In 2024, the year of dramatic elections, tectonic shifts in governing power, and heightened tensions worldwide, Sibos attendees are keeping their eyes squarely on the road ahead. This year’s theme,… read more →

The firm is has been majority-owned by Santander since 2020, and offers cash and foreign exchange risk management services in over 130 currencies. It also services cross-border payments. The company first… read more →

Under this partnership, the IFC will provide Banco Safra with risk mitigation and connect it to its network of major international banks to set up partnerships on trade finance facilities.… read more →

The founder of a small business, built from the ground up, receives a call from someone representing the financial technology company they bank with. The caller says that some transactions on her company account have been blocked and that they need her security information.

The practice will provide firms with expert advice and support on challenges related to trade and customs, from navigating new IT systems to wider supply chain digitisation and complying with… read more →

A company’s understanding of risk—across partnerships and operations—is becoming the primary defence in times of heightened uncertainty. For trade finance, this plays out most acutely in the supply chain. From Ukraine to the South China Sea, ongoing cyber and wartime security threats mean that the supply chain finance market feels the full weight of geopolitical unrest. 

Talking about trade and sustainability can be a double-edged sword: international trade is denounced by climate and anti-globalisation activists for polluting the planet, but many see great potential in trade to power a green transition. Like it or not, trade makes up almost 30% of global GDP; it has also lifted over a billion people out of poverty in the last decades, and is going to become an increasingly central part of the fight against climate change as more parts of the world become integrated in the global market.

To better support growing small businesses, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced a new pilot loan program that intends to help close the trade finance gap experienced by SME exporters. The 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) is the SBA’s first new loan program introduced in more than a decade and will be able to support lines of credit up to $5 million. 

The 2024 CGI and BAFT Trade Technology Survey provides insights into how financial institutions navigate these changes and plan for the future. The survey reveals the strategic priorities and challenges which banks face and offers a comprehensive view of their adaptation strategies. 

As businesses strive to optimise processes, enhance efficiency, and meet growing customer demands, the tools they use need to evolve as well.