The European ABS market is split broadly into four areas, though certain sub-sets of these sectors are considered important distinct products in their own right, such as Auto ABS and Credit Card ABS.

• Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) are backed by pools of mortgage loans extended by banks and other financial institutions. They represent the largest component of the European ABS market and they are also the most liquid. RMBS itself includes sub-categories such as Prime, Non-conforming and Buy-to-Let RMBS, broadly defined by the typical profile of borrower in the pool.
• Consumer Receivables (Consumer ABS) ) include a large variety of unsecured consumer debt types that have been securitised including auto loans, credit card receivables and unsecured personal loans.
• Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMBS) are backed by commercial mortgages rather than residential mortgages, and use structures similar to other forms of ABS.
• Collateralised Loan Obligations (CLOs) are pools of corporate loans, refinanced in a securitised structure. Pools can be static or actively managed by a specialist loan manager.