comptant

Comptant is a French term used mainly in commerce and finance to describe payment or settlement that is made immediately, in cash or in an equivalent form, rather than on credit or at a future date. The concept contrasts with payment terms that allow deferment or financing.

In retail and wholesale, the expression paiement au comptant refers to completing a transaction with immediate payment at the time of purchase. Vente au comptant describes the sale itself, where the buyer settles the amount owed on the spot. Prices may be labeled prix au comptant to indicate that the stated price applies to immediate payment and delivery, and some sellers offer Rabais comptant or discounts for cash payments.

In financial markets, comptant often translates to spot or cash settlement. Transactions au comptant are settled promptly, frequently within the same day or a short standard window defined by the market, and they contrast with operations à terme (forward or futures contracts) and with deferred or credit-based settlements. The term is used in contexts such as commodities trading and securities trading to distinguish immediate delivery and payment from future delivery and payment.

Etymology and usage notes: comptant derives from compter, meaning to count, reflecting the idea of payment being completed and counted as settled at once. In French-speaking regions, the term appears in France, Belgium, and parts of Canada, among others, and is commonly paired with terms like soldes au comptant, marché au comptant, or paiement au comptant.

See also: paiement à crédit, prix au comptant, marché au comptant, à terme.