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Re:Ask HN: How is the SVB situation affecting your startup? by bloppe on Friday March 10, 2023 @02:21PM (#35099465)
So you're saying having zero money is equivalent to having future money that can be borrowed against in the present?

Obviously the latter is not as good as just having money. But it's clearly better than the former.

Therein lies the difference between solvency and liquidity problems.

Re:Ask HN: How is the SVB situation affecting your startup? by Edmond on Friday March 10, 2023 @02:42PM (#35099773)
Not at all, my point is to avoid fancy words like "solvency" and "liquidity", they blind you to the basic fact that if you need cash today and you can't get it then you're broke.

Whether you have assets that *you* believe you could draw on in the future doesn't matter when your need is immediate.

Re:Ask HN: How is the SVB situation affecting your startup? by bloppe on Friday March 10, 2023 @03:33PM (#35100572)
You say blindingly fancy words. I say important difference.

You say basic fact. I say oversimplification.

We can argue about the semantics of the word "broke", but the difference here is between losing all your money vs. having to take out a loan now that you're pretty much guaranteed to be able to repay when your bonds mature and only losing the interest payments on that loan.

Re:Ask HN: How is the SVB situation affecting your startup? by orangesite on Friday March 10, 2023 @04:32PM (#35101395)
But here's the the bugger: Folk don't give you loans when you're insolvent.
Re:Ask HN: How is the SVB situation affecting your startup? by bloppe on Friday March 10, 2023 @06:51PM (#35103033)
That's why it's so much better to be illiquid! :)