An asset-backed security (ABS) is a type of financial investment that is collateralized by an underlying pool of assets—usually ones that generate a cash flow from debt, such as loans, leases, credit card balances, or receivables.

Asset-backed securities (ABS) finance pools of familiar asset types, such as auto loans, aircraft leases, credit card receivables, mortgages, and business loans.

Securitization is the process of pooling various forms of debt—residential mortgages, commercial mortgages, auto loans, or credit card debt obligations—and creating a new financial instrument from the pooled debt. The bank then sells this group of repackaged assets to investors.