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The EVE economy would be enriched by a line of credit system, where players may request ISK on loan modeled after real-life credit systems.

Applying for a loan:
Loan applications can be accessed via any station with a "Loan Office". Applications are processed immediately and the loan granted based on various factors.

Factors affecting loans:
> player standing with loaning corporation
> player "credit score" from previous loans (the more ISK successfully loaned, the better the score)
> player security status
> etc

Potential Skills:
> Line of Credit - each level raises the maximum loan amount by X%
> Debt Consolidation - each level allows one extra active loan.
> Loan Officer - the first level allows placing of a loan application within the same system, each subsequent level extends this range [...] anywhere within the current region.
> Compound interest - skill at negotiating interest rates, each level reduces flat interest paid on a loan by X% and compound interest by Y%.
> etc, generally skills can be added to control factors such as loan amount, number, duration, and so forth.
> any other Trade/Social skills such as Negotiations or Connections can be made to have impact on the loan process.

Interest:
A flat interest rate is charged (based on standing and credit score) no matter how brief the loan; followed by a compound interest rate that is charged (also based on standing/score) per extra day the loan is active.

Paying off a loan:
A player may pay off an active loan anywhere at anytime, via the "Loans" tab in Wallet.

Regulations:
> The maximum loan amount cannot exceed 2x the amount in the player's current balance
> Loans cannot be applied for/trained on trial accounts.
> Players who fail to pay a loan before it's expiry date are subject to be penalized at the discretion of the lending corporation. This can be anywhere from loss of standing, to going into negative balance, even to gaining kill rights.

NPC controlled corporations might simply deduct from a player's balance, and if requiring, into negative balance. Alternatively certain station assets can be "frozen" until the loan is payed off.

> Certain "Loan Shark" corporations may choose to offer lucrative or more attractive loans to players willing to play high stakes. For example, the penalty for letting a loan expire in these cases might include kill rights. Be warned!

Interface:
> Applying for a loan initially is done through the Station services at participating stations.
> Active (and previous) Loans can be accessed via the "Loans" tab in Wallet.
> Depending on certain skills, players may also apply for and receive a loan remotely.
> Loans will be payed off through the "Loans" tab.

Protection:
> limitations on loan amounts and standing guarantees players cannot abuse the system, and that loans are proportional to the player's experience/level so that debts are not insurmountable

The idea stems largely from having to pass on so many otherwise great opportunities (mainly in courier contracts or market sales) simply because a player is shy by often just a few ISK here and there. Rather than have them go off and grind some completely unrelated task just to fund their primary activities (or worse, RMT), they can apply for a loan and continue to do what they are trained for (and likely most enjoy). It also stems from recently finding out from another player that negative balances are possible and do occur within EVE, so why not have a proper interface surrounding them.

A credit system opens up a whole new world for the EVE economy and helps it model ever more closely a complete and closed ecosystem.

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