create tailored program. By way of that venue, Sterling offers favorable opportunities for qualified investors
Credit Enhancement
Sterling's credit enhancement is a proprietary program that is designed to reduce and/or remove the majority, if not all, of the risk facing a project / business
Other Services ...
We conduct dealer activity in Fixed-Income Bond issues, including, but not limited to, Zero Coupon and Coupon - Attached Sovereign Government Bonds, and Private Placement Matters. All obligations / instruments utilized were rated a minimum A+ Moody and Standard & Poor's, short, medium, and long.
And, in our third general venue of EQUITY INVESTMENTS, our Specialists provide additional services in the venue of “Private Equity”, where we are actively involved, on behalf of investor entities, to realize their own set of goals, preferences and investment strategies in investing and acquiring equity ownership in companies, thereby offering very favorable opportunities for qualified investors.
Within this general venue, we further provide professional advice in the area of “Growth Capital” ( also known as “Expansion Capital” ), being usually a minority investment in relatively mature companies seeking capital for a multitude of business purposes.
Within the purview of our “Early Stage Investments” division, we, in partnership with our investor entities, provide private equity capital to early-stage, high-potential, growth companies most commonly undertaken after the seed funding stage as a growth funding vehicle.
And, finally within this general venue “Real Estate Investments” ( for profit ), we, along with our investor entities, are actively engaged in purchases, ownership, management and sales ( being an undertaking having become a highly popular and common investment vehicle ).
