The international syndicated loan market is a major source of funding for countries and companies. Multiple banks come together to provide a large loan to a borrower under one contract. This helps spread the risk for banks and allows borrowers to access more funds than a single bank could offer. The lead bank prepares the loan details and negotiates terms with other banks, while the agent bank manages communication between the syndicate and the borrower. However, since the financial crisis in 2008, the volume of syndicated loans has decreased significantly.