T-bill

Business & Finance abbreviation · Bond & Fixed-Income

T-bill
Stands forTreasury bill
CategoriesBusiness & Finance

T-bill stands for Treasury bill, a bond & Fixed-Income abbreviation.

Short-term US government debt security maturing in one year or less, issued at a discount to face value and redeemed at par, with the difference serving as interest. T-bills are considered the safest and most liquid short-term asset.

Example: She moved her emergency fund into 13-week T-bills yielding slightly more than her savings account.

Usage notes

The Treasury auctions bills weekly in maturities from 4 to 52 weeks, plus occasional cash management bills. Interest is exempt from state and local income taxes. Individuals can buy them through TreasuryDirect or a broker. The 3-month bill yield is often used as the "risk-free rate" in finance.

More bond & Fixed-Income abbreviations

  • OAS – Option-adjusted spread
  • OAT – Obligation assimilable du Trésor (French Treasury bond)
  • OIS – Overnight index swap
  • SOFR – Secured Overnight Financing Rate
  • SONIA – Sterling Overnight Index Average
  • STRIPS – Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities
  • T-bond – Treasury bond
  • T-note – Treasury note
  • TIPS – Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities
  • TRS – Total return swap
  • UST – United States Treasury securities
  • WAL – Weighted average life

See all 42 bond & Fixed-Income abbreviations →