Definition: A mortgage-backed security (MBS) refers to a financial instrument that has been created by combining two or more mortgage-backed bonds into one security. It is a type of bond that is issued with a guaranteed income stream from the borrower. The term "mortgage backed securities" comes from the fact that these securities are issued with a guarantee or insurance attached to them, which allows investors to participate in the underlying mortgage assets and potentially earn interest on their investments. The MBS typically includes various types of mortgages, including conventional, jumbo, andδΈζζΏδ½ζΏθ΄·ζ¬Ύγ To understand the definition of "mortgage-backed securities", it's important to remember that MBS are structured differently from other types of government-backed or corporate bonds. They have a guaranteed income stream for the issuer (the bank or other lender) when the underlying mortgage assets reach certain thresholds. This guarantees investors that if the borrower defaults on their payments, they will be able to recover some or all of the investment. MBS also feature a floating interest rate structure, which means that the rates can adjust based on market conditions. MBS have been used in a variety of contexts, including housing markets, financial institutions, and credit risk management. They are widely utilized for a range of purposes, such as funding mortgage-backed securities transactions, hedging against borrower defaults or declines in the real estate market, or generating cash flow for mortgage companies.