The liquidity premium compensates investors for the risk of loss relative to an investment's fair value if the investment needs to be
converted to cash quickly. US T-bills, for example, do not bear a liquidity premium because large amounts can be bought and sold without affecting their market price.
Many bonds of small issuers, by contrast, trade infrequently after they are issued; the interest rate on such bonds includes a liquidity premium reflecting the relatively high costs (including the impact on price) of selling a position.