obligatiehouder

An obligatiehouder, often translated as bondholder, is an individual or institution that owns a bond. A bond is a debt instrument where the issuer owes the holders a debt and is obliged to pay interest (the coupon) and/or to repay the principal at a later date. When an investor buys a bond, they are essentially lending money to the issuer, which could be a government, municipality, or corporation. In return for this loan, the obligatiehouder receives periodic interest payments and the return of the principal amount at maturity.

The rights of an obligatiehouder are typically outlined in the bond indenture, a legal document detailing the terms of the bond. These rights generally include the right to receive interest payments as scheduled and the right to receive the principal amount when the bond matures. In the event of bankruptcy or liquidation of the issuer, obligatiehouders usually have a higher claim on the issuer's assets than shareholders, though their claim is subordinate to secured creditors. The value of a bond, and therefore the investment of the obligatiehouder, can fluctuate in the market due to changes in interest rates, credit ratings of the issuer, and other economic factors. Owning a bond makes the obligatiehouder a creditor of the issuing entity.