A group of central and commercial banks has successfully tested the integration of wholesale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)

As the clocks struck midnight, we looked back at over 700 articles, handpicking our favourite stories that made the headlines in 2021

This month, Trade Finance Global (TFG) Editor Deepesh Patel spoke with Zekkar to find out more about his journey to Enigio, his new role, and his outlook on digitalisation in trade and supply chain finance.

This week, at a House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee hearing on CBDCs, Sir Jon Cunliffe, deputy governor for financial stability at the Bank of England, revealed some interesting findings on the potential impacts of Britcoin.

Letters of credit emerged in Europe in the 1800s. However, in their early days the functionality of letters of credit was limited, due to the non-uniformity of national laws. 

South Africa’s Standard Bank has launched a new digital payments partnership with Africa-based fintech Flutterwave. Under the terms of the deal, Standard Bank customers in eight African countries will be… read more →

French international bank BNP Paribas has executed a green repurchase agreement (repo) transaction with state-owned utility company Électricité de France (EDF). The two companies have worked jointly to structure and… read more →

Merchants would go on voyages for several weeks, if not months, in a caravel, carrack or clipper to the Far East, or elsewhere, to buy cotton, wool, tea, spices or other commodities. They would be equipped with a Letter of Credit in their trunk, often handwritten by the clerk of their high street banks.

In most countries, small and medium enterprises are important contributors to economic welfare. This is the main reason why a digitalized trade system can open more opportunities to further SME growth.

The magnitude and pressure around climate change and the United Nations (UN) agenda can give an opportunity to make a joint effort to transform supply chains more sustainable.