Counterparty Risk
Ever heard the expression "Don't put all your eggs in one basket"? Well, that's essentially what counterparty risk is all about – the danger of having too much exposure to a single entity. Imagine you're a trader, and you've got a killer deal lined up with a particular counterparty (the other party in the transaction). But what happens if that counterparty can't hold up their end of the bargain? Boom – you're left holding the bag, and that's a recipe for disaster.