Trade and Investment Forum 2023

9 March 2023

SMBC Bank, London

^{TIF23: Making Trade Investible}

The financing of international trade has long been the preserve of banks. But the democratisation of investment in trade assets is closer than ever. Bankers, lawyers, and fintechs are combining their expertise and drawing on experience from both the capital and trade finance markets to make this happen.

There is now a clear recognition and demand for opening up the trade financing ecosystem in order to narrow the trade finance gap to support global supply chains, particularly in emerging markets. In the post-banking crisis era, there is growing interest from non-bank investors for new low-risk, short-term assets providing respectable yields. And as banks expect technology to increase the level of automation of trade finance distribution and start distributing open account transactions – such as unconfirmed receivables and approved payables – transaction volumes will surge.

However, apart from through banks – which are largely always able to meet global demand because of regulatory bank capital and balance-sheet restrictions – an appropriate infrastructure for non-professional and low experience trade asset investors is not yet available. The new Trade and Investment Forum (TIF23) will examine the potential to create an ecosystem and enable a framework to facilitate access to trade finance by advancing the evolution of trade finance as an asset class for investors.

Join asset managers, insurers, pension funds, trade finance banks, fintechs, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, and all those interested in alternative investments with risk/return profiles that align with the character of trade finance portfolios, at the first TIF23.

Considering the anticipated growth in world trade, it is expected that the requirement for trade financing will increase substantially. Therefore, bankers are increasingly valuing the option to originate and distribute trade finance assets and to participate within more diverse solutions. TIF23 will examine these prospects with top speakers and provide excellent networking opportunities. Come along and be part of this new, exciting initiative which looks at realistic methods of closing the trade finance gap by establishing a wider market for trade assets.