In finance, “corporates” usually refers to companies or corporations that issue debt securities, such as bonds, in order to finance their operations or other activities. These securities may be traded on financial markets and are often rated by credit rating agencies based on the issuer’s creditworthiness. The term “corporates” may also refer more broadly to any company that is not a government or a financial institution. In currency trading, “corporates” can also refer to companies that need to exchange one currency for another to conduct business operations.