• Tranche Z is a part of a structured financial product, payments for which are received only after all other tranches are repaid.

  • Instead of paying interest on tranche Z, the money is used to repay the principal of the upper tranches more quickly.
  • Waiting for everyone else to assemble first means that Z tranche holders are likely to remain empty.
  • The Z-tranche is usually used to make the tranches that come first, or the junior tranches, more attractive.
  • The normal maturity of the Z tranche can be 20 years or more.